Business news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Drogue raises $20m to develop ocean-powered floating data centres
Drogue, a six-month-old startup, has raised $20 million to develop floating data centres powered by heat from the ocean. It aims to offer a faster way to add computing capacity as AI demand grows, without relying on the long timelines involved in building land-based facilities and connecting them to power grids.
The company plans to install a multi-megawatt prototype on an oceangoing ship and send it to sea in early 2028. Its system uses warm surface water and cold water from deep below to drive a cycle that generates electricity while cooling servers; the approach, known as ocean thermal energy conversion, was explored decades ago. Drogue says advances in manufacturing could help make it practical, though the article notes the need for customers able to use the power at sea.
In short
- Drogue has raised $20 million for ocean-powered floating data centres.
- A multi-megawatt ship prototype is planned for early 2028.
- The system uses temperature differences between surface and deep water.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by TechCrunch as “This young startup wants to power floating data centers with the ocean’s heat, and investors are already on board”.