Omen AI raises $31M to help data centers avoid costly downtime with continuous liquid coolant monitoring
Data center coolant monitoring startup Omen AI Inc. is trying to fix one of the most pressing, yet little-known challenges in the artificial intelligence industry after raising $31 million in Series A funding today. The round was led by Nava Ventures and saw participation from CRV, Vanderbilt University, Mann+Hummel, Starhill Holdings and Hard Launch Capital. Executives from Bridgestone Inc., TensorWave Inc. and General Motors Co. also invested in the round.
The problem Omen AI is trying to tackle involves bacteria, which surprisingly, can cause significant problems for liquid-cooled AI chips. As data centers try to squeeze more and more graphics processing units into each rack to boost cluster sizes, those chips run increasingly hotter. But the fluid that’s used to prevent those chips from cooking becomes more welcoming to bacteria the hotter those chips become.
In an interview with TechCrunch, Omen AI founder and Chief Executive Zach Laberge explained that data centers use a liquid coolant that’s made up of water and an additive that’s meant to suppress the growth of bacteria. However, sometimes it’s necessary to add a bit more water to that mixture so that the chips can be pushed even harder. More water allows the liquid to absorb more heat, but the wetter the mix is, the more likely it is to become contaminated – not only with bacteria, but also with tiny, sometimes even microscopic pieces of metal and other particles. The problem is that these can eventually prevent the liquid from flowing through the system as it should.
