Can AI data centers be mass-produced like cars? This startup aims to find out

Runware, an AI infrastructure company, announced plans to build a factory in Romania that assembles modular data center pods on a production line, similar to automobile manufacturing. The company unveiled its Sonic Inference Pod just months ago and now aims to scale production to 30 megawatts of data center capacity per day by 2028, or nearly 1 gigawatt per month. CEO Flaviu Radulescu said Runware already has two factories, with the second expected to open early next year. Runware claims it can bring pods online within 48 hours of installation, with build times dropping from three weeks to one day as production ramps up. Customers can rent compute or supply their own GPUs, pay monthly fees for pods and operations, and power and internet are billed separately. The pods can be customized and feature closed-loop liquid cooling that requires no water connection, and the company says it is working with power providers on a site pipeline covering 397 megawatts with potential to expand to 1.2 gigawatts. Runware, which has raised over $60 million including a $50 million Series A last December, plans a Series B and claims $1 billion in committed interest for its pods. Radulescu addressed comparisons to EV startup Arrival, which struggled to mass-produce cost-effectively, saying Runware's cost structure differs because designing its own systems and buying affordable standard parts keeps costs low, and it has hired an experienced plant manager from the automotive industry. Challenges remain, including dependence on Germany-sourced parts like pumps and fans and on Nvidia for networking. Runware plans to expand to the U.S. and other regions after launching its new factory early next year.

(Source：TechCrunch)