Nvidia(US:NVDA) Zhi Tong Cai Jing·2026-01-09 08:08Core Insights - Nscale, a UK-based cloud AI computing rental startup, is in talks to raise approximately $2 billion from Wall Street investors, highlighting the surging global demand for AI computing power [1][2] - The company has recently completed two successful funding rounds in September and October, raising a total of over $1.5 billion, including a record $1.1 billion Series B round, the largest in European history [1][2] - Nscale is collaborating with financial giants Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase for this funding effort, indicating strong institutional interest [1][2] Company Overview - Nscale was spun off from a cryptocurrency mining business in 2024 and focuses on providing AI computing capacity through physical delivery or cloud-based rental services [3] - The company operates in the "new cloud" sector, similar to CoreWeave, a major player in AI computing rental, which has a market valuation of $38.5 billion [2][3] Revenue Model - Nscale's revenue primarily comes from two sources: long-term service contracts for guaranteed capacity and on-demand cloud AI computing rentals [4] - The company has disclosed a multi-year service agreement with Microsoft to deliver approximately 12,600 NVIDIA GB300 AI GPU units starting in Q1 2026, along with broader AI infrastructure services [4] Management and Strategic Moves - Nscale has made significant executive hires, including a COO from Palantir Technologies and a CFO from JPMorgan, which are seen as critical for its potential IPO [5] - The company has established a deep partnership with NVIDIA and is collaborating with OpenAI on large-scale AI infrastructure projects in Europe [5][7] Market Position and Competitors - Nscale aims to become the next CoreWeave, focusing on building a large-scale global cloud platform to meet the increasing demand for AI computing [7][8] - Competitors like CoreWeave and Nebius Group NV have seen significant stock price fluctuations, reflecting investor concerns about the sustainability of the AI infrastructure spending [6][8] Industry Trends - The demand for AI computing resources is experiencing explosive growth, driven by advancements in AI applications like Google's Gemini3, which has led to increased pressure on existing infrastructure [9] - The ongoing expansion of AI data centers is struggling to keep pace with the surging global demand for computing power, indicating a critical phase in the development of AI infrastructure [8][9]