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jcmarchi · 1 month ago

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AI Hyperscaler Nscale Secures $155 Million in Series A Funding to Fuel Expansion and Meet AI Compute Demand

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/ai-hyperscaler-nscale-secures-155-million-in-series-a-funding-to-fuel-expansion-and-meet-ai-compute-demand/

AI Hyperscaler Nscale Secures $155 Million in Series A Funding to Fuel Expansion and Meet AI Compute Demand

Nscale, a leading innovator in AI hyperscale infrastructure, has announced the completion of a $155 million Series A funding round. Led by Sandton Capital Partners, with participation from Kestrel, Bluesky Asset Management, and Florence Capital, this oversubscribed round positions Nscale to expand its sustainable and scalable AI infrastructure across Europe and North America. The company is uniquely addressing the surging demand for high-performance AI computation, driven by the explosive growth of generative AI applications and large-scale workloads.

Founded on the principles of innovation and environmental responsibility, Nscale operates as a fully integrated hyperscaler. Its platform manages every layer of AI infrastructure, from energy-efficient data centers to advanced GPU superclusters and orchestration software. This end-to-end approach not only ensures maximum efficiency but also aligns with Nscale’s commitment to sustainability, leveraging 100% renewable energy to minimize environmental impact.

Pioneering the Future of AI Compute

Nscale has quickly distinguished itself as a critical player in the AI ecosystem by addressing the complex challenges of AI workload scalability. Its cutting-edge data centers, strategically located in the Arctic Circle, leverage natural cooling and renewable energy sources, significantly reducing operational costs and carbon emissions. These facilities form the backbone of Nscale’s robust platform, which supports the full lifecycle of AI model development, training, fine-tuning, and inference.

The company’s offerings include:

GPU Nodes: High-performance compute resources using state-of-the-art GPUs, such as AMD MI300X and NVIDIA H100, tailored for AI and HPC workloads.

Integrated AI Marketplace: A curated selection of tools and frameworks, including TensorFlow and PyTorch, optimized for rapid development and deployment.

Serverless and Dedicated Inference: Scalable solutions designed for low-latency AI inference, enabling cost-effective deployment of generative AI models.

Advanced Orchestration: Tools like Kubernetes and SLURM for efficient container management and workload scheduling, ensuring seamless scalability and performance.

Joshua Payne, CEO of Nscale, highlighted the unique value the company brings to the AI infrastructure market: “We design our systems end-to-end, from the data center to the GPU clusters, providing bespoke solutions for customers at any scale. This vertical integration allows us to deliver faster deployments, better cost-efficiency, and unparalleled performance.”

Growth Fueled by Strategic Funding

Since its launch from stealth in May 2024, Nscale has experienced unprecedented demand for its AI infrastructure. The Series A funding will support the development of 120MW of data center capacity in 2025, part of a broader 1.3GW pipeline spanning Europe and North America. These facilities are purpose-built for large-scale AI applications, leveraging advancements like closed-loop direct liquid cooling to maximize performance while reducing environmental impact.

“The AI market is scaling rapidly, and so are we,” Payne stated. “This funding enables us to meet the increasing demands of global enterprises, governments, and AI innovators who need bespoke infrastructure solutions to unlock the next wave of AI capabilities.”

Sustainability at the Core

Central to Nscale’s strategy is its unwavering commitment to sustainability. By locating its data centers in the Arctic Circle, the company reduces its reliance on traditional cooling methods, instead utilizing the natural climate for energy-efficient operations. Additionally, all facilities are powered by renewable energy, reflecting Nscale’s vision to empower industries with eco-friendly computation solutions.

This commitment to sustainability has already attracted global attention. Nscale’s Svartisen Cluster was recently recognized in the 2024 Top500 list of the world’s most powerful supercomputers, underscoring the company’s ability to deliver high-performance AI infrastructure while adhering to stringent environmental standards.

A Global Vision for AI Innovation

Nscale is also expanding its global footprint through strategic partnerships. Recently, the company announced a collaboration with Open Innovation AI in the MENA region, targeting the deployment of 30,000 GPUs over the next three years. These efforts are part of Nscale’s broader goal to enable scalable AI innovation across industries such as healthcare, finance, gaming, and autonomous vehicles.

The upcoming launch of Nscale’s public cloud service in Q1 2025 is another milestone. This new offering will provide developers with access to flexible, purpose-built environments for training and inference, further enhancing the platform’s appeal to a diverse range of users.

Positioned to Lead the AI Revolution

Nscale’s vertically integrated approach allows it to deliver bespoke solutions tailored to the needs of its clients, from startups to multinational enterprises. By controlling every layer of its infrastructure, the company can ensure optimal performance, cost efficiency, and sustainability.

Rael Nurick, Co-Founder of Sandton Capital Partners, emphasized the importance of this strategy: “Nscale’s commitment to sustainability, combined with its industry partnerships and innovative infrastructure design, positions it as the hyperscaler of choice for enterprises scaling AI globally.”

With the $155 million Series A funding, Nscale is poised to redefine the future of AI infrastructure. By empowering organizations with cutting-edge tools and sustainable solutions, the company is not only meeting the needs of today’s AI-driven world but also setting new standards for the industry.

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jcmarchi · 1 month ago

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Vadim Vladimirskiy, Co-Founder & CEO of Nerdio – Interview Series

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/vadim-vladimirskiy-co-founder-ceo-of-nerdio-interview-series/

Vadim Vladimirskiy, Co-Founder & CEO of Nerdio – Interview Series

Vadim Vladimirskiy serves as the CEO and co-founder of Nerdio, playing a key role in the development of its flagship products, Nerdio Manager for Enterprise and Nerdio Manager for MSP. He is an active speaker at industry events, focusing on channel, technology, and Microsoft-related topics. With a career that began in high school when he started his first IT consultancy business, he has maintained a long-standing commitment to technology and innovation.

Nerdio is a software solution provider that supports organizations of all sizes in deploying, managing, and cost-optimizing native Microsoft technologies. The company collaborates with Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and enterprise organizations worldwide, enhancing their existing Microsoft investments, including Azure Virtual Desktop, Windows 365, and Microsoft Intune.

How has your background in IT shaped the vision and product development at Nerdio?

My journey in IT began in high school when I started ComTech Computers, helping people set up home networks and experiencing the complexity and potential of IT. By the early 2000s, I was working as an IT consultant and network engineer at Solus, an MSP in Chicago, where I managed backups for numerous small and mid-sized businesses. Tape backups were unreliable and inefficient, and I envisioned a more streamlined, automated solution. After pushing for months, my bosses and I co-founded Level2 Storage in 2005, a cloud-based backup company, where we offered clients secure, automatic online data protection.

As client needs grew, I saw an opportunity to manage not only backups but entire IT infrastructures remotely—well before “cloud” was a common term. In 2007, we virtualized servers and offered remote access for a few clients as a pilot, which led to the launch of Adar IT. This new MSP offered clients full IT infrastructure management in a virtual environment, enabling them to access their desktops and data from anywhere. The cloud-focused model of Adar was transformative, but skeptics questioned its feasibility. Over time, we overcame challenges, optimized the technology, and grew Adar to serve numerous clients.

By 2016, with cloud adoption growing, we saw other MSPs facing the same cloud complexities we had tackled. This led to the founding of Nerdio, a platform that automates cloud environments specifically for MSPs, empowering them to deliver cloud services without needing deep cloud expertise. Nerdio’s mission is rooted in the solutions we developed for Adar IT and the challenges we faced along the way. How does Nerdio help organizations optimize their Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 environments?

Nerdio simplifies and optimizes Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Windows 365 environments through automation, cost management, and streamlined deployment. With Nerdio Manager, IT professionals can deploy an AVD environment in a few hours or connect to an existing setup in as little as 10 minutes, reducing deployment time by up to 80%. Our intuitive platform also automates key processes, from image management to application delivery, minimizing manual intervention, and reducing the risk of errors.

Nerdio’s advanced auto-scaling feature is central to its cost-saving capabilities. By dynamically adjusting resources based on demand, organizations have cited saving up to 80% on Azure compute and storage costs, when using Nerdio Manager compared to unoptimized strategies. Additionally, ESG reported that enterprises, on average, experience a 55% reduction in AVD costs using Nerdio Manager, compared to using AVD alone. Our interface also allows IT teams to manage both AVD and Windows 365 environments from a single platform, simplifying administration and improving overall operational efficiency.’

What are some unique challenges Nerdio addresses for enterprises managing cloud deployments?

We’re addressing unique challenges for enterprises managing cloud deployments by streamlining complex IT processes and reducing both operational costs and administrative burdens. With tools like our Nerdio Manager for MSP and Nerdio Manager for Enterprise, the platform fills significant gaps in managing Microsoft environments—specifically Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Microsoft’s Modern Workplace.

For enterprises with hybrid or remote workforces, we simplify the transition to cloud-first environments. Our platforms offer centralized, scalable management features, automating many repetitive tasks. For example, Kite Technology Group uses Nerdio to maintain security updates and disaster recovery processes across all client devices. This approach eliminates the need for frequent manual updates and ensures consistent, secure environments.

Nerdio’s auto-scaling capabilities are particularly beneficial, enabling enterprises to dynamically adjust resources based on real-time business needs. This provides significant cost savings on compute resources, as illustrated by Damart, who saved 50% on licensing and labor costs by using Nerdio’s scaling features. We also make tenant management more efficient. Tasks that once required hours are now completed in minutes, which saves IT leaders’ significant time and resources while managing hundreds or thousands of users.

With advanced features like unified application management, automatic updates and streamlined onboarding, Nerdio simplifies complex cloud management and enhances business continuity. By eliminating much of the labor and budget traditionally required for AVD and Microsoft Modern Workplace, our solutions empower enterprises to scale their cloud environments efficiently and affordably. How does Nerdio ensure security and compliance while managing cloud environments like Microsoft Intune and Azure Virtual Desktop?

Our approach to security focuses on leveraging Microsoft’s robust security frameworks while adding our own layer of automation and best practices to ensure organizations can meet their security requirements.

We integrate Network Security Groups (NSGs) to manage and control traffic at the network level, ensuring all data and applications stay within the internal network.

Additionally, we support Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Privileged Identity Management (PIM), which help restrict access to only those who need it, minimizing the risk of data breaches. Regular patching and updates, combined with our automated tools, ensure all AVD components are protected against the latest threats.

Our platform ensures robust security through continuous monitoring with Azure Sentinel and centralized management. This helps maintain compliance with industry standards like GDPR, HIPAA and ISO. Nerdio is the first organization in the MSP space to partner with the Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS). This partnership simplifies compliance efforts and bolsters cybersecurity postures without requiring comprehensive customization or manual configuration. Recently, we partnered with CIS to transform our customers’ IT environments with robust, ready-to-use CIS Windows 10 and Windows 11 Intune policies to strengthen enterprises’ security and drive compliance. How is Nerdio leveraging AI to streamline cloud management for enterprises and Managed Service Providers (MSPs)?

Nerdio leverages AI to streamline cloud management for enterprises and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) by tackling the complexities of migration, ongoing resource management, and cost optimization—all while enhancing security, compliance, and scalability.

Simplifying Cloud Complexity: Cloud environments are often complex, requiring careful handling from migration through day-to-day management. Nerdio’s AI-driven automation simplifies this process, minimizing both downtime and technical overhead. For enterprises and MSPs, this means smoother transitions to the cloud and a streamlined approach to ongoing management, allowing IT teams to focus on strategic goals rather than time-consuming configurations.

Cost Optimization: Managing cloud costs is challenging, particularly with idle resources that can drive up expenses unnecessarily. Nerdio’s platform leverages AI to automate resource scaling and optimize usage, minimizing total cloud expenditure. Predictive analytics help identify potential savings by analyzing usage patterns, while automated scaling ensures resources adjust based on demand—particularly valuable for MSPs managing dynamic, multi-tenant environments.

Unified Management for Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Environments: With a growing need for hybrid and multi-cloud strategies, Nerdio offers a unified management platform compatible with Azure, Windows 365, and other environments, cutting down inefficiencies and simplifying oversight. This integrated platform enables IT teams to manage resources across multiple environments seamlessly, reducing complexity and optimizing resource utilization.

Dynamic Scalability: Scalability is critical for cloud environments, especially when demand fluctuates. Nerdio’s AI-driven auto-scaling capabilities allow organizations to dynamically adjust resources, enhancing both performance and cost-efficiency. This scalability feature provides a balance of agility and control, allowing enterprises to maintain optimal performance without overspending on unused capacity.

What role does AI play in Nerdio’s auto-scaling and cost optimization features?

AI plays a transformative role in Nerdio’s auto-scaling and cost optimization features by driving what we call smart automation. Through AI algorithms, we predict resource demand based on historical usage patterns, enabling systems to automatically scale up or down to precisely match user needs. This predictive capability minimizes over-provisioning and avoids idle resources, which translates directly into substantial cost savings.

Our AI also proactively identifies inefficiencies, like underutilized VMs, and offers tailored recommendations for actions such as resizing or decommissioning resources to optimize cloud spend. With tools like Nerdios’s AssistPro’s genAI bot, we take this a step further by automating complex configurations and task setups, allowing users to manage resources more quickly and accurately, reducing manual errors, and enhancing cost efficiency.

Beyond automation, AI in Nerdio ensures proactive management of resources by analyzing shifts in demand and usage trends. This empowers IT teams to make data-driven decisions with ease, knowing they’re maximizing performance while keeping costs as low as possible. At Nerdio, AI isn’t just about making things easier—it’s about ensuring customers consistently achieve the best performance for the least investment, all with minimal effort. In what ways is Nerdio using AI to improve the user experience for IT professionals managing cloud services?

To enhance the user experience for IT professionals managing cloud services, Nerdio uses AI in several ways to streamline workflows, reduce repetitive tasks, and empower IT teams with self-service options:

Self-Service Automations for End-Users: Nerdio’s AI-driven automation enables end-users to perform routine tasks, like starting or stopping virtual desktops, without requiring IT intervention. This feature reduces the administrative burden on IT teams, freeing them up to focus on higher-priority tasks while still ensuring end-users have quick, easy access to essential functions.

Intelligent Recommendations and Troubleshooting: AI proactively identifies common issues in cloud environments, offering suggestions to resolve potential problems before they escalate. This predictive troubleshooting not only reduces downtime but also provides IT professionals with helpful insights to address recurring challenges, enhancing overall cloud performance and reliability.

Guided Configuration and Optimization: Through tools like AssistPro’s genAI bot, Nerdio simplifies complex configurations, guiding users step-by-step in resource setup and optimization. This AI-guided assistance minimizes human error and makes configuring resources more intuitive, especially for IT teams new to managing large-scale cloud deployments.

Customizable Automation Policies: Nerdio’s AI allows IT professionals to set and modify policies that automate common workflows, from managing resource allocation to scheduling desktop availability based on usage trends. This flexibility enables teams to create a custom automation experience that aligns with their organization’s specific needs and usage patterns.

Enhanced Security Through Automated Policy Enforcement: Nerdio leverages AI to monitor for compliance issues and enforce security policies, minimizing risks while ensuring that only authorized users have access to sensitive cloud resources. This level of automation not only boosts security but also relieves IT teams from manual monitoring tasks.

As an innovative technologist, what future trends in AI and cloud management do you see shaping the industry?

Future trends in AI and cloud management are poised to redefine the industry, particularly through hyper-automation, cost governance, and advanced observability. AI-driven systems will enable autonomous, self-healing cloud environments that predictively manage resources and resolve issues, minimizing manual intervention. Cost optimization will become more sophisticated, with AI offering granular insights and automatically managing idle resources to ensure efficient cloud spending. Observability, powered by AI, will allow for deeper visibility into cloud infrastructure, with real-time analytics detecting and addressing performance and security issues proactively. Additionally, AI will streamline multi-cloud orchestration, ensuring optimal workload placement across environments, while sustainability-focused AI will suggest greener cloud practices. Enhanced DevOps and conversational AI will simplify IT management, making cloud operations more intuitive and responsive to organizational goals.

Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Nerdio.

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