Technology

Phaidra Raises $12 Million to Help Data Centers Increase Compute Infrastructure and Solve the Most Urgent Problem Facing AI Innovation Today

Published

2 years ago

July 2, 2024

The rapid increase in high-powered GPUs, driven by AI, has created a looming energy and innovation crisis where data centers don’t have enough power to meet demand for compute; Phaidra uses AI and reinforcement learning to help data centers scale compute by optimizing cooling systems and reducing energy costs, which represent up to 50% of operating expenses

SEATTLE, July 2, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Phaidra, an AI-based control system that helps mission-critical facilities like data centers improve energy efficiency and increase compute infrastructure, today announced $12 million in new funding led by Index Ventures, bringing their total capital raised to $60.5 million. The new funding will allow Phaidra to accelerate expansion of its autonomous control systems, which use reinforcement learning to help data centers optimize their power usage while improving reliability. The announcement comes at a time when rapid AI innovation relies on scaling compute. This, combined with a shortage of power and skilled labor needed to support mission-critical facilities like data centers, is contributing to a global crisis where AI innovation is constrained by a lack of compute infrastructure.

“At Phaidra, we’re on a mission to revolutionize how data centers are managed with an AI-powered control system that not only adapts in real time, but also continuously learns and improves. The result is cost savings on a massive scale and more revenue to drive further growth.”

The data center industry, the backbone of AI, is growing rapidly. In the US, which accounts for 40% of the global data center market, demand is forecast to reach 35GW by 2030, up from 17GW in 2022. But data centers are extremely energy-intensive, consuming 10-50 times the energy per floor space of a typical commercial office building. As AI models proliferate, relying on resource-hungry GPUs, existing markets are struggling to meet demand. In Northern Virginia, the world’s largest data center market, only 0.2% of grid capacity is available. In Ireland, data centers are projected to account for 32% of national electricity consumption by 2026. There is simply not enough excess power available in the world to support AI’s current growth trajectory without major improvements in data center infrastructure and efficiency.

“For as much as we talk about AI and growing compute capacity, we are ignoring the heart of the problem—power,” says Martin Mignot, Partner at Index Ventures. “There is no AI without sufficient energy. The more time we spent researching this problem, the more clearly we saw the importance of investing in solutions that address the downstream effects of computational growth. Phaidra is a perfect example of the right team with the right product in the right place, at a unique moment in time.”

Phaidra’s AI control platform turns industrial facilities into intelligent, self-learning systems that combine the precision of manual methods with the scalability and efficiency offered by AI. It seamlessly integrates into existing building management systems to capture real-time data, feed that data into its cloud-based reinforcement learning agent, and autonomously alter the settings on the individual components to achieve optimal performance of the entire system. And unlike traditional control systems, which slowly degrade and require regular manual programming updates, Phaidra automatically learns and gets better over time. Phaidra’s early customers have seen efficiency improvements amounting to millions of dollars in cost savings, which translates to increased power availability for revenue-generating services.

Phaidra’s founding team brings a rare mix of specific engineering know-how and world-class AI research credentials. While working as a data center operator at Google, co-founder and CEO Jim Gao was inspired by the AlphaGo documentary to explore how machine-learning technology could be applied to improve efficiency in Google’s data centers. His enthusiasm caught the attention of Phaidra’s now-CTO Vedavyas Panneershelvam, who had worked as a primary research engineer on AlphaGo. They joined forces at DeepMind, where they developed AI-powered solutions that reduced the amount of energy needed to cool Google’s data centers by 30%. After publishing their findings, Gao and Panneershelvam were approached by industrial control systems engineer Katie Hoffman, who was leading innovation projects at Trane Technologies and later joined as Phaidra’s third co-founder and COO.

“The data center industry was already growing quickly and is hitting an inflection point thanks to turbocharged AI demand,” says Jim Gao, co-founder and CEO of Phaidra. “Every data center operator knows they will need to be more efficient to meet this growing demand. At Phaidra, we’re on a mission to revolutionize how data centers are managed with an AI-powered control system that not only adapts in real time, but also continuously learns and improves. The result is cost savings on a massive scale and more revenue to drive further growth.”

Today, Phaidra’s team of about 100 includes top software engineers and researchers from Google, DeepMind, Meta, and Amazon, along with specialists from leading engineering firms like Trane and Johnson Controls. The new funding will support continued investment in research and development, implementation, and customer success, along with expanded go-to-market efforts as Phaidra continues its mission of helping data centers worldwide optimize their energy usage.

“When you meet the team and talk to their customers, it’s clear that Phaidra is in a unique position to tackle this problem head-on,” says Martin Mignot, Partner at Index Ventures. “No other startup has the domain expertise and AI research chops to actually deliver on the promise of autonomous controls, to say nothing of the impressive performance and results they’ve already shown. We’re excited to see Phaidra take the next step as a company and deliver solutions that are not only critical to data centers’ growth and sustainability, but to the overall growth and sustainability of AI development, the technology industry, and the world at large.”

To learn more, visit phaidra.ai.

About Phaidra

Phaidra is an AI-powered virtual plant operator that helps mission-critical facilities like data centers improve energy efficiency, plant stability, and sustainability. Phada’s autonomous control systems use reinforcement learning to make real-time decisions geared at helping data centers optimize their energy usage, while automatically learning and getting better over time.

Led by a former data center operator, reinforcement learning researcher, and internal control systems engineer, the Phaidra team brings a unique mix of specific engineering knowledge and AI research credentials to help data center operators save energy costs and free up power availability to meet the growing demand for computing power as a result of rapid AI growth.

Media Contact

Amber D Moore, Moore Communications, 1 5039439381, amber@moorecom2.com

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SOURCE Phaidra

Technology

Mouser Electronics Explores How Artificial Intelligence Shapes Everyday Technologies and Experiences

Published

37 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

SHANGHAI, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Mouser Electronics, Inc., the authorized global distributor with the newest electronic components and industrial automation products, today announced the first 2026 installment of its Empowering Innovation Together (EIT) technology series, Engineering AI for Daily Life. This installment explores how artificial intelligence is increasingly embedded in everyday products and services, from assisted search and messaging tools to healthcare wearables that monitor personal well-being. As AI capabilities expand across consumer and connected devices, engineers continue to design systems that make these technologies more useful, intuitive, and trustworthy in real-world applications.

“AI is quickly moving from experimental technology into products people rely on every day, and engineers play a major role in shaping how it’s applied,” said Jeff Newell, President of Mouser Electronics. “As AI becomes embedded across consumer devices and connected systems, it’s important that these technologies are designed to support human expertise while remaining reliable and trustworthy. This EIT segment helps engineers explore the tools and insights they need to build the next generation of AI-enabled solutions.”

As AI agents and intelligent tools become integrated into homes, connected devices, and digital services, engineers are developing systems that enhance user judgment and keep users in control while maintaining transparency and privacy. New AI-powered platforms already demonstrate this potential – turning simple conversations into complete travel itineraries or providing deeper health insights through connected devices.

On The Tech Between Us podcast, Raymond Yin, Director of Technical Content at Mouser Electronics, and Dr. Marisa Tschopp, Senior Researcher at scip AG in Zurich, examine the new role of AI in human interaction and day-to-day experiences. They explore how AI advancements shape technology-enabled collaboration, including the long-term impact of daily integration and applications for mental health.

“AI is moving beyond experimental settings into the products people rely on every day,” said Yin. “Our first EIT navigates the next era in AI innovation, looking at how to use the technology to enhance people’s abilities and rethink how we can live for the better.”

In addition to the podcast, the EIT series includes an in-depth video, technical articles, a topic-related infographic, as well as subscriber-exclusive content, diving into everyday AI. By examining the range of cases where AI can level up technical expertise, engineers can build a class of tools to help reshape how people think, decide, and create while protecting privacy and control.

Established in 2015, Mouser’s Empowering Innovation Together program is one of the electronic component industry’s most recognized educational programs. To learn more, visit https://www.mouser.com/empowering-innovation/engineering-ai-daily/ and follow Mouser on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, and YouTube.

For more Mouser news and our latest new product introductions, visit https://www.mouser.com/newsroom/.

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SOURCE Mouser Electronics

Technology

The Global Economy Could Split in Very Different Directions by 2050

Published

37 minutes ago

April 20, 2026

Research from the BCG Henderson Institute Details Four Plausible Scenarios for the World over the Next 25 Years, Based on Analysis of More Than 100 Megatrends and a Century of Historical Data

BOSTON, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The global economy could follow markedly different paths over the next 25 years. For business leaders, the challenge is how to make decisions today while preparing for a wide range of possible futures.

New Scenarios 2050 research from the BCG Henderson Institute (BHI), Boston Consulting Group’s think tank, anticipates four distinct futures that push boundaries but remain plausible. The report explores what each scenario could mean for businesses and how early signals may indicate which direction the world is heading.

Among the findings:

Global GDP growth could slow to about 1.8% or rise to 5.0% annually, with the economy reaching anywhere from 1.6 to 3.4 times today’s size.Global trade could fall to about 35% of GDP—roughly Cold War–era levels—or remain near current levels of about 60%.Defense spending could climb to as much as 7% of global GDP.Low-carbon electricity could account for 55% to 90% of power generation.

The report, Beyond Tomorrow: Four Scenarios for the World of 2050, is based on a century of historical data and analysis of more than 100 megatrends across technology, geopolitics, climate, society, and economics.

“The decisions made in the next 5 years will shape the next 25,” said Nikolaus Lang, global leader of the BCG Henderson Institute and a coauthor of the report. “Too often, the future is framed in extremes—either collapse or abundance. In reality, leaders need to be ready for a range of outcomes and make decisions that hold up across very different conditions.”

Four Plausible Futures Leaders Should Plan For

Each scenario presents a different operating environment for businesses, reflecting the range of conditions leaders may face.

Scenario 1: AI Abundance. Global cooperation on AI standards leads to faster productivity growth, wider access to technology, and abundant low-carbon energy:

Global GDP more than triples, growing by about 5% annually from 2025 to 2050—the highest level across BHI’s four plausible scenarios.Average working hours fall by about 25%, with four- or even three-day workweeks becoming common in some regions.AI-supported advances in new materials and carbon removal put the world on a delayed but credible path to net zero emissions.

Scenario 2: Battling Blocs. Geopolitical tensions divide the world into competing blocs, reducing cooperation and reshaping global trade:

Global trade falls to about 35% of global GDP, down from 57% in 2024—reversing decades of globalization.Defense spending rises to about 7% of global GDP, the highest across BHI’s four scenarios, as countries prioritize security and self-sufficiency.Global GDP growth slows to about 1.8% annually, the lowest across the four scenarios, underpinned by government spending on national security, pensions, and climate mitigation.

Scenario 3: Climate Coalition. A series of extreme weather events in the late 2020s push governments, industries, and consumers to prioritize climate resilience, accelerating the shift to low-carbon energy and infrastructure:

Global warming stabilizes at about 1.8°C.Carbon markets expand globally, with most major economies participating by 2040.The share of fossil fuels in the energy mix falls from 81% today to 35% in 2050, while electricity is generated almost entirely from low-carbon sources.Global GDP growth averages about 2.5% annually, reflecting a focus on the climate transition, slower population growth, and aging societies.

Scenario 4: Digital Darwinism. Rapid technological progress continues under limited regulation, driving strong growth while concentrating wealth and power among leading companies and tech-rich nations:

Global GDP grows at 4% per year, resulting in a near tripling of GDP.The richest 1% holds nearly half of global wealth, while the middle class continues to shrink.Gig-style and short-term contract work expands as AI and automation displace routine knowledge work.Defense spending rises to about 4% of GDP, up from 2.4% in 2024, as the global order becomes more fragmented. At the same time, global trade and supply chains remain open, driven by commercial interests.

What Leaders Can Do Now

Across all four scenarios, the report highlights “low regret” moves that make sense for business leaders today, including:

Enhance structural resilience. Rebalance toward resilience over efficiency to maintain operations in a more volatile environment.Reimagine talent for aging populations and AI. Build strategies for intergenerational work, more flexible roles, and talent mobility—and recruit more widely, especially from emerging labor markets.Build digital flexibility and trust. Take a modular approach to tech and data stacks that accounts for rapidly changing technologies.Sharpen sensing and influencing capabilities. Develop sensing capacities along dimensions like regulation, geopolitics, resources, and technology. Build the capability to act on them quickly.Embrace a broader societal role. Prepare to shoulder more responsibility for workers’ well-being, local resilience, crisis management, and community needs.

“No one can predict exactly what 2050 will look like, but the forces shaping it are already visible,” said Alan Iny, a partner and director at BCG, a BCG Henderson Institute Fellow, and a coauthor of the report. “Planning for a single future is a gamble. The advantage will go to leaders who prepare for multiple futures and act to shape them before the direction of the world is clear.”

Download the publication here: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/beyond-tomorrow-four-scenarios-for-the-world-of-2050

Media Contact:
Eric Gregoire
+1 617 850 3783
gregoire.eric@bcg.com

About the BCG Henderson Institute
The BCG Henderson Institute is Boston Consulting Group’s strategy think tank, dedicated to exploring and developing valuable new insights from business, technology, and science by embracing the powerful technology of ideas. The Institute engages leaders in provocative discussion and experimentation to expand the boundaries of business theory and practice and to translate innovative ideas from within and beyond business. For more ideas and inspiration from the Institute, please visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).

About Boston Consulting Group
Boston Consulting Group partners with leaders in business and society to tackle their most important challenges and capture their greatest opportunities. BCG was the pioneer in business strategy when it was founded in 1963. Today, we work closely with clients to embrace a transformational approach aimed at benefiting all stakeholders—empowering organizations to grow, build sustainable competitive advantage, and drive positive societal impact.

Our diverse, global teams bring deep industry and functional expertise and a range of perspectives that question the status quo and spark change. BCG delivers solutions through leading-edge management consulting, technology and design, and corporate and digital ventures. We work in a uniquely collaborative model across the firm and throughout all levels of the client organization, fueled by the goal of helping our clients thrive and enabling them to make the world a better place.

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SOURCE Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

Technology

DEKRA Korea to Acquire Global Product Service, Strengthening Consumer Electronics Testing and Certification Capabilities in Korea

Published

2 hours ago

April 20, 2026

GIMHAE-SI, South Korea, April 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — DEKRA, a leading global provider of testing, inspection, and certification services, today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Global Product Service Co., Ltd (GPS), a prominent South Korean company renowned for its expertise in consumer electronics product testing and certification.

This strategic acquisition will significantly enhance DEKRA Korea’s capabilities within the rapidly growing consumer electronics sector, bringing together DEKRA’s global network and comprehensive service portfolio with GPS’s deep-rooted local knowledge and decades of experience serving South Korea’s leading manufacturers.

GPS has established a strong reputation for its in-depth technical expertise and unwavering commitment to quality, particularly within the consumer electronics market. For many years, GPS has been a trusted partner to major South Korean electronics companies, providing testing and certification services that ensure product safety, performance, and compliance with international standards.

The successful acquisition is a result of the strong collaboration and commitment from both DEKRA and GPS. Key representatives who participated in the signing, embodying this collaboration, were Dr. Kilian Aviles, Executive Vice President of DEKRA Group and Head of Asia Pacific Region; Ming Sheng, Vice President of Automotive Testing, DEKRA China; Young Seok Lee, CEO of Global Product Service Co., Ltd; and Seong Su Kim, Director of Global Product Service Co., Ltd.

“We are thrilled to welcome Global Product Service Co., Ltd to the DEKRA family,” said Dr. Kilian Aviles, Executive Vice President of DEKRA Group and Head of Asia Pacific Region. “This acquisition represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy in South Korea. GPS’s deep understanding of the local market, combined with their specialized expertise in consumer electronics, perfectly complements DEKRA’s global strengths. Together, we will offer unparalleled testing and certification solutions to our clients, empowering them to bring innovative and reliable products to market with greater speed and confidence.”

The integration of GPS into DEKRA Korea will leverage synergies in technology, talent, and market reach. This will enable DEKRA to further support South Korean manufacturers as they navigate complex global regulatory landscapes and strive for excellence in product development and quality assurance. Clients can expect a seamless transition and continued access to the high-quality services they have come to rely on from both organizations.

Young Seok Lee, CEO of Global Product Service Co., Ltd commented, “Joining forces with DEKRA is an exciting opportunity for GPS. DEKRA’s global reach and extensive resources will allow us to expand our service offerings and better serve our existing and future clients. We are confident that this partnership will create significant value for the South Korean consumer electronics industry, providing enhanced support and innovation.”

About DEKRA

For more than 100 years, DEKRA has been a trusted name in safety. Founded in 1925 with the original goal of improving road safety through vehicle inspections, DEKRA has grown to become the world’s largest independent, non-listed expert organization in the field of testing, inspection, and certification. Today, as a global partner, the company supports its customers with comprehensive services and solutions to drive safety and sustainability forward—fully aligned with DEKRA’s anniversary motto, “Securing the Future.” In 2024, DEKRA generated revenue of 4.3 billion euros. Around 48,000 employees are providing qualified and independent expert services in approximately 60 countries across five continents. DEKRA holds a Platinum rating from EcoVadis, placing it among the top 1% of the world’s most sustainable companies.

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SOURCE DEKRA Asia Pacific