Naver Invests in US Offshore AI Data Center Startup

Part of a push to strengthen next-generation AI data center infrastructure

CEO Choi says Naver is expanding into AI data centers

Naver said Aug. 13 that it has invested in Pantala, a US startup developing offshore artificial intelligence data centers, as it looks to bolster its competitiveness in AI data center infrastructure with next-generation renewable energy technology.

Founded in 2016, Pantala is developing floating AI data centers powered by wave energy. The startup is building a data center model that can generate electricity continuously from wave power without a separate power plant or fuel. Naver cited Pantala's ability to combine power generation, AI computing and processing, and cooling on a single offshore floating platform as the reason for the investment.

"Naver is expanding its business into AI data centers," Chief Executive Officer Choi Soo-yeon said. She added that the company will make early investments in next-generation technologies to strengthen its competitiveness in the global AI infrastructure market.

Jeong Ji-eun, Korea Economic Daily reporter, jeong@hankyung.com