October 30, 2025
In a significant push to solidify its position in the AI infrastructure landscape, VAST Data has announced a series of major expansions and partnerships. The company is providing the storage foundation for Elon Musk's xAI ambitious "Frontier AI Factory," powering new data centers for UK-based Nscale, and renewing its sponsorship with the Atlasian Williams Racing Formula 1 team.
The most prominent development involves xAI's next-generation Colossus GPU datacenter project. According to a post by 5C Group on X, the expansion, dubbed the "Frontier AI Factory," will leverage VAST Data's storage solutions. The facility, a joint project between xAI and Together AI, which is handling the GPU cloud software orchestration, is set to go online in early 2026.
The infrastructure will be built on Dell liquid-cooled, rack-scale systems equipped with Nvidia GB200 trays and Nvidia GB200 NVL72 racks. The setup will also feature Nvidia Spectrum-X Ethernet for RDMA networking to enable massive scaling and Tesla Megapacks for backup power. This collaboration is expected to push the total GPU count in the overall Colossus facility past one million, with VAST Data anticipated to supply multiple exabytes of storage capacity. It is noted that DDN also plays a storage role within the broader Colossus project.
Concurrently, startup Nscale has selected VAST Data as a core component for its new AI data centers in Europe and the United States. Nscale's ambitious plan involves scaling to 300,000 Nvidia Grace Blackwell GPUs globally to create a fully vertically integrated, distributed AI cloud.
Tom Burke, Chief Revenue Officer at Nscale, emphasized the partnership's strategic importance, stating, “With VAST as one of our data layers, we are able to take on the complexity of hyperscale AI and make it seamless for our customers – putting rich data services at the center of the modern AI cloud.”
Echoing this vision, VAST Data Co-founder Jeff Denworth commented, “This is not just about building another cloud, it is about creating the global fabric that will power the next generation of AI. … Working with Nscale, we are defining the model for hyperscale AI infrastructure and showing the world what the future looks like.”
In a move from the data center to the racetrack, VAST Data has renewed its multi-year strategic partnership with the Atlasian Williams Racing F1 team. The renewal will see the VAST Data logo featured on the car's mirror stems and team kit, supplementing existing placements on driver and mechanic overalls and the car's nose.
This continued sponsorship serves as a vote of confidence in Williams Racing's ongoing comeback. The team is currently enjoying its most successful season since 2016, holding fifth place in the Constructors' Championship.
Sorin Cheran, Chief Information and Analytics Officer for Atlasian Williams Racing, noted, “We are delighted that VAST Data have extended their partnership, after a successful and productive year and a half of work together. Their knowledge and insight have played an invaluable role in our progress this year and will continue to be important as we fight for future World Championships.”
The partnership hints at a future where the team could leverage advanced AI for real-time race strategy, potentially utilizing the very computing power from facilities like those being built by Nscale and the xAI Colossus project.
Source: blocksandfiles
