CIA-Backed In-Q-Tel Makes Strategic Investment in Hyperscale Data Center Developer Prometheus

CIA-Backed In-Q-Tel Makes Strategic Investment in Hyperscale Data Center Developer PrometheusM
March 24, 2026
In a move highlighting the growing strategic importance of digital infrastructure for national security, In-Q-Tel (IQT), the non-profit venture capital firm funded by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, has taken a stake in Prometheus Hyperscale, a Wyoming-based developer of next-generation data centers. The investment underscores the intensifying race to build advanced computing capacity, particularly to fuel artificial intelligence capabilities deemed critical for economic and security leadership.

The deal was announced by Prometheus Hyperscale CEO Trenton Thornock on LinkedIn, who stated, “IQT's investment will help advance Prometheus Hyperscale’s efforts to develop data centers at the speed and scale needed to meet the demand for compute and to support America’s AI capabilities.” While the financial terms were not disclosed, IQT investor Sara A. Jones will join Prometheus’s board of directors. In its own announcement, IQT welcomed Prometheus to its portfolio, praising the company’s design for “next-generation, liquid-cooled hyperscale data centers to deliver sustainable, efficient, and scalable infrastructure for AI and the digital economy.”

Originally founded around 2020 as Wyoming Hyperscale Whitebox, the company relaunched as Prometheus Hyperscale in September 2024 with significantly expanded ambitions. Its initial plan for a 120-megawatt campus in Wyoming has been dramatically scaled up to a target of 1 gigawatt of capacity across multiple sites. The company is now targeting developments in Arizona, Colorado, and an area outside Dallas, Texas, positioning itself as a major player in the competitive U.S. data center market.

The investment carries significant implications for the data center industry, signaling deep alignment between national security priorities and private-sector infrastructure development. Founded in 1999, IQT has a long history of investing in cutting-edge technologies—from quantum computing firms like IonQ and D-Wave to specialized cooling and security companies—that serve U.S. intelligence and defense agencies. Its backing of Prometheus Hyperscale provides not only capital but also strategic validation, potentially accelerating the deployment of large-scale, liquid-cooled facilities essential for power-hungry AI workloads. This partnership reflects a broader trend where the infrastructure supporting the digital economy is increasingly viewed through a lens of geopolitical and technological sovereignty.

Source: datacenterdynamics