DayOne deploys Singapore's first biological data center prototype with Cortical Labs and NUS Medicine

Singapore-based data center operator DayOne has deployed the country's first biological data center prototype, in partnership with Australian biological computing startup Cortical Labs and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine). The deployment marks a significant step toward commercializing biological computing within real-world digital infrastructure environments.

The prototype consists of a 20-unit CL1 biological computing system, housed in a live research environment at NUS Medicine and hosted by DayOne. The deployment comes five months after DayOne first announced its collaboration with Cortical Labs to establish two data centers in Melbourne, Australia, and Singapore, signaling the company's broader strategy to diversify its technological footprint beyond conventional AI infrastructure.

Launched in March 2025, Cortical Labs' CL1 system combines neurons cultivated from human stem cells with silicon to create what the company describes as a "more advanced and sustainable form of AI," a neural network dubbed Synthetic Biological Intelligence (SBI). Once cultivated, the neurons grow across the silicon chip, which sends and receives electrical impulses into the neural structure, before being integrated into Cortical Labs' Biological Intelligence Operating System (biOS), capable of running simulations. The operating system transmits information directly to the neurons about their environment, and as they react, their impulses affect their simulated world. The neurons can be maintained for up to six months using the CL1's internal life support system.

The CL1 is an upgraded version of a biological computer previously demonstrated by Cortical Labs, then known as DishBrain. That earlier version contained 800,000 human and mouse neurons on a CMOS chip and famously taught itself to play the video game Pong, demonstrating the potential of biological systems to perform basic cognitive tasks.

"Our commitment to Singapore goes beyond capacity. We are here to help shape what the next generation of digital infrastructure looks like, and that means investing in approaches that meet Singapore's sustainability ambitions alongside its AI ambitions. This prototype is a step toward demonstrating that scaling compute and reducing resource intensity are goals we can pursue together," said Jamie Khoo, CEO of DayOne.

Hon Weng Chong, founder and CEO of Cortical Labs, added: "The establishment of this prototype shifts the conversation from research to commercial application. Biological computing supplements AI in areas where data is sparse, learning from far less and adapting as conditions change."

Cortical Labs was founded in Melbourne in 2019 and, to date, has secured $11 million in funding, with investors including Horizons Ventures, Blackbird Ventures, LifeX Ventures, Radar Ventures, and the CIA's In-Q-Tel. The startup's focus on neuromorphic and biological computing places it at the frontier of alternative AI architectures, particularly for applications where energy efficiency and adaptability are critical.

DayOne, formerly known as GDS International, rebranded as an independent company last year. The operator currently runs a portfolio of more than 500MW of data center capacity in service and under construction, with an additional 500MW held for future development across sites in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia (Johor), Indonesia (Batam), and Japan (Tokyo). The company recently broke ground on a site in Thailand and another in Singapore, and in August made its first foray into markets beyond Asia with the announcement of a campus in Lahti, Finland. DayOne is reportedly preparing for a public listing, and in June 2026 secured $4.5 billion in Series C equity financing to support its expansion.

The deployment of a biological data center prototype in Singapore underscores the growing interest among data center operators in exploring compute paradigms that go beyond traditional silicon-based systems. As AI workloads continue to strain energy grids and raise sustainability concerns, biological computing offers a potential avenue for reducing resource intensity while maintaining adaptability in data-sparse environments. The collaboration between DayOne, Cortical Labs, and NUS Medicine could serve as a template for future deployments, positioning Singapore as a testbed for next-generation digital infrastructure.