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The race to power AI data centers is offering an unprecedented opportunity for tech startups across sectors. 

Even ones building supersonic airliners. 

State of play: The queue for gas turbines is so long that it is actually threatening to slow the rollout of AI data centers, data shows.

Driving the news: Boom Supersonic has modified its jet engines into gas turbines for AI data centers, and the company has closed a $300 million round.

Darsana Capital Partners led the financing with participation from Altimeter Capital, ARK Invest, Bessemer Venture Partners, Robinhood Ventures and Y Combinator.

Zoom in: The revenue from the turbines will help finance the continued development of its jet engine and actually "accelerate" the delivery of its supersonic airliner Overture, Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl tells Axios Pro.

Data center developer Crusoe has ordered 29 of Boom's 42 MW gas turbines, dubbed Superpower, and the company says it has a backlog of more than $1.25 billion in orders. 

The focus on data centers "started earlier this year with a call with Sam Altman, who basically said, look, we need 250 GW for OpenAI alone," says Scholl. Crusoe is building data centers for OpenAI.

How it works: Boom says its gas turbine doesn't lose generation capacity at high temperatures and doesn't require water. 

"It's almost double the efficiency," says Scholl.

The Denver-based company plans to make 4 GW per year of its turbines by 2030 and is building out manufacturing in the Denver metro area.

The big picture: That giant sucking sound is data center developers utilizing all available resources, including next-gen power technologies.

It's a massive opportunity for energy startups as companies making gear like solid-state transformers, backup batteries and onsite solar and storage shift to sell to data centers. 

The intrigue: Boom's bulging turbine orders also show how data center developers are eager to use gas as a power source, despite Big Tech's clean sustainability goals.

Time-to-power trumps the source of power in the race to build AI data centers. 

Boom's turbines are also designed to be used onsite, highlighting the trend that data center developers are bringing their own power.

Catch up quick: Boom's passenger jet is designed to succeed the supersonic Concorde. The jet broke the sound barrier earlier this year, exceeding 770 mph above the Mojave Desert in California.

What's next: Boom says its supersonic airliner Overture will be available for passenger service in 2030.

Data center power crunch creates unlikely winners

That giant sucking sound is the hyperscalers buying up power gear.

Animated illustration of a glowing data center with four bolts of lightning feeding electricity into it.

An illustration of a glowing data center with four bolts of lightning feeding electricity into it.

<p>The race to power AI data centers is offering an unprecedented opportunity for tech startups across sectors. </p><ul><li>Even ones building supersonic airliners. </li></ul>

Data center power crunch creates unlikely winners

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