Latest news with #BeaconAI
National Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Beacon AI Centers Appoints Josh Schertzer as CEO, Commits to an Initial 4.5 GW Data Center Development in Alberta, Canada
Article content Article content ALBERTA, Canada — Beacon AI Centers announced today that Josh Schertzer, former Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Enterprise Technology at Blackstone, has joined the company as Chief Executive Officer. Schertzer will lead the company's efforts to rapidly scale and deliver cutting-edge, high-capacity AI data center developments at the scope and scale required to build an AI-powered future. Article content 'I'm thrilled to join Beacon as CEO and lead the evolution of our state-of-the-art AI data centers across North America,' said Josh Schertzer. 'We've built a world-class team that will tackle the toughest challenges holding back AI infrastructure development and deliver much-needed compute capacity to hyperscalers at speed and scale.' Schertzer brings two decades of experience in the technology sector, operating, leading, and investing across a variety of technology verticals. 'Josh's distinguished career speaks for itself,' said Aidan Kehoe, founder and Managing Partner of Nadia Partners, Beacon's originating fund. 'As the world enters a new era of AI-driven infrastructure, it requires a leadership style that is both strategic and operationally precise. Josh brings exactly that- making him exceptionally well-equipped to drive Beacon forward in this pivotal moment.' Article content With plans to energize sites in Alberta as early as 2027, Beacon AI Centers is committing to the region and its development as a leading AI hub. Article content 'Alberta is quickly becoming one of the most attractive jurisdictions in North America for data centre development, and Beacon's launch is a strong vote of confidence in our province,' said Nate Glubish, Alberta's Minister of Technology and Innovation. 'With our abundant energy resources, growing tech talent, and commitment to cutting red tape, we're creating the right conditions for innovators like Beacon to thrive. I look forward to seeing how their projects will help build the future of AI infrastructure from right here in Alberta.' Article content The strategic decision to establish Beacon's first data centers in Alberta comes at a pivotal moment when hyperscalers are facing critical infrastructure and power constraints across North America. With abundant natural gas, a competitive corporate tax environment, and a skilled workforce, Alberta offers the critical elements needed to support high-density AI workloads and long-term digital infrastructure investment. Article content Beacon's portfolio includes high-capacity data centers near Chestermere, High River, Acheson, Sturgeon County, Langdon, and Beaumont, Alberta, with expansion to other jurisdictions planned in 2026, and a total development pipeline of 4.9 GW across North America. According to a Colliers report, each project will create 1500 construction jobs and 300 highly-skilled operational roles. Beacon's investment is forecast at up to $7.2B USD/$10 B CAD. Each data center will incorporate advanced cooling systems, energy-efficient design, and robust connectivity to serve both public and private sector partners. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
AI-Native VC SignalFire Raises Over $1B to Fuel the Next Wave of Applied AI Startups, Pushing AUM to ~$3B
Investors double down on SignalFire's data-driven model for early-stage investing. SAN FRANCISCO, April 07, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SignalFire, a leading early-stage venture capital firm focused on applied AI, has raised over $1 billion in new capital to fund the next generation of technology startups, bringing its total assets under management (AUM) to approximately $3 billion. This capital raise amid a turbulent fundraising environment is a testament to exceptional investor confidence in SignalFire's AI-native edge, thesis-driven investment strategy, and in-house operational expertise, which give the firm differentiated access to the next generation of high-growth AI companies. The fresh capital will be deployed across SignalFire's Seed, Early, Executive-in-Residence (XIR), and Opportunities funds. "Our investors see what we see — applied AI is the defining opportunity of our time. With this new capital, we're doubling down on the next generation of category-defining AI startups tackling the world's biggest challenges. Backed by our proprietary AI platform and deep operational expertise, we equip founders with the tools, data, and support they need to scale breakthrough companies faster."- Chris Farmer, Founder & CEO, SignalFire A decade of early-stage AI investing in a changing VC landscape SignalFire's longstanding focus on applied AI has fueled the success of companies like Grow Therapy, EvenUp, Stampli, and Grammarly**. At the heart of SignalFire's differentiated approach is Beacon AI — a proprietary machine learning platform powered by talent data spanning more than 650 million individuals and 80 million organizations worldwide — that has been refined in-house for over 12 years. Beacon AI uncovers market trends and talent intelligence that helps SignalFire investors and portfolio companies find and build exceptional teams, products, and businesses. "From customer intros and fundraising advice to hands-on support across data science, hiring, and scaling, SignalFire's impact goes far beyond capital. They've been a true force multiplier for our growth."*- Jake Cooper, CEO & Co-Founder, Grow Therapy As many established VC firms shift toward late-stage investments and diversified strategies, SignalFire remains dedicated to AI founders at the earliest stages (pre-seed through Series B), helping them grow from ideation to industry leadership. In many cases, the firm aims to be the "first check" for applied AI startups — backing founders as early as possible through initiatives like its AI Lab incubation program and Beacon AI, which can identify high-potential founders even before they start companies. Built different: SignalFire's AI-native DNA Unlike traditional VCs that are scrambling to retrofit data and AI into their processes, SignalFire has operated as an applied AI company since its inception, using the same AI techniques, workflows, and infrastructure as many of its portfolio companies. SignalFire's AI-native team helps the firm spot breakthrough startups earlier and accelerates company growth with Beacon AI-powered tools for data science, hiring, customer insights, and go-to-market strategy. "AI's next frontier isn't invention, it's implementation. With these funds, we'll continue to back founders who transform theoretical AI technology into market-changing solutions. With SignalFire's engineering DNA and proprietary data platform, we're uniquely positioned to identify and accelerate companies that aren't just building technology but reshaping industries and outcomes."- Wayne Hu, Partner, SignalFire About SignalFire SignalFire is the first VC firm built like a technology company to better serve the needs of founders as they build and scale their startups. With approximately $3B in assets under management, SignalFire invests in applied AI companies from pre-seed to Series B in key sectors, including healthcare, cybersecurity, infrastructure, consumer, and other enterprise verticals. The firm's Beacon AI platform tracks over 650M employees and 80M organizations, giving the firm an unmatched data advantage in identifying and supporting world-class startups. Its sector-focused investors and a dedicated team of seasoned operators drive SignalFire at startup speed. They provide support across a company's full lifecycle through data and resources tailored by growth stage, plus a diverse ecosystem of partners and customers. Notable investments include Grammarly, Grow Therapy, EvenUp, and Stampli.** Learn more at Disclosures SignalFire is an investment adviser registered with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. However, such registration as a registered investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. This presentation does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security; it is neither a prospectus nor an advertisement, and no offering is being made to the public. *Portfolio company founders listed above have not received any compensation for this feedback and may or may not have invested in a SignalFire fund. These founders may or may not serve as Affiliate Advisors, Retained Advisors, or consultants to provide their expertise on a formal or ad hoc basis. They are not employed by SignalFire and do not provide investment advisory services to clients on behalf of SignalFire. **The portfolio companies identified do not represent all of the investments made or recommended for the Funds. It should not be assumed that investments made in the future will be profitable or will equal the performance of the investments in this list. View source version on Contacts Media Contact Caroline KamerschenCaroline@ 770-712-2636
