VAST Data secures $1.7 billion deal with CoreWeave
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries across the globe. As companies seek innovative solutions to enhance their AI capabilities, strategic partnerships are becoming crucial. A prime example of this is the recent deal between VAST Data and CoreWeave, which promises to reshape the landscape of AI cloud infrastructure.
In a significant move, VAST Data has entered into a commercial agreement valued at $1.7 billion with CoreWeave to supply essential storage and software solutions for its AI cloud infrastructure. This partnership is not just about financial investment but marks a substantial technological collaboration aimed at meeting the growing demands of AI workloads.
CoreWeave: The Leading Player in GPU Cloud Services
CoreWeave positions itself as the "AWS for GPUs," specializing in large-scale GPU computing services tailored for AI training and inference. This company, which initially started as a crypto mining venture leveraging NVIDIA GPUs, pivoted its strategy in 2019 to focus on providing cloud services that utilize GPU technology.
Since going public in March 2025, CoreWeave has raised approximately $1.5 billion, with shares priced at $40 each. As of now, its market capitalization stands at $56.65 billion, with stock prices trading around $114.42. This rapid growth highlights the escalating demand for GPU resources in AI applications.
CoreWeave operates 28 data centers across the United States and five in Europe, currently hosting about 250,000 GPUs. The company projects its GPU count to exceed 400,000 by mid-2026. Such scalability allows its customers to deploy up to 10,000 GPUs in under eight minutes, illustrating the efficiency and power of its infrastructure.
Innovative Storage Solutions for AI Workloads
As part of the new agreement, CoreWeave is set to integrate VAST Data's advanced storage capabilities into its operations. VAST Data's AI Operating System (AI OS) encompasses a comprehensive suite of data services, including:
- DataSpace
- DataBase
- DataStore
- DataEngine
- AgentEngine
- InsightEngine
This integration is designed to optimize performance and reliability in handling AI workloads, providing the essential data backbone for organizations pursuing ambitious AI initiatives.
The Technical Backbone of CoreWeave's Infrastructure
CoreWeave's data storage stack is multifaceted, comprising local, object, and distributed file storage services. Key features include:
- Local storage with up to 60 TB of Kubernetes-based ephemeral capacity.
- Dedicated clusters utilizing cutting-edge technologies from VAST, WEKA, DDN, IBM Spectrum Scale, and Pure Storage.
- An S3 object storage layer integrated with a Local Object Transport Accelerator (LOTA) for rapid data caching directly on GPU nodes.
These technological advancements allow CoreWeave to manage and secure vast amounts of data efficiently, with the capability to handle hundreds of petabytes simultaneously. The storage infrastructure is also POSIX-compliant, ensuring that it supports shared access across multiple instances, which is critical for collaborative AI projects.
Strategic Vision for the Future
Renen Hallak, the Founder and CEO of VAST Data, emphasized the depth of this partnership, stating, “At VAST, we are building the data foundation for the most ambitious AI initiatives in the world. Our deep integration with CoreWeave is the result of a long-term commitment to working side by side at both the business and technical level.”
This partnership not only enhances VAST’s offerings but also strengthens CoreWeave’s position as a leading player in the AI cloud market. Brian Venturo, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of CoreWeave, added, “The VAST AI Operating System underpins key aspects of how we design and deliver our AI cloud,” reiterating the importance of this collaboration.
CoreWeave’s Competitive Landscape
As the largest player in the neo-cloud segment, CoreWeave faces competition from major public cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Additionally, it competes with other neo-cloud providers like Lambda Labs, Crusoe, Nebius, and Together.AI. The growing interest in AI solutions has made this market increasingly competitive, with each player striving to differentiate itself through technology and service offerings.
VAST Data also serves various other companies, including Lambda Labs, Crusoe, and Core42, demonstrating its broad appeal and robust capability in the AI space.
Conclusion
The partnership between VAST Data and CoreWeave signifies a pivotal moment in the realm of AI cloud infrastructure. By combining VAST's advanced data solutions with CoreWeave's extensive GPU capabilities, this collaboration is poised to drive innovation and efficiency in AI projects worldwide.
For those interested in a deeper understanding of this partnership and its implications for the future of AI, check out this insightful video:
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