VAST Data, an AI infrastructure startup, reaches $30 billion valuation after raising over $1 billion

VAST Data, a private company that builds storage systems for AI workloads, closed a Series B funding round raising over $1 billion and is now valued at $30 billion. CEO Renen Hallak announced the company plans to use the capital to expand operations and compete in the AI data center market.

VAST Data specializes in storage infrastructure — the hardware and software that hold massive datasets that AI systems need to train and run. As AI companies scale up to build larger models, they need faster ways to move data in and out of data centers; VAST's systems are designed to eliminate bottlenecks that slow down AI training.

For businesses building or deploying AI systems, a well-funded competitor in data infrastructure means more options beyond traditional vendors like NetApp and Pure Storage — potentially driving innovation and price competition in a market that directly affects how fast and cheaply companies can train AI models.

VAST Data now competes directly with established data center players and other AI infrastructure startups like Crusoe Energy and CoreWeave as enterprises spend billions building out AI computing capacity.