DayOne and Cortical Labs to Develop Singapore’s First Biological Data Center

Singapore is poised to host a pioneering biological data center prototype through a partnership between data center developer DayOne and Melbourne-based Cortical Labs. This initiative aims to explore “wetware” computing – a revolutionary system utilizing lab-grown biological neurons instead of traditional silicon chips to process information and support artificial intelligence (AI) workloads. The announcement was made on March 10, 2026.

What is Wetware Computing?

Unlike conventional data centers that rely on energy-intensive servers, a biological data center leverages brain-like organoids – clusters of living neurons grown from stem cells – to perform computing tasks. Proponents suggest these systems could operate with significantly reduced electricity consumption compared to traditional digital infrastructure, potentially offering a more sustainable pathway for AI development. This approach is known as wetware computing.

The Partnership Details

Under the agreement, DayOne will provide capital and strategic support, collaborating with Cortical Labs and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine at the National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine) to establish the initial prototype facility. The prototype will begin with a single rack containing 20 Cortical Cloud units, Cortical Labs’ biological computing platform. Cells will be cultured and grown at the NUS Life Sciences Institute under the direction of Professor Rickie Patani, Professor of Neuroscience at NUS Medicine and director of the institute’s Neurobiology Programme. TechCoffeeHouse reports this collaboration aims to bring wetware-based compute to one of the world’s most sustainability-driven digital infrastructure markets.

Singapore’s Sustainability Focus

This collaboration aligns with Singapore’s commitment to sustainable data center growth. The government is currently making at least 200MW of new capacity available under DC-CFA-2, while simultaneously reinforcing higher standards for energy efficiency and greener energy pathways through the Infocomm Media Development Authority’s Green Data Center Roadmap.

From Prototype to Production

The project is structured to transition from the initial validation phase at NUS Medicine to a live deployment environment within a DayOne commercial data center facility in Singapore. This will allow for operational integration testing under real-world conditions, including defined electrical envelopes, contained environmental management systems, and compatibility with standard power distribution and cooling infrastructure. DayOne’s broader live data center embedded deployment enablement platform will anchor a dedicated frontier compute vertical focused on AI innovation and advanced healthcare applications.

Future Expansion and Global Implications

The parties are exploring a phased expansion that could potentially reach up to 1,000 units deployed within a DayOne facility in Singapore, contingent upon technical validation and regulatory approvals. w.media notes that this biological data center is the first of its kind outside of Australia. With global data center capacity potentially reaching 200 GW by 2030 and Southeast Asian data-center power demand expected to quadruple from 2.6GW (2025) to 10.7GW (2035), the need for sustainable solutions is becoming increasingly critical.

Supporting Research and Innovation

A key objective of the Singapore Bio Data Center is to foster research and innovation across various fields, including drug discovery, biomedical science, energy optimization, and advanced AI applications. The collaboration with NUS Medicine’s neurobiology research expertise is crucial to this effort.