In this episode of the Data Center Frontier Show, Editor-in-Chief Matt Vincent speaks with LiquidStack CEO Joe Capes about the company’s breakthrough GigaModular platform — the industry’s first scalable, modular Coolant Distribution Unit (CDU) purpose-built for direct-to-chip liquid cooling.
With rack densities accelerating beyond 120 kW and headed toward 600 kW, LiquidStack is targeting the real-world requirements of AI data centers while streamlining complexity and future-proofing thermal design.
“AI will keep pushing thermal output to new extremes,” Capes tells DCF. “Data centers need cooling systems that can be easily deployed, managed, and scaled to match heat rejection demands as they rise.”
LiquidStack's new GigaModular CDU, unveiled at the 2025 Datacloud Global Congress in Cannes, delivers up to 10 MW of scalable cooling capacity. It's designed to support single-phase direct-to-chip liquid cooling — a shift from the company’s earlier two-phase immersion roots — via a skidded modular design with a pay-as-you-grow approach. The platform’s flexibility enables deployments at N, N+1, or N+2 resiliency.
“We designed it to be the only CDU our customers will ever need,” Capes says.
From Immersion to Direct-to-Chip
LiquidStack first built its reputation on two-phase immersion cooling, which Joe Capes describes as “the highest performing, most sustainable cooling technology on Earth.”
But with the launch of GigaModular, the company is now expanding into high-density, direct-to-chip cooling, helping hyperscale and colocation providers upgrade their thermal strategies without overhauling entire facilities.
“What we’re trying to do with GigaModular is simplify the deployment of liquid cooling at scale — especially for direct-to-chip,” Capes explains. “It’s not just about immersion anymore. The flexibility to support future AI workloads and grow from 2.5 MW to 10 MW of capacity in a modular way is absolutely critical.”
GigaModular’s components — including IE5 pump modules, dual BPHx heat exchangers, and intelligent control systems — are engineered for reliability and serviceability. With centralized sensor instrumentation and the ability to be installed flush against walls, it’s designed for compact, industrial-scale operation.
“We are helping our customers not just plan for today’s B100s and GB200s, but for whatever’s coming next,” Capes says.
Global Manufacturing Footprint
The GigaModular platform will be manufactured at LiquidStack’s Carrollton, Texas facility, part of a broader reshoring and regional supply chain effort.
“One of the biggest concerns we hear from customers is the uncertainty around global supply chains, tariffs, and shipping costs,” says Capes. “We’ve worked hard to bring our capabilities to the U.S. and to operate globally — with a footprint that spans North America, Europe, and Asia.”
The Retrofit Reality
As power densities skyrocket, operators are grappling with the limitations of air cooling. Many try to bolt on incremental solutions, but Capes says the retrofit path is reaching its breaking point.
“Air-cooled data centers are already maxing out at 40 to 50 kW per rack,” he notes. “We’re seeing demand for 100 to 200 kW racks today — and 600 kW is on the horizon. You can’t get there with air.”
That’s why LiquidStack is urging customers to rethink designs now — not later.
“We tell customers: rip the band-aid off. Stop pretending air cooling will get you there. Invest in direct-to-chip or immersion and do it in a way that scales.”
AI at the Edge — and Off the Road
Capes also sees promise in edge computing as a complementary frontier for liquid cooling. From factory automation to roadside EV charging hubs equipped with AI inference, edge infrastructure is becoming denser and more critical.
“You can’t take an air-cooled data center and stick it next to a highway to power and cool 300 kW of inference for EVs,” Capes says. “It has to be compact, sealed, and high performance — and that’s where our EdgeTank and direct-to-chip solutions shine.”
A Perfect Storm
Wrapping up the conversation, Capes describes the convergence of AI, sustainability, and serviceability as a once-in-a-generation inflection point for infrastructure design.
“We’re living through a perfect storm — compute is changing, sustainability expectations are rising, and services need to be deployed faster than ever,” he says. “With GigaModular, we’re ready for all of it.”
