Microsoft-backed VEIR is bringing superconductors to data centers

Microsoft-backed startup Veir is developing superconducting electrical cables designed to address the rapidly increasing power demands of data centers, which have surged from tens to 200 kilowatts per rack and are projected to reach up to a megawatt in the near future. Traditional low-voltage copper cables become bulky and inefficient at these scales, but Veir’s superconducting cables can carry up to 3 megawatts of low-voltage electricity while occupying 20 times less space and transmitting power five times farther. These cables operate at extremely low temperatures (–196˚C) using liquid nitrogen cooling to maintain superconductivity, enabling zero energy loss. Veir has adapted its core superconducting technology, initially developed for long-distance power transmission lines, to meet the specific needs of data centers. The company has built a simulated data center in Massachusetts to demonstrate the technology and plans pilot deployments in operational data centers next year, aiming for a commercial launch in 2027. The startup acts as a systems integrator,