Omen AI has raised $31 million in Series A funding, led by Nava Ventures with participation from CRV and others, to tackle a critical challenge in AI data centers. The startup monitors the liquid coolant used to prevent overheating in high-density GPU racks.
The coolant, a water and additive mixture, can become contaminated with bacteria and metal particles as chip temperatures rise. This contamination can block fluid flow. The standard solution requires shutting down an entire server rack for hours to flush and replace the coolant, a process costing operators millions in downtime.
Founder Zach Laberge, who previously founded a sensor company for construction machinery, created Omen AI to provide continuous, real-time monitoring. The system tracks over 21 elemental signatures to spot problems before a flush is needed, avoiding catastrophic failure and unlocking maximum compute performance.
The company now serves about a dozen data center operators, including neocloud provider TensorWave, which uses Advanced Micro Devices GPUs. Customers can install permanent sensor arrays on cooling systems or use portable diagnostic units for immediate analysis.