DayOne Launches Singapore's First Biological Data Center Prototype with Cortical Labs and NUS Medicine

SINGAPORE, Aug. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- DayOne Data Centers Limited ("DayOne"), a Singapore-headquartered global digital infrastructure platform, today launched Singapore's first Biological Data Center Prototype in collaboration with Cortical Labs and the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore ("NUS Medicine"). The milestone advances the development of biological computing as a potentially more adaptive and energy-efficient complement to conventional silicon-based infrastructure.

The prototype was launched in the presence of the public sector, representatives from academia, the technology, and digital infrastructure sectors. Delegates viewed a live demonstration of Cortical Labs' CL1 biological computing system and toured the NUS laboratory supporting the initiative.

The initiative offers a practical, sustainability-aligned alternative to conventional silicon infrastructure in Singapore through wetware-based computing, at a moment when the country and the broader region is expanding AI capacity under tighter energy and environmental guardrails.

The deployment of a 20-unit CL1 biological computing system – the first independently operated biologically integrated server rack in the world – brings Cortical Labs' technology into a live research environment at NUS Medicine, hosted within infrastructure designed and supported by DayOne. It demonstrates an alternative pathway to scale AI capacity with significantly lower power intensity.

A new frontier in computing

Biological computing uses living neurons grown from stem cells and connected to silicon hardware to process information. The neurons receive electrical signals, respond, and adapt over time, enabling the system to perform certain computing tasks on a fraction of the wattage required by digital computers.

The initiative draws on NUS Medicine's neurobiology expertise, Cortical Labs' technology, and DayOne's experience in designing, building, and operating mission-critical digital infrastructure. Areas of exploration include neuro-inspired artificial intelligence, biomedical modelling, drug discovery, and neurological disease research.

"Our commitment to Singapore goes beyond capacity. We are here to help shape what the next generation of digital infrastructure looks like, and that means investing in approaches that meet Singapore's sustainability ambitions alongside its AI ambitions. This prototype is a step toward demonstrating that scaling compute and reducing resource intensity are goals we can pursue together," said Jamie Khoo, Chief Executive Officer of DayOne. "Singapore has the research depth, infrastructure capability, and collaborative ecosystem to lead that exploration. We are proud to contribute to translating frontier scientific research into practical impact, with world-class partners, in one of the world's most sustainability-driven markets."

DayOne operates a digital infrastructure platform across nine markets in Asia Pacific and Europe and has secured approximately 2.1 GW of bookings since inception, supporting the growth of leading cloud and AI customers.

"The establishment of this prototype shifts the conversation from research to commercial application," said Hon Weng Chong, Founder and CEO, Cortical Labs. "Biological computing supplements AI in areas where data is sparse, learning from far less and adapting as conditions change. Our aim is to uncover the use cases where that advantage matters most, in areas such as drug discovery, humanoid robotics, cybersecurity and fraud detection. Ultimately, this is about offering a more sustainable path for the technologies humankind depends on. Singapore is the innovation hub for Asia's data centre industry, and what we build here is the model we intend to replicate and scale globally."

"This partnership marks a genuine shift in how we think about computing and its broader scientific potential," said Professor Rickie Patani, Professor of Neuroscience at NUS Medicine, Director of the Neurobiology Programme at the NUS Life Sciences Institute (LSI) and Chair of the Neuroscience Translational Research Programme at NUS Medicine. "By growing living human neurons from stem cells and pairing them with rigorous engineering, we're not only building a more efficient alternative to silicon; we're creating a platform that can help us understand learning and adaptation at their biological source. That dual promise is what makes this collaboration sustainable and scientifically generative. It gives us a real route to accelerate drug discovery and neurological disease research, turning laboratory insight into real-world impact far faster than we could before."

 

Supporting Singapore's Green Data Center Roadmap

The Biological Data Center Prototype is aligned with Singapore's Green Data Center Roadmap, which sets out higher standards for energy efficiency as the government expands capacity for AI and cloud workloads.

The Prototype forms part of DayOne's broader commitment to Singapore as the headquarters and strategic center of its global platform. The country's combination of research depth, regulatory maturity and collaborative institutional culture creates an environment where few markets can match for responsible frontier computing development.

The initiative is part of DayOne's broader development in Singapore. The company's first local data center SG1 achieved structural topping out in May 2026 and is on track to be operational in early 2027. DayOne is also developing its Global Operations Command Center in Singapore and continues to invest in clean and resilient infrastructure across its regional platform.

About DayOne Data Centers 

DayOne Data Centers Limited ("DayOne") is a Singapore-headquartered global digital infrastructure platform that develops and operates next-generation data centers, with a footprint across markets in Asia Pacific and Europe. Trusted by leading global hyperscalers and enterprises, DayOne designs, builds and operates high-capacity, AI-ready campuses with speed, scale and reliability. Powered by its proprietary integrated delivery model and proven track record of pioneering and scaling new markets, DayOne unlocks strategic capacity to meet accelerating critical infrastructure demands. Established in 2022, DayOne has data center campuses in operation or under development in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, Hong Kong SAR, Finland and Spain. For more information, visit dayonedc.com.

source: DayOne Data Centers Limited