Vertiv, together with Compass Datacenters, won the Best AI Innovation category at the Datacloud Global with CoolPhase Flex, a hybrid cooling technology that integrates air and liquid cooling in a single, adaptable system.
The technology impressed the judges because it solves one of the main challenges in data centre design – scalability. Data centre builders are trying to deliver facilities that meet the needs of tomorrow as well as today, with a real risk of technical obsolescence almost as soon as the servers start firing.
This risk of a facility not lasting its intended lifespan is particularly acute on the cooling side. Air cooling is a cost effective method at launch, but if a facility scales across its lifespan, converting and installing a new liquid cooling solution would be expensive, complex, and present a high risk of facility downtime.
Cooling: the secret to scalabliity
This is the problem that CoolPhase Flex can solve for data centre builders.
The technology combines liquid cooling and refrigerant-based air cooling capabilities in the same hardware, allowing data centers to deploy either and adapt as workloads evolve – transferring between the two operating modes on the same day, and adjusting its operating mode automatically based on temperature conditions.
Other features of the product that impressed the judges were its design for external placement, saving space inside halls, as well as an AI-driven predictive maintenance technology that turns keeping data centres operating into a proactive rather than a reactive process.
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Since submitting our entry in 2025, the Vertiv CoolPhase Flex has progressed from early customer adoption to active, real-world deployment. The solution is now operating in Compass Datacenters facilities, with additional deployments underway, validating that a flexible hybrid air-and-liquid cooling approach can be implemented quickly, efficiently and at scale.
Taking home a Datacloud award has helped the two companies raise awareness of how the technology has been deployed, as well as promoting the general idea of hybrid liquid/air cooling as an option for data centre builders looking to build facilities that can scale as easily as possible.
“Winning the Datacloud Best AI Innovation of 2025 Award for the Vertiv™ CoolPhase Flex hybrid air/liquid cooling solution helped us to elevate industry awareness around the need for flexible, future-ready cooling solutions," said John Niemann, Senior Vice President of Vertiv’s Thermal Business Unit. "We thank Compass Datacenters, whose collaboration helped bring this innovation to life. Receiving this recognition from a respected industry thought leader like Datacloud carries credibility with customers and partners, reinforcing that, of the inspirational achievements submitted by those in our industry, Vertiv’s solution demonstrates a differentiated and meaningful step forward in how data centres can adapt as computing requirements evolve.”
"This honour from Datacloud highlights the breakthrough results of our close collaboration with Vertiv," said Adil Attlassy, Chief Technology Officer of Compass Datacenters. "By deploying the Vertiv CoolPhase Flex, we’re providing a versatile hybrid cooling solution that bridges the gap between traditional air cooling and the liquid-cooled demands of next-gen AI. Its unparalleled flexibility allows our customers to scale high-density applications seamlessly within existing infrastructures. We appreciate Datacloud’s recognition of this work and thank Vertiv for their continued collaboration in shaping the future of AI infrastructure."