Aolani, a Singapore-founded AI cloud company, announced on September 21, 2026, a strategic compute collaboration with NVIDIA that will significantly expand AI factory infrastructure across Southeast Asia. The agreement, described as a first of its scale for a Southeast Asian-founded company, is set to boost the region's profile in the global AI ecosystem and democratize access to AI compute for global AI natives, sovereigns, and local enterprises and SMEs.
Under the collaboration, Aolani will deploy NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs, a leading AI system designed to help organizations build and scale advanced AI workloads. The company expects to deploy 22,000 GPUs across two AI factories in Malaysia and the Philippines in early 2027, bringing its total deployment to over 48,000 GPUs and total AI factory capacity to more than 100 megawatts. An NVIDIA Cloud Partner since 2023, Aolani will deliver NVIDIA-powered cloud services to AI-native companies, enterprises, startups, developers, and institutions across the region.
The collaboration will also unlock financing through a revenue-sharing and credit-support model that aligns infrastructure deployment with customer demand. This capital-efficient approach is intended to broaden access to large-scale accelerated computing while enabling Aolani to scale its AI factories across Southeast Asia.
The news matters because Southeast Asia is one of the world's most robust AI markets, with AI adoption rates among companies demonstrating stronger momentum than the global average, according to McKinsey & Company. More than US$50 billion has been invested by global hyperscalers in AI-ready data centers and cloud infrastructure, as noted by the Singapore Economic Development Board. While Malaysia has established itself as a premier AI factory hub in Asia, the Philippines represents a high-potential emerging market. Aolani's deployment there is expected to be among the first large-scale AI infrastructure platforms in the country, broadening access to advanced AI compute and supporting essential AI infrastructure buildout in Asia.
Nicholas Chia, Chief Executive Officer at Aolani, said: "This collaboration with NVIDIA marks a defining moment in Aolani's mission to deliver world-class AI compute at the speed that matches the pace of AI development, and on infrastructure that is compliant, accountable, and trusted to perform. Southeast Asia is rapidly emerging as a key global node for the next wave of global AI buildout, and we are well-positioned to lead this. We are excited to work with new partners and customers to build the Southeast Asian AI ecosystem and cement the region's central role in the global AI landscape."
The implications for the region are significant. By expanding access to advanced AI compute, the collaboration could accelerate AI innovation and adoption among local enterprises and startups, helping them compete globally. It also positions Southeast Asia as a central player in the global AI buildout, attracting further investment and talent. For NVIDIA, the deal extends its reach in a fast-growing market, while Aolani gains a capital-efficient path to scale. As AI continues to transform industries, this infrastructure expansion could drive economic growth and technological leadership across Southeast Asia.
