Although immersion cooling is more complex than other liquid cooling, hyperscalers like that servers using it boost the kilowatt per square metre – going beyond 1,000 watts per chip
Barcelona-based Submer has strengthened its operations across the Middle East, Africa and Turkey, marking the latest phase in its global expansion as demand for efficient high-density cooling accelerates with the growth of AI workloads.
The company, founded in 2015, specialises in immersion cooling systems that allow data centre operators to reduce power consumption and heat output by submerging IT hardware in dielectric fluid. Submer said its expansion into MEA builds on increasing regional investment in AI and digital infrastructure, and reflects growing recognition that traditional air cooling methods are reaching their limits.
In its latest announcement, Submer said it has established a local presence and partnerships to support operators, enterprises and hyperscalers in meeting their sustainability and efficiency targets. Daniel Pope, Submer’s co-founder and CEO, said the move was part of a long-term strategy to deliver scalable infrastructure solutions closer to customers.
“We are seeing a sharp rise in demand from the Middle East and Africa, driven by AI and the increasing pressure to optimise power and cooling performance,” he said. “Our mission is to provide the technology foundation that enables the region’s digital growth in a sustainable way.”
The expansion follows Submer’s recent collaboration with Abu Dhabi-based digital infrastructure firm Zero Two, a joint venture between G42 and ADNOC, to deploy immersion cooling systems across the United Arab Emirates. The partnership aims to support national initiatives to expand AI and high-performance computing capacity while improving energy efficiency.
Submer’s growing MEA footprint also aligns with its international strategy. Earlier this year, the company strengthened its position in India through an MoU with the Madhya Pradesh government to support AI data centre development. In North America, it has established a regional headquarters in Houston to serve the expanding US and Canadian data centre markets. Within Europe, Submer’s technology has already been deployed by UK operator Stellium Data Centres and system integrator Circle B as part of an Open Compute Project installation.
Immersion cooling remains one of several liquid cooling approaches now being evaluated or deployed by data centre operators as rack densities increase to accommodate AI and machine learning workloads. While direct-to-chip and rear-door heat exchangers have been widely adopted for moderate densities, Submer argues that full immersion offers superior efficiency and simplicity for extreme compute environments.
Pope said the company sees MEA as “a critical growth region” where governments and operators are investing heavily in digital transformation. “By expanding our presence, we can better support partners in designing infrastructure that meets the next generation of performance and sustainability requirements,” he said.
