Digital Realty Expands Innovation Lab Network to Singapore, Japan and London to Accelerate AI and Hybrid Cloud Implementation

Rhea-AI Summary

Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) is expanding its Digital Realty Innovation Lab (DRIL) network to Singapore, Japan (NRT12) and London, the company announced on Feb 25, 2026. All three sites are expected to be available for customers this year and provide real-world environments to validate AI and hybrid cloud deployments.

Key features include support for up to 150kW per cabinet, a Japan DRIL with 20 racks and direct liquid cooling, ServiceFabric® connectivity, and integration with the company’s Private AI Exchange (AIPx).

Positive

• Geographic expansion into Singapore, Japan, and London
• Japan DRIL configured with 20 racks and direct liquid cooling
• High-density support up to 150kW per cabinet for AI/HPC workloads
• Direct interconnection via ServiceFabric® and integration with AIPx

Negative

• None.

Key Figures

Singapore digital economy share: 18.6% of GDP Japan AI & semiconductor investment: 10 trillion yen or more UK AI companies: More than 5,800 companies +4 more

7 metrics

Singapore digital economy share 18.6% of GDP Portion of Singapore’s GDP from the digital economy

Japan AI & semiconductor investment 10 trillion yen or more Planned national investment by 2030

UK AI companies More than 5,800 companies Number of AI companies operating nationwide in the UK

UK AI sector revenue £23.9 billion Revenue of UK AI sector

UK AI GVA £11.8 billion Gross value added from UK AI sector

Japan DRIL racks 20 racks NRT12 DRIL with direct liquid cooling

Cabinet power density Up to 150kW per cabinet High-density AI and HPC testing capability

Market Reality Check

Price: $178.24 Vol: Volume 1,365,319 is below...

low vol

$178.24 Last Close

Volume Volume 1,365,319 is below the 20-day average of 2,099,101 (relative volume 0.65x). low

Technical Price at 178.24, trading above 200-day MA (168.11) and 3.54% below 52-week high (184.79).

Peers on Argus

DLR gained 1.22% with key peers also positive: EQIX +0.59%, AMT +1.08%, CCI +1.1...

DLR gained 1.22% with key peers also positive: EQIX +0.59%, AMT +1.08%, CCI +1.19%, IRM +1.79%, SBAC +1.40%, indicating broader strength in specialty REITs and digital infrastructure.

Common Catalyst Some peer activity is conference-related (e.g., IRM), but no broad AI-specific news theme across peers.

Previous AI Reports

5 past events · Latest: Nov 03 (Positive)

Same Type Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	Move	Catalyst
Nov 03	NVIDIA AI collaboration	Positive	-2.1%	Partnership with NVIDIA on next-gen AI infrastructure at Manassas campus.
Oct 02	AI partnership announcement	Positive	+1.3%	Strategic collaboration with Dell and DXC to accelerate enterprise AI adoption.
Sep 10	DRIL launch	Positive	+6.0%	Launch of Northern Virginia Innovation Lab to validate AI and hybrid cloud.
Jul 24	Oracle AI collaboration	Positive	+0.4%	Oracle Solution Centers on PlatformDIGITAL® to support AI and cloud.
May 02	Oracle AI partnership	Positive	+4.9%	Collaboration with Oracle to enable next-gen cloud native and AI workloads.

Pattern Detected

AI-related announcements have generally seen positive price reactions, with one notable divergence on an NVIDIA collaboration.

Recent Company History

Over the past year, Digital Realty has repeatedly highlighted AI infrastructure initiatives. Collaborations with NVIDIA, Dell/DXC, and Oracle focused on high-density colocation, hybrid cloud, and private AI solutions, often leveraging PlatformDIGITAL® and ServiceFabric®. The September 2025 launch of the Northern Virginia DRIL, with support up to 150kW per cabinet, was followed by plans to expand to London. Today’s expansion of the DRIL network into Singapore, Japan, and London builds directly on that AI and hybrid cloud strategy.

Historical Comparison

+2.1% avg move · In the past year, DLR issued 5 AI-focused updates with an average move of 2.11%. Today’s 1.22% gain ...

AI

+2.1%

Average Historical Move AI

In the past year, DLR issued 5 AI-focused updates with an average move of 2.11%. Today’s 1.22% gain on DRIL’s global expansion sits within this typical reaction range.

AI news has progressed from partnerships (Oracle, NVIDIA, Dell/DXC) to launching the Northern Virginia DRIL and now expanding that lab network into London and key Asia-Pacific hubs.

Regulatory & Risk Context

Active S-3 Shelf

Shelf Active

Active S-3 Shelf Registration 2026-02-17

An effective S-3ASR shelf filed on 2026-02-17 allows Digital Realty and certain securityholders to offer common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, and debt securities over time, with specific terms to be set in future prospectus supplements. Some sales by existing securityholders would not generate proceeds for the company.

Market Pulse Summary

This announcement expands Digital Realty’s Innovation Lab network from Northern Virginia into Singap...

Analysis

This announcement expands Digital Realty’s Innovation Lab network from Northern Virginia into Singapore, Japan, and London, offering AI and hybrid cloud validation with high-density capacity up to 150kW per cabinet. It builds on earlier AI collaborations with NVIDIA, Oracle, and DXC and aligns with stated plans to bring DRIL to London. Investors may watch future disclosures for utilization of these labs, capital deployment details, and any follow-on offerings under the company’s effective S-3ASR shelf.

Key Terms

direct liquid cooling, hybrid cloud, high-performance computing, ServiceFabric®, +3 more

7 terms

direct liquid cooling technical

"It will feature 20 racks with direct liquid cooling (DLC) capabilities..."

Direct liquid cooling is a method that removes heat from electronic components by bringing a coolant into close contact with the parts that generate heat, rather than relying on fans and air flow. For investors, it matters because it enables denser, more energy-efficient and potentially more reliable data centers or computing equipment—think of it as swapping a box fan for a targeted water jacket—lowering operating costs and supporting faster, higher-performance hardware.

hybrid cloud technical

"test and deploy AI and hybrid cloud solutions in Singapore."

A hybrid cloud is a computing setup that mixes a company’s own servers with rented services from public cloud providers, letting businesses choose where each application and dataset lives. Think of it like keeping valuables in a private safe while also using a nearby storage unit for overflow; this matters to investors because it influences a company’s costs, flexibility, regulatory risk and ability to scale or offer new services, all of which affect profitability and competitive strength.

high-performance computing technical

"Designed to support advanced AI and high-performance computing use cases..."

A cluster of very powerful computers, special chips and fast networks designed to tackle huge, complex calculations far faster than a normal PC — like replacing a single delivery van with a synchronized fleet to move a city’s worth of packages. For investors, high-performance computing matters because it enables faster product development, more accurate simulations and data analysis, and new revenue streams for hardware, software and services, making firms that supply or use it potentially more competitive and scalable.

ServiceFabric® technical

"connect to cloud and network providers via ServiceFabric®, Digital Realty’s global..."

servicefabric® is a commercial software platform that helps companies run and manage complex, high‑traffic applications by breaking them into smaller, independently running parts and keeping those parts healthy, updated and balanced across many servers or cloud machines. For investors, it matters because such platforms can reduce downtime, speed rollout of new features, and influence operating costs and vendor dependency—factors that affect a firm’s reliability and long‑term growth prospects.

Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) technical

"its proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) methodology..."

A pervasive datacenter architecture (pdx®) is a design approach that spreads computing, storage and networking resources across many smaller, interconnected sites rather than relying on one central facility. Like replacing a single big warehouse with a network of local shops, it reduces delay for users, improves fault tolerance and lets operators scale or route work where it’s cheapest or safest. Investors care because this model can change capital and operating costs, service performance, regulatory compliance and revenue potential for companies that build or use these networks.

colocation technical

"High-density AI and HPC testing – Support for AI ... high-density colocation..."

Colocation is the practice of placing a trader’s computer servers inside or next to an exchange’s data center so their orders travel the shortest possible distance to the exchange’s computers. For investors this matters because even tiny gains in speed can mean better trade prices or reduced slippage—like being first in line at a checkout—so firms that colocate can gain steady, measurable advantages or incur extra costs that affect returns.

Private AI Exchange (AIPx) technical

"orchestrate AI workloads across Digital Realty’s Private AI Exchange (AIPx)..."

A private AI exchange (AIPX) is a controlled marketplace where organizations buy, sell or share artificial-intelligence models, data and services under strict access and privacy rules, similar to a secure trading floor or bank vault for AI assets. It matters to investors because it creates new revenue streams and strategic partnerships while reducing legal and privacy risks; success can boost a company’s growth potential or expose it to regulation and competition.

AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.

Asia Pacific and European locations will provide real-world environments for customers and partners to test and optimize next generation infrastructure

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 25, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the world’s largest cloud- and carrier-neutral data center platform, today announced the expansion of its Digital Realty Innovation Lab (DRIL) into Singapore, Japan and London. This marks the first expansion of the company’s global DRIL network into Asia Pacific and Europe, following the successful launch of the inaugural DRIL facility in Northern Virginia in September 2025, which has received acclaim from enterprise customers.

The new DRIL locations will offer our ecosystem of partners and customers fully supported, real-world testing environments where they can bring their own workloads or use pre-configured infrastructure to validate AI and hybrid cloud deployments before scaling’. This is especially important as AI adoption increases and infrastructure readiness has emerged as a critical barrier to moving from experimentation to production at scale. All three are expected to be available for use by customers and partners this year.

The launch represents Digital Realty’s commitment to support Singapore, Japan and the UK’s continued leadership in AI innovation. In Singapore, AI adoption is driving continued growth in the nation’s digital economy, which now accounts for 18.6% of total GDP. Japan plans to invest 10 trillion yen or more in the semiconductor and AI sectors by 2030. Meanwhile, the UK’s AI sector continues to accelerate, with more than 5,800 AI companies now operating nationwide, sector revenue reaching £23.9 billion and AI generating £11.8 billion in GVA.

Enabling next-generation AI infrastructure
The Singapore DRIL is designed to serve as a digital innovation hub, bringing together local customers, partners, and research institutions with global technology providers and industry participants seeking to develop, test and deploy AI and hybrid cloud solutions in Singapore.

In Japan, the DRIL will be located at the company’s NRT12 data center in the Greater Tokyo area. Designed to support advanced AI and high-performance computing use cases, it will feature 20 racks with direct liquid cooling (DLC) capabilities, enabling support for high-power-density workloads.

The DRIL in the UK will be in London, providing customers and partners with a dedicated environment to test and validate AI and hybrid cloud deployments before full-scale implementation.

“Sustaining rapidly expanding digital economies requires innovation ecosystems built on infrastructure that is not only AI-ready, but also efficient, resilient, and trusted,” said Serene Nah, Managing Director and Head of Asia Pacific, Digital Realty.

“Since launching the DRIL in the US, we've seen strong demand from customers and partners across Asia Pacific seeking dedicated environments to validate AI and hybrid cloud architectures before deploying at scale. Bringing this capability to Singapore and Japan reflects the digital maturity of these markets and their critical role in shaping the region's long-term digital competitiveness. By creating spaces where enterprises can test, optimize, and de-risk their AI infrastructure, we're accelerating responsible deployment and strengthening Asia Pacific's position as a hub for trusted digital innovation.”

“European AI adoption is expected to grow rapidly, and London sits at the center of that growth,” said Séamus Dunne, Managing Director, UK & Ireland, Digital Realty. “Launching the Digital Realty Innovation Lab in London gives enterprises and partners a real-world environment to validate AI and hybrid cloud architectures before rolling them out across live environments. It’s a critical step in helping organizations deploy next-generation infrastructure faster, and with greater confidence.”

Purpose-built infrastructure for AI and hybrid cloud validation
The new DRIL locations will enable businesses throughout Asia Pacific and Europe to test performance, optimize configurations, and seamlessly connect to cloud and network providers via ServiceFabric®, Digital Realty’s global interconnection and orchestration platform.

By leveraging Digital Realty’s global experience in deploying AI-ready infrastructure and its proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) methodology, the DRIL enables customers to test, optimize, and validate AI deployments in real-world conditions, reducing complexity and significantly accelerating the journey from pilot to production.

Consistent with the global network of DRILs, key features will include:

• High-density AI and HPC testing – Support for AI and high-performance computing workloads with high-density colocation, accommodating deployments of up to 150kW per cabinet.
• Energy and cooling-aware testing – Enables enterprises to evaluate AI performance, power density, and efficiency trade-offs before full-scale deployment.
• AI infrastructure optimization – Enables businesses to explore AI-specific power, cooling, and GPU resource requirements in an environment optimized for AI workloads.
• Hybrid cloud validation – Direct cloud connectivity allows enterprises to refine hybrid strategies and seamlessly onboard through ServiceFabric®, Digital Realty’s interconnection and orchestration platform.
• AI workload orchestration – Customers can orchestrate AI workloads across Digital Realty’s Private AI Exchange (AIPx) to enable secure, low-latency integration across distributed environments.
• Latency testing across locations – Enterprises can test latency scenarios ensuring seamless performance across multiple locations as well as cloud destinations.
  
  

The global DRIL network supports a growing ecosystem of customers and partners, including AMD, Cisco, and Lenovo, focused on scaling AI and hybrid cloud architectures.

About Digital Realty
Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL®, the company’s global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) solution methodology for powering innovation, from cloud and digital transformation to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 55+ metros across 30+ countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.

For Additional Information

Media Contact
Helen Bleasdale
Digital Realty
hcbleasdale@digitalrealty.com 

Investor Relations
Jordan Sadler / Jim Huseby
Digital Realty
+ 1 (214) 231-1350
InvestorRelations@digitalrealty.com

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to the company's partnerships and expected benefits, expected completion dates, emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, ServiceFabric®, customer demand and the company's strategy. For a list and description of risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

FAQ

When will Digital Realty (DLR) open the new DRIL sites in Singapore, Japan and London?

All three Digital Realty DRIL locations are expected to be available for customers in 2026. According to Digital Realty, the sites will open this year to support AI and hybrid cloud testing and validation.

What capacity and cooling features does the Japan DRIL at NRT12 (DLR) include?

The Japan DRIL at NRT12 will feature 20 racks and direct liquid cooling for high-power workloads. According to Digital Realty, it is designed for advanced AI and HPC use cases requiring high power density and efficient cooling.

How much power density will Digital Realty DRILs (DLR) support for AI and HPC testing?

DRIL locations will accommodate deployments up to 150kW per cabinet for high-density AI testing. According to Digital Realty, this enables enterprises to evaluate performance and efficiency trade-offs for AI workloads.

Will Digital Realty DRILs (DLR) provide cloud connectivity for hybrid cloud validation?

Yes — DRIL sites will offer direct cloud and network connectivity through ServiceFabric®. According to Digital Realty, this enables seamless hybrid cloud onboarding and low-latency integration via AIPx.

Which partners are involved in Digital Realty's DRIL ecosystem for AI and hybrid cloud (DLR)?

The global DRIL network supports partners including AMD, Cisco, and Lenovo to scale AI and hybrid cloud architectures. According to Digital Realty, these partners participate in testing, optimization, and validation activities.

Why did Digital Realty (DLR) target Singapore, Japan and London for DRIL expansion?

Digital Realty cites regional AI leadership and market readiness as reasons for expanding to these locations. According to Digital Realty, Singapore, Japan and the UK show strong AI investment, company presence, and digital-economy growth.