The most critical redevelopment within the telecom industry and across the digital ecosystem is the further strengthening of public-private partnerships to overcome infrastructure challenges. As a company, ValorC3 genuinely believes that success is shared. When we work and learn together, we can accomplish much more, and this same philosophy applies to the industry in general. Whether supporting federally funded AI programs in the United States and elsewhere or continued AI investments at the state and local levels, the demand for telecom and data center services has never been greater. We can’t solve this alone. It will take precision, planning, coordination, and execution across governments, fiber providers, and data centers. By fostering deeper public-private collaborations, we can develop the infrastructure necessary to drive technological advancements forward more rapidly while striving for excellence and meeting the evolving digital demands of the future.

The most impactful development will come down to one thing: expanding and evolving networks to handle AI-driven capabilities and demands. From fiber networks to cloud availability, the ability to handle growing AI workloads is what will take the industry to the next level. Once again, partnerships will play a large role in driving this transformation. Collaboration between fiber builders and other major telecom players is critical to ensuring seamless connectivity and meeting demands. As AI applications continue to grow, data centers must be able to provide onramps to next-generation workloads, and that includes having robust fiber availability and cloud capacity. 

Innovation is not just important; it’s essential for companies to stay competitive in today’s rapidly evolving landscape. In the data center industry, the need for strategic problem-solving and infrastructure development has never been more significant. Businesses must continuously enhance their offerings to support hybrid solutions and integrate emerging technologies effectively. 

With chipsets driving massive computing advancements, the challenge becomes ensuring efficiency at every level. We must look at ways to meet this growing demand more sustainably, and that means innovating and shifting our approach to the way we cool workloads of that density. That’s where things like direct-to-chip liquid cooling become important, which is something ValorC3 does and will continue to implement as we grow. To keep pace with the greatest increase in compute capabilities we’ve seen in decades, we must keep rethinking traditional approaches to become more efficient and more sustainable. Future generations to come depend on us. 

PTC holds significant value for ValorC3 and for me personally because of its unique blend of industry leaders, innovators, and global perspectives, all within one membership. Unlike other more focused or local membership organizations, PTC provides exposure to a diverse network of cloud service providers, telecom operators, and data center leaders from across the world – not one specific geographic location. It helps us to keep our pulse on what is happening globally and not just in the markets where we operate. Membership enables us to keep track of trends and execute new ideas while also helping ValorC3 build meaningful connections and gain a broader understanding of the evolving digital landscape.

One of the most important things to keep in mind about PTC is the invaluable nature of its annual conference. It continuously provides unique opportunities to engage with the entire digital infrastructure ecosystem in one place, and it’s always growing. For example, this year, the vendor community seemed to have greater representation. More members in attendance were focused on solving problems around the supply chain and utility demand. It’s a standout organization and annual event because it gives attendees and members the opportunity to connect with the entire ecosystem in a way that would typically require multiple memberships and events. The value is truly immeasurable. 

Marc Ganzi, CEO of DigitalBridge, is someone I’ve looked up to for a long time. He is a tremendous leader in the industry and has helped countless people understand how it operates. He’s a true thought leader and has been for many years. A lot of industry leaders would like to emulate his approach to leadership and educating others about our industry.

I grew up on the Space Coast of Florida near Cocoa Beach, and I’m a lifelong surfer. World-renowned surfer Kelly Slater, who went on to be one of the best professional surfers in the world, rode the waves on the same beaches as I did. Although, he’s a few years younger than me and much more talented! It was neat to see a young kid cruising around on Cocoa Beach, where I would also surf. Surfing is an outlet for me where I can connect with nature and challenge myself physically. It’s also very rewarding. I try to longboard every year when I’m in Hawaii for the PTC annual conference. It truly is one of the most beautiful places in the world to surf!