British AI infrastructure startup Nscale has appointed former OpenAI and Meta executive Fidji Simo to its board of directors. Recruited by board member Sheryl Sandberg, Simo joins other high-profile tech veterans including Nick Clegg and Susan Decker. The appointment comes as Nscale, which designs and operates AI data centers, prepares for a potential fall 2026 IPO and seeks to raise up to $3.5 billion in pre-IPO financing amid skyrocketing demand for AI computing infrastructure.
Fidji Simo board appointment
- ▪Fidji Simo stepped down from her role as OpenAI's chief of AGI deployment in July 2026 for health reasons but continues to serve as a part-time consultant to OpenAI.
- ▪British artificial intelligence data center startup Nscale appointed former OpenAI, Meta, and Instacart executive Fidji Simo to its board of directors on September 11, 2026.
- ▪Nscale board member Sheryl Sandberg recruited Fidji Simo to join the startup's board of directors.
Nscale IPO preparation
- ▪Nscale plans to raise up to $3.5 billion in pre-IPO financing ahead of its planned stock market debut.
- ▪Nscale is preparing for a potential initial public offering that could take place in the fall of 2026.
Board member experience
- ▪Fidji Simo previously served as the chief executive officer of Instacart, guiding the delivery startup through its initial public offering in 2023.
- ▪Fidji Simo joins a board of directors at Nscale that already includes high-profile tech executives Sheryl Sandberg, Susan Decker, and Nick Clegg.
- ▪Fidji Simo spent over a decade at Meta Platforms Inc., where she was responsible for leading the Facebook application, and she currently serves on Shopify's board of directors.
AI infrastructure demand
- ▪Nscale designs, builds, and operates data centers specifically optimized for artificial intelligence systems.
- ▪Nscale founder and chief executive officer Josh Payne stated that Fidji Simo has rare experience scaling products to billions of users and understanding the infrastructure demands of those services.
- ▪Nscale's valuation has risen significantly in the two years since its founding, driven by strong demand for artificial intelligence computing infrastructure.
Story comments
Loading comments…