Hirez Secures Funding from Toda Corporation for AI Data Center Operations Utilizing Offshore Wind Power
Hirez has secured funding from Toda Corporation to operate AI data centers utilizing offshore wind power. This initiative aims to address the increasing power demand for GPUs driven by generative AI, contribute to regional revitalization, and realize the "Watt-Bit Linkage" concept promoted by METI.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 24, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 24, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 24, 2026 at 12:46 (2h 14m after Collected)
Hirez Inc. (Headquarters: Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yoshiyuki Shikura; hereinafter "the Company") has secured funding from Toda Corporation (Headquarters: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Kiyosuke Otani; hereinafter "Toda Corporation").
Leveraging this funding, the Company aims to establish a new business model in the regionally distributed AI data center sector, collaborating with Toda Corporation's renewable energy businesses, including offshore wind power generation.
Purpose of Funding
Recently, with the widespread adoption of generative AI, the global demand for GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), which are computational resources, has rapidly expanded.
To meet this demand, the Company has been providing computational power used for generative AI training and inference via the cloud, and has been promoting the regional expansion of AI data centers. However, operating high-end GPUs requires enormous amounts of electricity, and the costs associated with heat dissipation are also substantial, making the increase in operational costs a serious challenge.
On the other hand, suitable locations for offshore wind power generation, which Toda Corporation is engaged in, are dispersed in rural areas. As these locations are distant from urban areas, which are major demand centers, there is a challenge in fully utilizing their power generation potential.
Therefore, taking this funding as an opportunity, and leveraging the cooperative relationship with Toda Corporation, we aim to operate AI data centers utilizing renewable energy. This will contribute to the realization of the "Watt-Bit Linkage" concept promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the revitalization of regional industries.
What is Offshore Wind Power Generation?
Offshore wind power generation is a renewable energy technology that installs wind turbines in the sea and utilizes strong, stable wind power for large-scale electricity generation. Wind conditions are better than on land, and there is less noise and visual impact, making it anticipated as a trump card for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. There are two types: "bottom-fixed" which are fixed to the seabed, and "floating" which float on the sea. In deep waters like Japan, floating types are considered promising.
About Toda Corporation
Toda Corporation is a general construction company with a history and tradition of over 140 years since its founding in 1881, handling numerous architectural and civil engineering projects. In addition to real estate investment and development businesses and overseas projects, the company is also challenging new initiatives to solve societal problems, such as the practical application of Japan's first floating offshore wind power generation and efforts in agricultural sixth industrialization, without being confined to the framework of architecture and civil engineering.
Company Overview
Company Name: Toda Corporation
Headquarters: 1-7-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Kiyosuke Otani, Representative Director and President
Business Activities: Founded in 1881. Engages in comprehensive architectural and civil engineering, and consulting services throughout Japan. Also involved in renewable energy businesses, primarily offshore wind power generation.
Corporate Website: https://www.toda.co.jp/
About Hirez Inc.
Hirez has been operating GPU data centers specialized in AI development since 2019, providing the GPU cloud service "GPUSOROBAN."
June 2022: Awarded NVIDIA "Best CSP Partner of the Year"
April 2024: Certified under METI's "Cloud Program" supply assurance plan
February 2026: Small-scale demonstration project for green AI data center construction in the Kingdom of Bhutan adopted for METI's FY2024 supplementary budget Global South Future-Oriented Co-creation etc. Project Subsidy (Small-scale Demonstration/FS Project)
About GPU Data Centers Specialized in AI Development
Hirez has established data centers at five locations in Ishikawa, Kagawa, and Saga prefectures, utilizing idle facilities such as former schools in rural areas. By operating with unique construction know-how that leverages regional characteristics and reduces environmental impact, Hirez promotes GX. Furthermore, by developing digital infrastructure to promote domestic economic growth and decentralizing data centers to rural areas, Hirez contributes to the government's "Watt-Bit Linkage" concept, which aims for regional revitalization.
• August 2019: Shiga Town Data Center No. 1 opened in Ishikawa Prefecture as a dedicated GPU data center.
• August 2022: Shiga Town Data Center No. 2, Japan's largest, opened in Ishikawa Prefecture.
• December 2024: Takamatsu City Data Center, the first in the Chugoku-Shikoku region, opened in Kagawa Prefecture.
• August 2025: Genkai Town Data Center, Japan's first utilizing a former school, opened in Saga Prefecture.
• March 2026: Ayagawa Town Data Center, the second base in the Chugoku-Shikoku region, opened in Kagawa Prefecture.
About GPUSOROBAN
"GPUSOROBAN" is a GPU cloud service that accelerates massive computational processing for image generation AI, LLMs (Large Language Models), and more. By reducing data center construction and operating costs, it provides high-performance NVIDIA GPU servers at a low cost. GPUSOROBAN has over 2,000 cumulative usage cases, ranging from the IT industry.
Leveraging this funding, the Company aims to establish a new business model in the regionally distributed AI data center sector, collaborating with Toda Corporation's renewable energy businesses, including offshore wind power generation.
Purpose of Funding
Recently, with the widespread adoption of generative AI, the global demand for GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), which are computational resources, has rapidly expanded.
To meet this demand, the Company has been providing computational power used for generative AI training and inference via the cloud, and has been promoting the regional expansion of AI data centers. However, operating high-end GPUs requires enormous amounts of electricity, and the costs associated with heat dissipation are also substantial, making the increase in operational costs a serious challenge.
On the other hand, suitable locations for offshore wind power generation, which Toda Corporation is engaged in, are dispersed in rural areas. As these locations are distant from urban areas, which are major demand centers, there is a challenge in fully utilizing their power generation potential.
Therefore, taking this funding as an opportunity, and leveraging the cooperative relationship with Toda Corporation, we aim to operate AI data centers utilizing renewable energy. This will contribute to the realization of the "Watt-Bit Linkage" concept promoted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and the revitalization of regional industries.
What is Offshore Wind Power Generation?
Offshore wind power generation is a renewable energy technology that installs wind turbines in the sea and utilizes strong, stable wind power for large-scale electricity generation. Wind conditions are better than on land, and there is less noise and visual impact, making it anticipated as a trump card for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. There are two types: "bottom-fixed" which are fixed to the seabed, and "floating" which float on the sea. In deep waters like Japan, floating types are considered promising.
About Toda Corporation
Toda Corporation is a general construction company with a history and tradition of over 140 years since its founding in 1881, handling numerous architectural and civil engineering projects. In addition to real estate investment and development businesses and overseas projects, the company is also challenging new initiatives to solve societal problems, such as the practical application of Japan's first floating offshore wind power generation and efforts in agricultural sixth industrialization, without being confined to the framework of architecture and civil engineering.
Company Overview
Company Name: Toda Corporation
Headquarters: 1-7-1 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Representative: Kiyosuke Otani, Representative Director and President
Business Activities: Founded in 1881. Engages in comprehensive architectural and civil engineering, and consulting services throughout Japan. Also involved in renewable energy businesses, primarily offshore wind power generation.
Corporate Website: https://www.toda.co.jp/
About Hirez Inc.
Hirez has been operating GPU data centers specialized in AI development since 2019, providing the GPU cloud service "GPUSOROBAN."
June 2022: Awarded NVIDIA "Best CSP Partner of the Year"
April 2024: Certified under METI's "Cloud Program" supply assurance plan
February 2026: Small-scale demonstration project for green AI data center construction in the Kingdom of Bhutan adopted for METI's FY2024 supplementary budget Global South Future-Oriented Co-creation etc. Project Subsidy (Small-scale Demonstration/FS Project)
About GPU Data Centers Specialized in AI Development
Hirez has established data centers at five locations in Ishikawa, Kagawa, and Saga prefectures, utilizing idle facilities such as former schools in rural areas. By operating with unique construction know-how that leverages regional characteristics and reduces environmental impact, Hirez promotes GX. Furthermore, by developing digital infrastructure to promote domestic economic growth and decentralizing data centers to rural areas, Hirez contributes to the government's "Watt-Bit Linkage" concept, which aims for regional revitalization.
• August 2019: Shiga Town Data Center No. 1 opened in Ishikawa Prefecture as a dedicated GPU data center.
• August 2022: Shiga Town Data Center No. 2, Japan's largest, opened in Ishikawa Prefecture.
• December 2024: Takamatsu City Data Center, the first in the Chugoku-Shikoku region, opened in Kagawa Prefecture.
• August 2025: Genkai Town Data Center, Japan's first utilizing a former school, opened in Saga Prefecture.
• March 2026: Ayagawa Town Data Center, the second base in the Chugoku-Shikoku region, opened in Kagawa Prefecture.
About GPUSOROBAN
"GPUSOROBAN" is a GPU cloud service that accelerates massive computational processing for image generation AI, LLMs (Large Language Models), and more. By reducing data center construction and operating costs, it provides high-performance NVIDIA GPU servers at a low cost. GPUSOROBAN has over 2,000 cumulative usage cases, ranging from the IT industry.