Georgetown-based Strategic Thermal Labs, a specialist in advanced liquid-cooling technologies, got a boost in its startup journey by a seed investment from Cowtown Angels, the investment network arm of TechFW. That turned into an exit success story recently with Strategic Thermal Labs’ acquisition by Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a Columbus, Ohio-based leader in critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions.
TechFW’s Caitlin McMinn
Vertiv said the acquisition extends its thermal-chain strategy by strengthening engineering capability at the interface between server-side liquid cooling and supporting infrastructure—”an increasingly critical factor in high-density, liquid-cooled environments supporting AI and high-performance computing workloads.”
Strategic Thermal Labs (STL) brings its “proven” cold-plate design, server-side liquid cooling, and high-density thermal validation expertise to Vertiv, the Ohio company said. That strengthens Vertiv’s ability to simulate and emulate real high-density compute conditions, optimize the interaction between the thermal chain and power train, and support customers across design, integration, commissioning, and lifecycle operations, Vertiv added.
Cowtown Angels participated in 2024 seed round
Founded in 2014, STL raised a seed funding round in April 2024 led by Florida-based Carrier Ventures. That round included several Cowtown Angels’ members as well as Cowtown Sidecar Fund-I, the network said.
“The Cowtown Angels recognized early that STL’s chip cooling technology would be essential to the next generation of data center infrastructure, and the acquisition by Vertiv validates their vision,” Caitlin McMinn, executive director of TechFW, said in a statement.
Soving heat challenges ‘at the chip level’
Scott Armul, Vertiv’s chief product and technology officer, said that as AI and high‑performance computing push power densities to unprecedented levels, “understanding and solving heat challenges at the chip level becomes critical to system design, performance and reliability.”
“STL brings deep expertise and proven capability in addressing some of the industry’s most demanding chip-level density and thermal problems,” Armul added in a statement, “strengthening Vertiv’s ability to emulate and validate system-level solutions and enabling customers to improve performance and lifecycle outcomes in liquid-cooled environments.”
Vertiv said it will continue to support interoperable, server‑ and silicon‑agnostic infrastructure solutions, with the goal of improving system‑level performance and customer outcomes “across diverse compute environments.”
Cowtown Angels was launched in 2012 as a program of TechFW, providing a platform for local accredited angel investors to share deal flow, invest, and collaborate on due diligence in promising early stage companies from a variety of industries. Cowtown Angels said it also provides companies with knowledge and mentorship in addition to capital. The network operates in partnership with TechFW’s ecosystem of coaching, programming, and community resources.
Don’t miss what’s next. Subscribe to Dallas Innovates.
Track Dallas-Fort Worth’s business and innovation landscape with our curated news in your inbox Tuesday-Thursday.
R E A D N E X T
-
Dallas Innovates and our partners at the Dallas Regional Chamber spotlight the names you need to know in Dallas-Fort Worth's AI economy.
-
Designer Jonathan Adler is bringing his iconic style to Micheals in a new collection, starting April 17. Everyone from 'mid-century mavens' to West Coast bohemians" can find the designer's signature flair to spark their own creativity, Michaels said.
-
Houston-based Pappas acquired On the Border in a bankruptcy auction in May 2025. In the year since, On the Border has undergone "a sweeping menu overhaul," strengthened its operations, and focused on elevating the overall guest experience, Pappas says.
-
Each bar includes key allergens such as peanut, sesame, and mixed tree nuts, in a format that works for snacks at home or on-the-go. The bars are made with whole nut butters and seeds, without ultra-processed ingredients, added sugar, or added salt.
-
Launched in 2022, Precision Aerospace Holdings brought together Applegate EDM, Clearwater Engineering, Decatur Machine Services, Icon Machine Co., and Owens Machine and Tool Company under a single platform.
-
The newly formed Empower EIT has consolidated its operations into a new 17,000-SF headquarters and innovation facility in Addison, relocating Conductive Energy’s direct lithium extraction manufacturing operations from Chicago and its laboratory and research functions from Calgary, Alberta.
-
Jacobs said Flood IQ provides a unified operational view by combining rainfall radar, river and coastal conditions, stormwater and wastewater network data, and critical infrastructure data. The platform uses AI-powered analytics to forecast both where and when flooding may occur—and supports coordinated actions to protect communities during severe weather events.
-
L.A. is one of America's "most supply-constrained data center markets," DataBank noted. The new 32MW data center, located in the suburb of Vernon just south of the city, will meet the growing demand for high-density, scalable data center capacity that the L.A. region is currently seeing from cloud, AI, and enterprise customers.
-
The Sydney-based, AI-native fund administration platform for private markets has closed a $6.5 million Series A round and secured a $55 million valuation following "rapid growth and large enterprise customer wins," Caruso said.
-
Verily graduated from Google X 10 years ago as one of Alphabet’s earliest “Other Bets," focusing on breakthrough science and health tech innovation. Its new round was led by Series X Capital, with participation from Alphabet, UCHealth, the University of Colorado Anschutz, and other investors.
