DCD Connect New York 2027
Connecting the ecosystem to design, build & operate sustainable digital infrastructure for the AI age
The 2027 edition of DCD Connect | New York returns to the New York Marriott Marquis, bringing together the leaders designing, building, and operating the next generation of digital infrastructure. As AI-driven demand continues to accelerate, the event will convene more than 5,500 senior decision-makers, spanning hyperscalers, enterprise operators, colocation providers, investors, and technology partners.
Designed to reflect the scale and urgency of the industry’s next phase, the 2027 edition will deliver a more focused, more commercially valuable experience, connecting the full ecosystem to tackle the defining challenges around power, capacity, speed to market, and long-term sustainability.
Highlights
Previous agenda highlights
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Welcome Panel: Too fast to last? Building AI infrastructure responsibly
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- Main Stage
- Energy & Sustainability
- Mission Critical Power
- Management & Operations
- Open Session
- Main Stage
Speakers
Solutions Architect, Mission Critical, Albireo Energy
Chief Innovation Officer, Aligned Data Centers
Data Center & Life Sciences Builders Risk Leader, Aon's Construction and Infrastructure Practice, Aon
Global Data Center Deliver Optimization Lead, Microsoft
Head of Channels, Compute, DatacenterDynamics and SDxCentral
Operators are racing to deploy AI, triggering the fastest, largest period of market expansion the digital infrastructure industry has ever seen. But building at scale and pace is also testing limits, with constrained grids, rising costs and increasing public scrutiny putting additional pressure on data centers to demonstrate they can sustain growth. The challenge is no longer about whether we can build capacity, it’s about whether the industry can deliver it responsibly, efficiently and with long-term resilience in mind.
This major panel explores:
- The economics of ‘speed to power’ - managing cost, capacity and interconnection bottlenecks
- Strategies for balancing speed with sustainability and compliance to build public trust
- How to plan for AI-scale operations without exhausting local grids and communities
- The role of policy and regulation in shaping responsible growth
- What choices will separate lasting market leaders from un-sustainable operations?
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DCD>Debate: Two-phase or not two-phase, that is the question
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- Data Center Cooling
- Open Session
Speakers
Director of Innovation, Trane Technologies
Digital Portfolio Lead, DCD
Practice Manager, Business Sector, Henderson Engineers
Sai Marri
Senior Global Electrical Engineer, AWS
Liquid cooling has moved from niche to necessity as AI and high-density workloads push thermal limits beyond what air alone can handle. Yet, the industry remains divided: should operators double down on single-phase and direct-to-chip systems now, or wait for two-phase technologies to mature? This debate tackles where the tipping points are for different liquid cooling technologies, and how operators are adapting their thermal strategies in the face of rapid workload evolution.
This debate will address:
- How to define the ‘right’ approach to cooling for your operation
- When will single-phase and cold plate technologies will give way to immersion
- How standards, materials and fluid safety considerations are evolving
- The operational and commercial factors driving long-term cooling choices, and investment decisions today
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DCD>Debate: Rethinking the rack - Can data center architecture keep up with modern compute?
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- Compute, Storage & Networking
- Open Session
Speakers
Ken Sullivan
Founder & CEO, Bay Compute
Vice President of Strategy and Portfolio, Switch
CTO and Managing Director, NAM, DatacenterDynamics
Senior Director - Data Centre Infrastructure & Strategy - Operations, RBC
Principal AI Platform Architect, Google
Rising compute and storage densities are reshaping how data centers are built from the rack up. The once-stable balance between power, cooling, and network design is giving way to a new era where efficiency, integration, and bandwidth are pushed to their limits. As performance demands surge, operators and architects are reimagining how servers, interconnects, and fabrics can be designed to deliver more capacity within the same physical footprint. This debate explores how far existing rack architectures can stretch - and what new approaches will define the next generation of data center design.
This debate will explore:
- How high-density compute is driving changes in rack layout and connectivity
- The trade-offs between bandwidth, latency, and efficiency in rack design
- How to evolve power delivery, cooling, and cabling for next-gen hardware
- Whether today’s rack designs can scale with the pace of modern workloads
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Energy Summit: Oxford debate - When to go in front of the meter vs behind the meter?
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- Energy Summit
- Energy & Sustainability
- Mission Critical Power
- Open Session
Speakers
President & Chief Innovation Officer, EPC Power
General Manager of UPS, Datacenter and Telecom Business, Ampace
President & CEO, Cashman Preload Cryogenics
Vice President of Data Center Systems, MARA
Programme Consultant - Build Clean Now, Mission Possible Partnership (MPP)
VP - Hyperscale Engineering, PointOne Data Centers
AI work loads, grid congestion, long interconnection queues, and constrained markets have triggered the need for new methods of accessing power. This Oxford-style debate asks to address: New data centers should be built and operated behind the meter (BTM) instead of in front of the meter (FTM).
- Do sustainability optics push, delay, or block builds? Does BTM vs FTM improve or worsen it?
- What are the potential community benefits (job creation, heat reuse, reliability of services)?
- How are larger build data centers approaching BTM solutions and how can hybrid models best succeed?
We’ll consider interconnection timelines, permitting, and the role of batteries in bridging constraints. Using Sli.Do, audience members will be able to pose their questions to the panel.
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DCD events are fantastic, always jam-packed with great content and the who's who in the industry.
— CEO, Edgeology
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DCD Connect was great. Big turnout this year. Looking forward to 2027 DCD in MAY when there is warm weather outside!
— Market Data/Network Data Center Project Coordinator, Morgan Stanley
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This show is always well worth attending. The knowledge learned and the networking make it very high on our conference agenda.
— Director of Data Centers, Affiliated Engineers
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The App was key to a successful event for me. The agenda, list of attendees, ability to scan badges, etc. was extremely easy and valuable. This made for an easy way to navigate such a large event.
— Key Accounts, Business Development Director, ENGIE Resources LLC
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Great event. Great job separating the different segments of investment, compute, and energy. Will definitely attend next year.
— CEO, Bay Compute
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One of the best conferences of the year to meet the next tech coming to data centers
— Executive Director, Comcast
Speaker Alumni
Chief Financial Officer, Vantage Data Centers
CTO and Tech Fellow, BRK Tech
Global PE Head for AI Infra, Energy Transition & Decarbonization, AWS
Executive Director, Power Origination, JP Morgan Chase
SVP of Energy and Sustainability, Switch
EVP, Chief Development Officer, CyrusOne
Vice President - Lead Mechanical Engineer, kW Mission Critical Engineering
VP - Sustainability, CoreWeave
VP of Innovation, TensorWave
Vice President - Mission Critical Operations Group Manager, Truist
Founder & CEO, Elea Data Centers
Vice President, CPG
Vice President, Data Center, Hut 8
Gabriel Schaap
Director of Engineering, Gradian Thermal Solutions
Can Zhao
VP of Business Development, Red Mountain Solutions
Secure your pass for 2027
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End-User/Specifier Pass
Includes access to
Connect | New York
The Xcelerated Compute Show
For end-users within the digital infrastructure industry
Who qualifies?
✅ End-users within the data center industry from Enterprise and Hyperscale
✅ End-users specializing in IT, Compute, Storage or Networking
✅ Technical roles from Colocation Operators
✅ Specifiers of data center technology & services (technical roles) from AECs (Architects, Consulting Engineers, Contractors), Systems Integrators and Energy Utilities
✅ Procurement teams
Who does not qualify?
❌Sales & Marketing Professionals
❌Technology or Service Vendors
❌Resellers
❌Recruitment Firms
Extra details
End-User/Specifier passes include access to both days of DCD Connect | New York on May 17-18. Your pass also gives you access to the co-located Xcelerated Compute Show running concurrently at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.
You will also be invited to private activations included hosted lunches, cocktail hours and VIP dinners (subject to availability) and have the ability to book meetings via the event app.
Complimentary food & beverages are provided throughout the event.
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General Admission Pass
Includes access to
Connect | New York
The Xcelerated Compute Show
For digital infrastructure analysts and sales & marketing professionals.
Who qualifies?
✅ Sales & Marketing Professionals from: Colocation & Cloud Providers, AECs (Architects, Consulting Engineers, Contractors), Systems Integrators and Energy Utilities
✅ Digital Infrastructure Investors/Analysts
✅ Law Firms & Professional Advisory Services
Who does not qualify?
❌Technology or Service Vendors
❌Resellers
❌Recruitment Firms
Extra details
General Admission pass provides you with access to both days of DCD Connect | New York on May 17-18. Your pass also gives you access to the co-located Xcelerated Compute Show running concurrently at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. You can schedule meetings through the event app and scan leads directly at the event. Complimentary food & beverages are provided throughout the event.
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Vendor Pass
Includes access to
Connect | New York
The Xcelerated Compute Show
For technology vendors, service vendors, resellers and recruiters
Who qualifies?
✅ Technology or Service Vendors
✅ Resellers
✅ Recruitment Firms
Extra details
This pass provides you with access to both days of DCD Connect | New York on May 17-18. Your pass also gives you access to the co-located Xcelerated Compute Show running concurrently at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.
You have access to all of the open sessions and networking, and have the ability to schedule meetings through the event app and scan leads directly at the event.#
Purchasing multiple Vendor passes If you wish to purchase multiple passes for your team, event sponsorship could provide you more value, as all of our packages include passes for your team members and enhanced access to the event app. Please contact: [email protected] for the best rates.
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Investment Forum Pass
Includes access to
Investment Forum | New York
Connect | New York
The Xcelerated Compute Show
For operators, investors and the supporting ecosystem involved in investment, financing and M&A activity
Who qualifies?
✅ Leaders from Digital Infrastructure Investment and Finance
✅ Senior executives from Hyperscale, Colocation or Cloud Services companies
✅ Law Firms, Consultancy & Advisory Services Involved in Deal flowWho does not qualify?
❌ Technology or Service Vendors
❌ Resellers
❌ Recruitment Firms
Extra details
Access to the DCD Investment Forum on May 18. Your pass also gives you access to both days of DCD Connect | New York on May 17-18 and the co-located Xcelerated Compute Show running concurrently at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. You can schedule meetings through the event app and scan leads directly at the event. Complimentary food & beverages are provided throughout the event.
