Edge data center firm Duos is partnering with GPU cloud firm Hydra Host.

The company has also appointed Doug Recker as its new CEO as it pivots to focus on its data center development.

Hail Hydra

Nasdaq-listed Duos Technologies Group, Inc., through its Duos Edge AI, Inc. data center subsidiary, recently announced it had signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Hydra Host to deploy a high-density Nvidia GPU cluster for an unnamed “leading global technology customer.”

The project supports an underlying GPU-as-a-Service (GPUaaS) partnership that is expected to generate approximately $176 million in revenue over a 36-month term. The partnership includes structured hardware financing arrangements designed to accelerate deployment and “support growing demand for distributed AI compute.”

According to SEC filings, Duos Edge would be the data center and asset owner for a 2,304-GPU B800 cluster rental contract, and Hydra would be the operator. The cluster could potentially have the ability to scale to 4,608 GPUs.

"We are thrilled to partner with the Duos team on this opportunity," said Aaron Ginn, CEO and co-founder of Hydra Host. "Their ability to deliver immediate access to power, combined with an industry-leading deployment speed, makes them a standout in the market. We see significant runway ahead as we look to expand our collaboration around colocation and Duos' High-Power EDC model, which we believe is purpose-built to address a market where demand for AI compute capacity is fundamentally outpacing the speed at which traditional data center supply can be delivered."

Founded in 2001 and based in Jacksonville, Florida, Duos offers vision-based technology solutions to automate inspections of trains, trucks, and automobiles while in motion. The company launched a new Edge unit in 2024 and raised $2.2 million in funding for the initial roll-out.

It has since installed several Edge pods in rural locations across Texas, as well as sites in Westchester, Illinois, and Jacksonville, Florida. Its pods total 15 racks and 300kW per container, and can be deployed in as little as 90 days. The firm is also targeting a higher-density container offering 1-2.5MW.

The most recent presentation from the company said it aimed to have some 65 pods and 20MW of capacity deployed by the end of 2026, and 250 pods totaling 60MW of capacity by 2028.

Hydra Host bills itself as an AI infrastructure provider specializing in bare metal GPU deployment and cluster monetization. The company says it manages more than 20,000 bare metal GPUs across more than 40 global data center partners in the US, Europe, and Asia.

Duos appoints Recker as CEO

Duos has also appointed Doug Recker as chief executive officer, effective April 1, 2026.

“This initial customer marks a pivotal step in accelerating the buildout of Duos Edge AI and strengthens our ability to execute on our distributed infrastructure strategy,” said Recker. “We are now entering an exciting phase of execution, further reinforced by our recently announced LOI with Hydra Host, which underscores growing third-party demand for our distributed AI infrastructure model and validates the scalability of our platform. With secured power, rapid deployment capabilities, and expanding strategic partnerships, we believe Duos is well-positioned to pursue high-value infrastructure opportunities. Our focus remains on disciplined expansion, capital-efficient growth, and delivering sustainable long-term value for our shareholders.”

Recker joined Duos in 2024 to lead its data center efforts. He previously founded Edge data center firm EdgePresence, which was sold to Ubiquity in 2023, and Colo5, which was sold to Cologix in 2014.

Duos’ outgoing CEO Chuck Ferry has returned to behind-the-meter power firm APR Energy as CEO. Ferry joined Duos in 2020 from APR Energy, where he had previously been CEO.

“I would like to congratulate Doug on his promotion to CEO and for securing this milestone agreement with Hydra Host,” said Craig Nixon, chairman of the board, Duos. “I would also like to thank Chuck Ferry for his leadership in transitioning Duos from its original business model to the focus on data centers and power, which has paved the way for the much-improved financial results in 2025 and expected significant growth in 2026 and beyond.”

Duos said it has also entered into a non-binding letter of intent for a ground lease in Iowa with access to up to 10MW of utility power. Full details weren’t shared.