Vast Data and the Next Frontier of AI Infrastructure: Insights from Forward 2026

The AI infrastructure landscape is undergoing a fundamental shift, moving beyond the initial compute-first phase dominated by hardware giants toward a more nuanced data-first architecture. At the Vast Forward 2026 conference, Vast Data CEO Renen Hallak articulated this evolution, positioning his company not merely as a storage provider but as the foundational layer for the next generation of artificial intelligence. Hallak’s thesis centers on the idea that as AI models become more complex, the bottleneck is no longer just the number of GPUs, but the ability to feed those GPUs with high-velocity, high-quality data. This data operating system approach is designed to unify unstructured data across hybrid cloud environments, enabling real-time training and inference that legacy storage systems simply cannot support.

For the venture capital community, this represents a significant pivot in investment strategy. The infrastructure layer of the AI stack is maturing, and the focus is shifting toward companies that can solve the massive data orchestration challenges inherent in large-scale GenAI deployments. This trend is further validated by a recent Similarweb report, which highlights how Generative AI is fundamentally reshaping competitive dynamics. The report suggests that GenAI is not just an incremental improvement but a disruptive force that is cannibalizing traditional search traffic and forcing SaaS providers to rethink their core value propositions. Startups that fail to integrate deep AI capabilities into their data workflows risk becoming obsolete as incumbents and more agile AI-native competitors move into their territory.

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At the Vast Forward 2026 conference, Vast Data CEO Renen Hallak articulated this evolution, positioning his company not merely as a storage provider but as the foundational layer for the next generation of artificial intelligence.

Parallel to these infrastructure shifts, the fintech sector is demonstrating resilience through specialized, high-utility platforms. Nomad CEO Lucas Vargas, speaking at Endeavor Week 2025, highlighted the growing demand for wealth-building tools in emerging markets like Brazil. By providing Brazilians with access to global financial markets, Nomad is tapping into a significant demographic shift that prioritizes diversification and wealth preservation. This localized approach to fintech remains a high-conviction area for VCs, even as global macroeconomic conditions remain volatile. Similarly, Kraken Institutional’s integration with ICE Chat signals a broader trend toward the professionalization of the digital asset space. By bridging the gap between traditional institutional communication tools and crypto liquidity, Kraken is positioning itself for a future where digital assets are a standard component of institutional portfolios.