Episode
233: From a 9-Figure Exit to a $10 Billion Data Center with Jason Van Gaal
- Podcast
- Beyond A Million
- Published
- Jun 18, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2029
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Summary
AI isn't just creating a software boom, it's creating an infrastructure crisis. As demand for AI explodes, the real bottleneck isn't chips or models anymore. It's power, cooling, permitting, and the ability to build data centers fast enough to keep up. Jason Van Gaal has spent more than a decade solving exactly that problem. After building and exiting multiple data center companies — including one of the largest Canadian tech exits of 2019 — Jason is now taking on his biggest project yet: building a $10 billion AI data center campus in Alberta powered by its own energy infrastructure. In this episode, we break down the future of AI infrastructure, why data centers are becoming power companies, the realities of scaling massive industrial projects, and what Jason learned from building, exiting, and starting over again. Key Takeaways with Jason Van Gaal From Two Exits to a $10B Swing Hire People Better Than Yourself Cutting Build Time to 120 Days Financing 400% Growth Without Imploding How He Invests After the Exit Why He Came Out of Retirement Why Alberta Won the Build Busting the Data Center Water Myth Noise, Infrasound, and Tinfoil Hats What Happens If Approvals Fail Why He Stays in His Lane Why Scaling Fast Is a Trap Learning Just in Time vs Just in Case Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eRR-PLNkVtQ Let's Connect: Website | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | Twitter | Facebook