How the data-center boom is showing up in real estate

When people talk about data centers, they usually talk about A.I. models, Nvidia chips, or cloud software.

But the part that actually makes all of that work is much more basic: data centers are physical buildings. They sit on land. They pull massive amounts of power. They need fiber connectivity. And they run on long-term leases.

That’s why data centers are increasingly being treated as a real estate asset class, not just a tech side-story.

In 2025, data centers made up close to one-third of global private real estate investment, a sign that capital has been flowing aggressively into the category as demand for computing space expands. (Colliers, via Data Center Dynamics)

The Big Idea

One of the most underappreciated parts of the A.I. and cloud buildout is that it has to happen somewhere. That “somewhere” is data center real estate. And a meaningful slice of that real estate is owned by public companies, especially REITs, which means this theme shows up in the stock market in a very different way than most people expect.

Data centers are a landlord business in disguise

A lot of data center growth doesn’t show up as flashy tech.

It shows up as leasing.

The most important public names here are companies like Equinix and Digital Realty, which own and operate large networks of data centers. These firms aren’t just “tech.” They are, in many ways, specialized landlords. They lease space and power capacity to customers who need computing infrastructure to operate…

Everyday Investors Miss Out on Unicorn Opportunities. But Not This One.

In 2013, “unicorn” was coined for a private startup worth $1B+. Why? Rarity.

Companies like Airbnb and Uber earned the title with new, exciting tech. But regular people couldn’t invest until they IPO’d with $47B and $82B valuations, missing the biggest gains. Now, a new private startup just earned the title, and this time, you can invest.

Meet EnergyX. Their patented tech can recover 3X more lithium than traditional methods. With 2040 lithium demand expected to outstrip current production by 5X, that’s a big edge. 

So is EnergyX’s 100,000-acre Chilean project, with independently verified $1.1B annual revenue potential at forecasted market prices.*

They’re not stopping there either. With ~35,000 gross acres of lithium-rich Southwest Arkansas land too, this story’s just beginning. Join 40,000+ people in backing this unicorn today.

That matters because it changes how you think about the theme. You’re not looking at software adoption. You’re looking at long-term contracts, tenant quality, and physical constraints.

What’s driving demand for data center space

The demand is not a single wave. It’s a stack of overlapping forces.

Cloud computing is still growing, and companies are still moving systems off-premise. Streaming and video demand continues. Businesses are running more analytics. And A.I. adds a new layer, because A.I. workloads are compute-heavy and often require more infrastructure per dollar of “output” than traditional software.

In plain terms: more digital activity means more servers, and more servers means more space, more power, and more cooling.

The real constraint isn’t square footage — it’s power

One of the reasons data centers have become such a strategic category is that not every location can support them.

The limiting factor in many regions isn’t whether you can build a building. It’s whether you can reliably access the power required to run it.

That’s why data center growth is increasingly tied to utility infrastructure, grid upgrades, and local power availability. It also explains why some metro areas become hotspots while others lag, even when demand exists.

Why this shows up in markets differently than people expect

Most investors think of “A.I. exposure” as chips or big tech.

Data centers are a different kind of exposure. They sit closer to infrastructure. They’re often built around long-duration leases and customers who don’t want to move once they’re installed.

That’s why this corner of the market can behave differently than typical tech stocks. It’s not pricing “hype.” It’s pricing the buildout of real capacity.

Quick Hits

Data centers are becoming a major real estate category, driven by cloud and A.I. infrastructure needs. In 2025, they represented nearly one-third of global private real estate investment. Large public REITs like Equinix and Digital Realty are key owners and operators of data center space. Power availability is one of the biggest constraints shaping where growth happens. (Sources: Colliers; Data Center Dynamics)

What This Means for You

If you’re trying to understand how the A.I. boom translates into the real economy, data centers are one of the cleanest bridges.

They’re physical. They’re measurable. And they connect tech demand to real-world inputs like power, construction, land, and long-term leasing.

That doesn’t mean the space is risk-free. It simply means the theme is more grounded than most tech narratives, because it has to be built in the real world.

And for investors, it’s useful to know that a meaningful part of the A.I. buildout is showing up not only in software or chips, but in the real estate and infrastructure that makes computing possible.

Bottom line: Data centers are where digital growth becomes physical. And as of early 2026, that physical layer is becoming one of the most important “quiet” stories in both real estate and public markets.

Until next time,

The Shortlysts Team

Sources: Colliers; Data Center Dynamics

*Disclaimer: Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (“EnergyX”) has engaged Shortlysts to publish this communication in connection with EnergyX’s ongoing Regulation A offering. Shortlysts has been paid in cash and may receive additional compensation. Shortlysts and/or its affiliates do not currently hold securities of EnergyX. This compensation and any current or future ownership interest could create a conflict of interest. Please consider this disclosure alongside EnergyX’s offering materials. EnergyX’s Regulation A offering has been qualified by the SEC. Offers and sales may be made only by means of the qualified offering circular. Before investing, carefully review the offering circular, including the risk factors. The offering circular is available at invest.energyx.com/.