Compute Exchange aims to disrupt AI compute access with auction-based platform
“It’s capacity-constrained and it’s expensive to the point where it’s quite difficult for folks that are not in the highest echelons to get easy access to compute,” Bochev said.
Democratizing access to compute
Compute Exchange aims to be a neutral, self-regulated exchange with an auction-based system where prices are driven by market demand. Buyers pay only for what they need, and can resell unused capacity.
“Compute Exchange is certainly unique,” said Kimball, pointing out that its competitors are either traditional cloud service providers (CSPs) such as AWS or Microsoft Azure, or specialized CSPs like CoreWeave and Lambda Labs.
Ilya Matveev, US territory Manager at Gcore, a provider on the platform, added that the exchange gives buyers “more flexibility, transparency, and cost efficiency, ensuring they get the best deal based on real-time market conditions. By eliminating fixed pricing constraints, buyers can scale their compute needs dynamically.”
The compute economy of the future
Founded in 2024, Compute Exchange has held two private auctions so far, working with a dozen providers including Gcore, Nebius and Voltage Park.
The platform is straightforward to use. After creating an account, buyers specify their configuration needs. The criteria could be general (the lowest price on an A100) or specific (‘I want an A100 in a particular region of the United States with a certain amount of memory and storage that meets certain SLAs’). The bid is listed on Computer Exchange as a legally-binding ask, and users know immediately if they’re being matched to providers.
