Sphere 3D Adds Tennessee Lobbying, IR Firms to Advance AI Infrastructure Strategy

Sphere 3D said Friday it has hired three specialized advisory firms to bolster investor relations and government affairs as the company advances plans to repurpose its Tennessee power infrastructure for artificial intelligence and high-performance computing workloads.

The digital infrastructure company appointed Orange Group Advisors as its investor relations partner, while Laine Communications and White Oak Strategies will support state and regional government affairs in Tennessee, where Sphere 3D controls approximately 53 megawatts of power-ready infrastructure within the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) service territory.

The appointments come as the company seeks to position those power assets for AI and HPC deployments, a strategy that mirrors a broader industry shift by former bitcoin mining companies toward AI data center infrastructure as demand for power-intensive computing continues to grow.

Laine Communications is led by Chuck Laine, who has more than three decades of experience in Tennessee government affairs and economic development. White Oak Strategies was founded by Michael Sullivan, former executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party and former state director for U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty.

Chief Executive Officer Joel Block said the appointments add expertise in areas that are critical as the company pursues AI infrastructure opportunities, highlighting the importance of communicating its strategy to investors while strengthening relationships with state and local stakeholders responsible for energy access and infrastructure development.

The announcement follows Sphere 3D's proposal last month to rename itself DarkHorse Technologies Inc. and adopt the Nasdaq ticker symbol "DRK," subject to shareholder approval at a special meeting scheduled for Aug. 24. The company said the rebranding reflects its focus on developing distribution-connected power assets for AI and HPC infrastructure following its June business combination.

Sphere 3D has repositioned itself from a bitcoin mining operator into a digital infrastructure company focused on AI, HPC and digital asset infrastructure. Like a growing number of former bitcoin miners, the company is seeking to capitalize on rising demand for AI data centers by leveraging existing power capacity, particularly in regions where securing new grid connections has become increasingly difficult.