Energy IPOs surge as investors hunt for ways to play AI boom

Energy companies raised $12.6 billion through initial public offerings in the first half of this year, marking the highest level since the dotcom bubble peak in late 1999. This figure surpasses the total of $4.3 billion raised in all of 2025, highlighting the increasing demand for energy needed to power data centers. The surge in fundraising comes as access to the vast energy required for data centers emerges as a key bottleneck in the rapidly growing AI investment landscape.