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April 3, 2025 – Vantage Data Centers CEO Sureel Choksi has announced a personal strategic investment in duPont REGISTRY, the premier online marketplace for luxury and exotic cars. The deal underscores a growing pattern of tech infrastructure leaders placing bets outside their core industry, valuing duPont REGISTRY’s digital-first approach to high-end automotive transactions.
Founded in 1985, duPont REGISTRY has evolved from a printed magazine into a digital marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of rare Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and other collectible vehicles. The platform processes thousands of transactions annually, with an average listing price exceeding $300,000. Choksi’s involvement brings not only capital but also operational expertise from scaling data center operations across North America and Europe.
“duPont REGISTRY sits at the intersection of luxury and technology,” Choksi said in a statement. “Their platform is already a trusted name in the collector car community, and I see a strong opportunity to accelerate its digital transformation using infrastructure-level reliability and data-driven insights.”
The investment comes at a time when Vantage Data Centers is pushing into new markets, including a $1.5 billion campus in Osaka, Japan, and a $2 billion expansion in Northern Virginia. Choksi’s personal stake in duPont REGISTRY is separate from Vantage’s corporate strategy, but industry observers note a synergy: both businesses rely on secure, high-availability digital platforms to serve wealthy clients.
Exclusive insight from industry analyst: “CEO diversification into luxury assets isn’t new, but Choksi’s move is strategic. duPont REGISTRY is a low-volatility, high-margin business that can benefit from the same uptime mentality that drives data centers. It’s a hedge against commodity cycles in cloud and colocation,” said Mark Chen, senior analyst at Data Center Advisory Group.
The deal also aligns with broader trends in the collectible car market. The Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index shows classic cars returned 8% annually over the past decade, outperforming many traditional asset classes. duPont REGISTRY has been expanding its services, including auction facilitation, escrow, and shipping logistics—areas where Choksi’s operational discipline could add value.
duPont REGISTRY CEO Tom DuPont welcomed the partnership: “Sureel brings a rare combination of capital markets knowledge and real-world infrastructure management. We’re collaborating on enhancing our platform’s backend systems to handle higher transaction volumes with zero downtime.”
Financial terms were not disclosed, but sources close to the deal estimate the investment at $10–15 million for a minority stake. Choksi will join duPont REGISTRY’s board of advisors.
The announcement comes amid a wave of tech executives putting money into alternative assets. From OpenAI’s Sam Altman investing in uranium startups to Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg buying Hawaiian land, the trend reflects a search for inflation-resistant stores of value. Choksi’s bet on duPont REGISTRY adds a luxury automotive venture to the mix.
What’s next: duPont REGISTRY is reportedly developing a tokenized ownership platform for fractional shares of high-end cars, aiming to lower the barrier for entry-level collectors. Choksi’s data center expertise could help secure the blockchain infrastructure for such a project.
For Vantage Data Centers, the move does not signal a pivot. The company continues to build hyperscale facilities for cloud providers and AI workloads. But Choksi’s individual investment demonstrates how leaders in the data center industry are increasingly leveraging their personal wealth to tap into luxury markets that require high-trust, digital-first experiences.
Industry reaction: The news has been met with cautious optimism. “duPont REGISTRY is a well-established brand, but it operates in a niche market. Tech expertise could help it scale without losing the exclusivity that defines its value,” said automotive analyst Sarah Lin of CarCollector Insights.
Vantage Data Centers, founded in 2010, currently operates 20+ data centers globally and has raised over $4 billion in debt and equity. Choksi remains focused on the company’s growth, but this side investment adds a new dimension to his portfolio.
As the lines between physical assets and digital infrastructure blur, Choksi’s backing of duPont REGISTRY could become a case study in how tech executives bridge two worlds. The platform’s next milestones—including a potential mobile app overhaul and a partnership with a leading auction house—are expected to benefit from his guidance.
The deal is expected to close in Q2 2025, pending regulatory approvals. duPont REGISTRY will continue to operate independently, with Choksi providing strategic input on technology and cybersecurity.
