A consortium composed of the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), MGX, and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) announced that it will acquire 100% of the equity in Aligned Data Centers from funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and its co-invest partners. The transaction, which implies an enterprise value of approximately $40 billion, marks one of the largest deals in the digital infrastructure sector and underscores the accelerating global investment in AI and cloud data infrastructure.
Founded less than a decade ago, Aligned Data Centers has grown into one of the largest and fastest-expanding data center operators worldwide. The company designs, builds, and operates high-efficiency digital campuses supporting the world’s leading hyperscalers, cloud providers, and enterprise clients.
Aligned’s portfolio now includes 50 campuses with more than 5 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity across major digital gateway regions in the U.S. and Latin America, including Northern Virginia, Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, São Paulo, Querétaro, and Santiago.
The acquisition positions Aligned as a central pillar in AIP’s mission to expand next-generation AI infrastructure globally. AIP was established in 2024 by BlackRock, GIP, MGX, Microsoft, and NVIDIA, with backing from the Kuwait Investment Authority and Temasek. The partnership aims to mobilize $30 billion in equity capital, with the potential to reach $100 billion, including debt financing. The Aligned transaction marks AIP’s first major investment, providing a platform for scaling sustainable, AI-ready digital infrastructure to meet surging global demand.
Aligned will continue to be led by CEO Andrew Schaap and its existing management team, operating from its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.
The company’s patented and patent-pending cooling technologies—including hybrid air, liquid, and modular systems—enable ultra-efficient, high-density computing environments suitable for AI and high-performance workloads. These innovations, combined with Aligned’s vertically integrated supply chain and rapid deployment model, have positioned the firm as a leader in sustainability, speed, and reliability for hyperscale customers.
The investment will fund further expansion of Aligned’s global footprint, advance its sustainability initiatives, and strengthen its ability to serve the exponential rise in AI and cloud computing workloads.
The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Once finalized, it will represent a defining moment in the evolution of global digital infrastructure, aligning capital and innovation to meet the computing demands of the AI era.
KEY QUOTES:
“AIP is positioned to meet the growing demand for the infrastructure required as AI continues to reshape the global economy. This partnership is bringing together leading companies and mobilizing private capital to accelerate AI innovation and drive global economic growth and productivity. With this investment in Aligned Data Centers, we further our goal of delivering the infrastructure necessary to power the future of AI, while offering our clients attractive opportunities to participate in its growth.”
Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock and Chairman of AIP
“We are entering a new era in which AI will fundamentally reengineer our economies and enable accelerated growth. Compute infrastructure at scale will be foundational to that progress. Our investment in Aligned Data Centers will direct scalable capital to an operator built for efficiency and growth, with the mission to deliver the infrastructure needed to support global AI adoption.”
Ahmed Yahia Al Idrissi, Managing Director and CEO of MGX and Vice Chairman of AIP
“AI is reshaping every sector of the global economy. By combining Aligned’s scalable, adaptable platform with AIP’s capital and capabilities, we will build the infrastructure to support innovation at scale—creating resilient, sustainable communities and unlocking transformative growth worldwide.”
Bayo Ogunlesi, Chairman and CEO of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)
“Partnering with the Consortium will accelerate our mission to deliver the infrastructure powering tomorrow’s digital economy. With AIP, MGX, and GIP’s global reach, extensive resources, and deep expertise across AI, energy, and finance, we are poised to scale faster, innovate further, and redefine what’s possible in sustainable data center infrastructure.”
Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned Data Centers
