AIP, MGX, and BlackRock’s GIP Finalize $40 Billion Acquisition of Aligned Data Centers

A consortium comprising AIP, MGX, and BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) has completed a landmark $40 billion acquisition of Aligned Data Centers, marking one of the largest private investments in digital infrastructure to date. The transaction was finalized through the purchase of shares held by private infrastructure funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and its co-investment partners.

Aligned Data Centers, which operates 51 campuses worldwide, boasts a combined operational and planned capacity exceeding 6.4 gigawatts. Its facilities are strategically concentrated in Tier I digital gateway regions, including Northern Virginia, Chicago, Dallas, Ohio, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City in the United States, as well as São Paulo, Querétaro, and Santiago in Latin America. The company is recognized for its patented cooling technologies, which are designed to significantly reduce water usage and enhance energy efficiency across its sites.

Under the terms of the deal, Aligned’s chief executive Andrew Schaap and the existing management team will continue to lead the company, which remains headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The acquisition represents the first investment by the AIP partnership since its formation, aimed at mobilizing long-term capital for next-generation AI infrastructure. It is a significant step toward AIP’s initial target of deploying $30 billion in equity capital, with the capacity to support up to $100 billion in total investment, including debt. The consortium has also committed an additional $5 billion in growth capital to fund Aligned’s continued expansion.

With the new ownership structure in place, Aligned stated it would continue expanding its global footprint, investing in local workforce development and grid resilience, and developing what it described as sustainable, next-generation digital infrastructure to meet the surging demand for high-density AI workloads. GIP, which manages over $200 billion in assets across energy, transport, digital infrastructure, and water and waste management sectors, brings substantial expertise to the venture.

This deal underscores the accelerating pace of capital consolidation in the digital infrastructure sector, as major investors race to secure capacity for AI-driven computing needs. The injection of growth capital is expected to accelerate Aligned’s development pipeline, positioning it as a key player in the AI infrastructure supercycle.