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FinanceBlackRock-backed consortium commits additional $5 billion to Aligned Data Centers after closing acquisition
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A consortium backed by BlackRock and Abu Dhabi-based fund MGX announced on July 21, 2026, that it has committed an additional $5 billion in growth capital to Aligned Data Centers, following the closing of its $40 billion acquisition of the data center operator. The investor group agreed last year to buy Aligned from Australian asset manager Macquarie Asset Management to secure computing capacity for AI. Founded in 2013 and based in Texas, Aligned builds and operates data centers for hyperscalers and cloud computing companies, with 51 campuses and over 6.4 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity globally. CEO Andrew Schaap will continue to lead the company. The group aims to deploy $30 billion of equity capital initially, with potential to reach $100 billion including debt. The acquisition reflects a wave of investment in digital infrastructure for AI tools like ChatGPT.
Source report
Reuters | Tue, July 21, 2026 at 3:41 AM PDT | 1 min read
- BLK-1.69%
July 21 (Reuters) — A consortium backed by BlackRock and Abu Dhabi-based fund MGX announced on Tuesday that it has committed an additional $5 billion in growth capital to Aligned Data Centers, following the closing of its $40 billion acquisition of one of the world's largest data center operators.
The investor group agreed last year to acquire Aligned from Australian asset manager Macquarie Asset Management, as part of a broader push to secure computing capacity for artificial intelligence.
Key Details
- Founded: 2013
- Headquarters: Texas, USA
- Business: Builds and operates data centers for hyperscalers and cloud computing companies
- Global footprint: 51 data center campuses with more than 6.4 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity
Leadership
Andrew Schaap, who has served as chief executive of Aligned Data Centers since 2017, will continue to lead the company.
Investment Strategy
The group aims to deploy $30 billion of equity capital initially, with the potential to reach $100 billion, including debt.
Industry Context
The acquisition adds to a wave of investment in digital infrastructure as companies expand computing capacity for AI tools such as ChatGPT.
Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid
Source
Yahoo FinanceWestern
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BlackRock-backed group commits $5 billion for Aligned Data Centers after completing acquisition