BlackRock, Nvidia, Microsoft Lead $40 Billion Acquisition of Aligned Data Centers

A consortium led by BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), including tech giants Nvidia and Microsoft, has announced the acquisition of Aligned Data Centers for approximately $40 billion. This landmark deal, disclosed on October 15, 2025, marks one of the largest transactions in the data center industry to date.

The investor group comprises BlackRock's GIP, Nvidia, Microsoft, Abu Dhabi's MGX, Elon Musk's xAI, the Kuwait Investment Authority, and Singapore's Temasek. The acquisition is valued at approximately $40 billion, marking one of the largest deals in the data center industry to date. Aligned Data Centers will continue to operate under its current CEO, Andrew Schaap, and maintain its headquarters in Dallas.

Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, Aligned Data Centers operates over 50 data center campuses with a combined capacity exceeding 5 gigawatts across the U.S. and Latin America. The company specializes in scalable and sustainable data center solutions, catering to the growing demands of cloud computing and AI applications.

This acquisition represents the first major investment by the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), established to bolster AI infrastructure. Formed in September 2024, the AIP aims to invest in AI infrastructure, including data centers and enabling technologies. The partnership initially sought to unlock $30 billion in capital from investors, with the potential to mobilize up to $100 billion, including debt financing.

Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, stated, "With this investment in Aligned Data Centers, we further our goal of delivering the infrastructure necessary to power the future of AI." Jensen Huang, Founder and CEO of Nvidia, commented, "The global buildout of AI infrastructure will benefit every company and country that wants to achieve economic growth and unlock solutions to the world’s greatest challenges." Satya Nadella, Chairman and CEO of Microsoft, added, "AI infrastructure will play an increasingly critical role in driving economic growth across every industry and every region of the world."

The acquisition underscores the escalating demand for AI-ready data centers, driven by the rapid adoption of AI technologies across various sectors. Major tech companies, including Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI, are projected to spend approximately $400 billion on AI infrastructure in 2025. Aligned Data Centers has been a significant beneficiary of this trend, raising $12 billion in equity and debt earlier in 2025, reflecting investor confidence in the company's capacity to meet the surging demand for AI infrastructure.

The acquisition of Aligned Data Centers by the BlackRock-led consortium marks a significant milestone in the AI infrastructure landscape. It reflects the growing recognition of the critical role that robust and scalable data centers play in enabling the continued advancement and integration of AI technologies across industries.