Highlights:

  • Aligned operates several colocation data centers that lease capacity to customers and also constructs data center facilities for hyperscale and enterprise companies.
  • Aligned plans to use the funds to build over 5 gigawatts of AI computing capacity across North and Latin America to meet rising customer demand.

Recently, a data center operator, Aligned Data Centers LLC, has secured an impressive USD 12 billion in funding to expedite the expansion of its AI-focused infrastructure.

The funding was sourced from two avenues: USD five billion in primary equity from funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and USD seven billion in new debt commitments.

Plano, Texas-based Aligned stated that the funds will be used to develop over five gigawatts of future AI computing capacity across North and Latin America to address the surging demand from its customers.

CEO of Aligned, Andrew Schaap highlighted that the company is uniquely equipped to address the rising demand for AI computing capacity, leveraging over a decade of expertise in deploying advanced cooling solutions essential for the GPUs driving most AI workloads.

He said, “This investment will fuel our continued growth, enabling us to deliver cutting-edge solutions that meet the evolving demands of our customers today and in the future.”

Aligned manages a network of colocation data centers that provide capacity for customers and also constructs facilities for hyperscale and enterprise clients. Its current operations span Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Northern Virginia, with new sites under development in Illinois, Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia.

Aligned also has a significant presence in Latin America, following its acquisition of OData in May 2023, which operates facilities in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Additionally, it holds an investment in Canadian data center operator QScale SEC, providing it with a foothold in Canada.

The explosive growth of AI in recent years, fueled by the rise of large language models and chatbots like ChatGPT, has created a surging demand for high-capacity data centers capable of clustering thousands of GPUs to handle such workloads. This demand has significantly driven Aligned’s rapid business expansion.

Major tech companies like Microsoft Corp. and Google LLC are investing billions to expand their AI computing capabilities. Last week, Microsoft announced plans to allocate up to USD 80 billion to its data center construction program in fiscal 2025 to sustain its leadership in AI innovation. This follows a September announcement of its collaboration with BlackRock Inc. to establish a USD 100 billion fund aimed at supporting the development of new data centers and energy projects.

Energy is as critical as the data centers themselves, which is why companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon.com Inc. have recently shown interest in nuclear power sources. Numerous specialized firms are also active in this space. For example, Crusoe Energy Systems LLC, dedicated to delivering clean energy for data centers, secured USD 600 million in funding last month.