DDN Secures $300 Million Investment from Blackstone at $5 Billion Valuation
Deal News | Jan 09, 2025 | Blackstone
DDN, a leader in AI and data intelligence, has received a $300 million investment from Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, valuing the company at $5 billion. The investment will support DDN's growth in serving the rapidly expanding AI and high-performance computing markets. Over its two-decade existence, DDN has developed high-performance data intelligence platforms that facilitate AI and HPC workloads, utilized by major finance, life sciences, public sector, and AI hyperscalers like NVIDIA. Blackstone's investment aims to accelerate DDN's capabilities in delivering scalable AI solutions with enhanced performance and reliability. The deal underscores Blackstone's commitment to digital infrastructure and AI innovation, as it continues to hold substantial interests in related assets globally. BofA Securities acted as the financial advisor for the transaction.
Sectors
- Artificial Intelligence
- High-Performance Computing
- Private Equity
Geography
- United States – Blackstone and DDN, the main entities involved, are based in the US, which is also a hub for AI and HPC development.
- Global – DDN serves a global customer base, and Blackstone holds international investments relevant to AI.
Industry
- Artificial Intelligence – The article discusses DDN as a leader in AI solutions and highlights Blackstone's investment to boost AI development and deployment.
- High-Performance Computing – DDN provides infrastructure and software for high-performance computing, serving industries with intensive computational needs.
- Private Equity – Blackstone's $300 million investment in DDN is indicative of private equity activity in tech and AI sectors.
Financials
- $300 million – The investment amount Blackstone is putting into DDN.
- $5 billion – The valuation of DDN following Blackstone's investment.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDN | Target | Company | A leader in AI and data intelligence, focusing on high-performance computing solutions. |
| Blackstone | Investor | Company | The world's largest alternative asset manager with a focus on private equity and digital infrastructure. |
| BofA Securities | Financial Advisor | Company | Provided exclusive financial advisory services to DDN for the transaction. |
| Alex Bouzari | CEO and Co-Founder | Person | CEO and Co-Founder of DDN, leading the company into its next growth phase. |
| Paul Bloch | President and Co-Founder | Person | President and Co-Founder of DDN, contributing to strategic decisions. |
| Jas Khaira | Head of Blackstone Tactical Opportunities, Americas | Person | Oversees investments in digital infrastructure and AI themes at Blackstone. |
| John Watson | Managing Director at Blackstone | Person | Involved in strategic partnership efforts with DDN at Blackstone. |