MDC Data Centers gets minority investment from Columbia Capital

MDC Data Centers said Tuesday it secured a minority investment from Columbia Capital to support expansion on the U.S.-Mexico border and deeper into Mexico. The deal adds two board directors while founder Juan Salazar remains majority owner and CEO.

Why it matters: - The investment gives MDC Data Centers fresh capital to expand a neutral interconnection platform that serves networks moving traffic between the United States and Mexico. - MDC plans to add capacity at its border data centers and push ahead with new hubs in Mexico, including subsea cable landing sites. - The transaction keeps founder Juan Salazar in control, signaling continuity in strategy and operations while the company scales.

What happened: - MDC Data Centers announced a minority investment from Columbia Capital on September 2, 2026. - Columbia Capital is backing MDC’s next stage of growth across the U.S. border market and inside Mexico. - MDC said Juan Salazar remains majority shareholder and chief executive officer. - Two new directors are joining MDC’s board: Patrick Hendy of Columbia Capital and Bill Cook, founder and former CEO of Summit IG and current chairman of BIG Fiber, Xenith IG and CENTRA Digital. - MDC said its management team and operating model will remain unchanged.

The details: - The investment will help finance added capacity at MDC’s data centers on the U.S. border. - MDC is also moving forward with its previously announced interconnection hub in Querétaro. - The company is developing cable landing hubs in Cancún and Veracruz. - MDC has been selected as the neutral landing partner for the MANTA submarine cable system. - MDC said it operates as Actively Neutral™, meaning it serves as an impartial connection point for networks entering and leaving Mexico. - In its company overview, MDC said it operates eight data centers and nine border crossings in McAllen, Laredo, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Nogales and San Diego. - MDC said it connects more than 60 networks. - MDC also said projects in development include an interconnection hub in Brownsville, Texas, plus additional hubs in Querétaro, Cancún and Veracruz.

Between the lines: - Columbia Capital is betting on infrastructure that sits at the physical junction of U.S. and Mexican digital traffic, where neutrality can be a competitive advantage. - MDC is emphasizing that outside capital will accelerate growth without changing the company’s role as a neutral partner for carriers and networks. - The board additions suggest Columbia Capital wants direct governance involvement as MDC expands. - Salazar’s continued control reduces the chance of a strategic reset and keeps the company’s existing operating identity intact.

What's next: - MDC is expected to use the investment to expand border capacity and advance its Mexico buildout. - The company’s next milestones include progress on Querétaro, Cancún and Veracruz, along with continued work on the Brownsville hub. - MDC will also be part of the landing infrastructure for the MANTA submarine cable system. - Columbia Capital and MDC will now work through a growth phase that could deepen the company’s role in cross-border interconnection.

The bottom line: - MDC is getting growth capital without giving up control, and the bet is on neutral infrastructure at the center of U.S.-Mexico digital traffic.