Volato (NYSE American: SOAR) Completes Alignment Engine Merger, Entering AI Data Center Market Projected at $810.6 Billion by 2033
ATLANTA--( BUSINESS WIRE)--Volato Group, Inc. (NYSE American: SOAR) (“Volato” or the “Company”) today announced the completion of its previously announced merger with Alignment Engine Inc. (“Alignment Engine”), expanding Volato’s business into artificial intelligence infrastructure while continuing to operate and grow its existing aviation software and AI business lines.
With the merger complete, Volato enters the AI infrastructure market with its initial Ohio data center site under lease, power, water and water treatment infrastructure already operational at the site, and active development efforts underway. The Company is advancing the engineering, infrastructure, procurement and commercial work required to support its planned AI compute deployments.
The combination gives Volato an AI infrastructure platform designed to support high-density GPU compute, AI training and inference, high-performance networking and storage, and other compute-intensive workloads.
According to Grand View Research, the global AI data center market was valued at $147.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $810.6 billion by 2033, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of 23.9%.
“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for Volato,” said Chris Ensey, who was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Volato Group, Inc. in connection with the closing of the merger. “Our Ohio site is under lease, our teams are actively at work advancing the infrastructure, and with the merger now complete, our focus is execution. We are moving forward with the engineering, financing, procurement and customer work necessary to bring our planned AI compute deployments online. We believe the next generation of AI infrastructure has to be built with efficiency at its core, maximizing useful compute through efficient hardware, advanced cooling, intelligent resource utilization and thoughtful system design.”
Ohio AI Infrastructure Development Underway
Because power, water and water treatment are already operating at the site, Volato starts its build at the equipment stage rather than the utility stage. Near-term work is concentrated on the procurement, financing and commercial steps required to energize compute.
Current work includes engineering and infrastructure planning, equipment and technology procurement, utility coordination, and the development of customer deployments. The Company intends to bring capacity online in phases, aligning infrastructure deployment with customer requirements, equipment availability and the needs of the broader development.
Efficiency is a central component of that strategy. Alignment Engine intends to prioritize compute platforms and infrastructure capable of delivering greater computational output per unit of energy consumed, while utilizing advanced cooling technologies and operating practices designed to limit water requirements and improve overall facility efficiency.
Commercial Strategy
The Company intends to market compute capacity directly to enterprise and other AI customers, coordinating phased development with utilities, local stakeholders and technology partners.
Infrastructure Plus Proprietary Technology
Alignment Engine’s strategy extends beyond data center development. The Company is building a technology platform that combines physical compute infrastructure with advanced networking, storage, orchestration and proprietary technologies designed to improve the utilization and coordination of AI computing resources.
Alignment Engine’s NeuralSync technology is designed to improve how accelerator resources are identified, coordinated and utilized across distributed AI infrastructure.
The combination of physical infrastructure and proprietary technology is intended to differentiate Volato’s AI infrastructure platform as AI computing environments become larger, more distributed and increasingly interconnected.
Near-Term Execution Priorities
Following completion of the merger, Volato is focused on:
Transaction Details and Stockholder Approval
Under the terms of the merger agreement, former Alignment Engine securityholders received non-voting convertible preferred stock and replacement options and warrants that, upon conversion or exercise following receipt of the required stockholder and NYSE American listing approvals, are intended to collectively represent approximately 95% of the fully diluted equity of Volato immediately prior to the merger, with legacy Volato securityholders representing approximately 5%.
The non-voting convertible preferred stock issued as merger consideration does not have conversion rights prior to receipt of the required stockholder approval and listing approval by the NYSE American. Accordingly, the merger closing itself did not result in the issuance of any underlying Volato common shares to former Alignment Engine stockholders and did not result in a change of control of the company.
Volato intends to seek the required stockholder approvals at a future stockholder meeting. Additional information regarding the proposals, the merger consideration and the rights of the non-voting convertible preferred stock is, and will be, included in Volato’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Volato’s common stock will continue to trade on the NYSE American under the ticker symbol “SOAR”.
About Alignment Engine
Alignment Engine is an AI infrastructure company developing high-performance computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence, machine learning and HPC workloads. The company combines data center infrastructure, advanced compute, high-performance networking and proprietary technology designed to support efficient, large-scale AI workloads. Headquartered in Ohio, Alignment Engine is developing next-generation AI compute infrastructure with an emphasis on compute efficiency, responsible resource utilization and advanced technologies designed to improve the coordination and utilization of accelerator resources.
For more information, visit alignmentengine.com and aligned.co.
About Volato Group, Inc.
Volato Group, Inc. (NYSE American: SOAR) is a technology company developing AI computing infrastructure and operating aviation software and marketplace businesses. Through its Alignment Engine subsidiary, the Company is developing AI infrastructure at its initial Ohio data center site, which is under lease with power, water and water treatment infrastructure already operational at the site, supporting high-density GPU compute, AI training and inference, high-performance networking and storage. Volato also develops AI-powered tools designed to reduce manual work, improve responsiveness and help aviation operators scale more efficiently, built on Parslee, an autonomous-work platform that combines business context, shared memory and human-in-the-loop controls. Through its Vaunt marketplace, Volato operates a technology-enabled private aviation membership platform.
Industry and Market Data
This press release includes market data and forecasts obtained from third-party industry sources. While the Company believes these sources to be reliable, it has not independently verified the underlying data and makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness. Market size and growth projections are subject to significant uncertainty and may not be realized.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the anticipated benefits of the completed merger; the combined company’s business strategy and development of AI infrastructure; planned GPU, data center and high-performance computing infrastructure deployments; anticipated power, cooling and water efficiency; the size, growth and future development of the market for AI data center infrastructure; commercial discussions and future customer agreements; proposed financing activities; the anticipated conversion of the merger consideration; future stockholder and NYSE American approvals; and the combined company’s ability to execute its growth strategy.
Forward-looking statements can often be identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “projects,” “targets,” “would,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “may,” “potential,” “opportunity” and the negative of these terms or other similar expressions, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking.
Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections and are not guarantees of future performance or events. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with integrating Alignment Engine’s business; obtaining additional financing; procuring GPUs and other equipment; developing and operating AI infrastructure; obtaining sufficient power and other infrastructure; satisfying existing or future customer commitments; converting customer discussions into definitive agreements; obtaining required stockholder and NYSE American approvals; maintaining compliance with NYSE American listing standards; the risk that third-party market size and growth projections prove inaccurate or that the Company does not benefit from any growth in the market; volatility in the Company’s common stock; and the other risks described in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Volato undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.
Additional Information and Where to Find It
This communication relates to a transaction involving Volato and Alignment Engine. Volato has filed, and intends to file, certain materials with the SEC relating to the stockholder approvals required in connection with the conversion of the convertible preferred stock issued as merger consideration, as well as other proposals related to the potential change of control of the Company. This communication is not a substitute for any other document that Volato has filed or will file with the SEC. This communication does not contain all of the information concerning the transactions and is not intended to form the basis for any investment decision or any other decision in respect of such matters. Stockholders are urged to read all materials filed with the SEC when they become available because they will contain important information. Copies of all relevant materials filed, or that will be filed, with the SEC may be obtained free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or by directing a request to Volato at 1954 Airport Road, Suite 124, Chamblee, GA 30341, or by telephone at (844) 399-8998.