Ara Partners acquires major stake in Centric Fiber FTTH platforms

Ara Partners has acquired a majority controlling stake in Centric Fiber, the Houston-headquartered fiber-to-the-home platform that builds high-speed networks for large single-family master-planned communities across the southern United States. The deal reunites the private equity investor and Centric's leadership after an earlier collaboration from 2018 to 2021 and comes with fresh capital to execute a substantial backlog of contracted projects.

The investment positions Centric Fiber to accelerate construction across key growth states — Texas, Florida and Arizona — where demand for FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) from developers and homebuilders has remained strong. Ara says the capital will fund contracted pipelines and select greenfield opportunities as Centric scales its build-and-operate model for residential communities.

From an environmental and operational perspective Ara highlights fiber's efficiency advantages. Industry analyses indicate fiber networks can be up to 90% more energy efficient than older cable and coaxial systems, making FTTH an attractive infrastructure play for investors focused on lower-carbon digital networks. For Ara, which targets industrial decarbonization, Centric fits a strategy of backing essential assets that also reduce energy intensity per bit carried.

George Yong, Partner and Co-Head of Ara Infrastructure, said the firm sees long-term structural demand for future-proof, low-energy broadband rails that developers can integrate early in community builds. Robert Barnwell, Chief Executive Officer of Centric Fiber, described the partnership as a way to deepen project delivery while preserving the team’s operational focus on builder relationships and customer experience.

The transaction underlines a wider funding and policy backdrop that is reshaping US broadband investment. Federal programs such as the BEAD allocation — which directs tens of billions of dollars toward closing the digital divide — have increased activity and private capital interest in last-mile fiber projects. Combined public funding and private platforms like Centric aim to accelerate gigabit-capable networks to underserved and new-build communities.

Founded in 2017 and active from offices in Houston, Boston, Washington, D.C. and Dublin, Ara Partners manages infrastructure and private equity strategies focused on decarbonization. The firm reported approximately $6.6 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2025. Ara was represented in the transaction by advisors including Kirkland & Ellis LLP and RBC Capital Markets; Centric engaged Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP and Guggenheim Securities.