Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: August 3, 2026, 8:31 AM ET

AI Investment and Venture Capital

Menlo Ventures is increasing its investment focus on artificial intelligence, anticipating larger deal sizes as the technology matures. The venture capital firm is looking to deploy its latest capital into promising AI ventures. June, a startup focused on simplifying AI adoption, has secured $20 million in pre-seed funding. Index Ventures also announced a significant $2 billion fundraise specifically for AI investments. Separately, Olix achieved a valuation of $3.3 billion.

Private Equity Dealmaking and Exits

KKR has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in a 1.2-gigawatt portfolio of renewable energy assets across Europe from Total Energies for €1.8 billion. Permira is undertaking a partial exit from its investment in Reformation, a sustainable fashion company, which raised $210.9 million in its initial public offering priced at the lower end of its projected range. Cortec is reportedly initiating a sale process for A1 Garage Door Service, a company into which it invested in 2019 and which has since completed at least 17 add-on acquisitions. Easyjet extended the deadline for Castlelake's bid to acquire the company, aligning the timeframe with Apollo's own deadline on August 7.

New Funds and Investor Strategies

New York State Teachers' Retirement System (NYSTRS) plans to allocate up to $2.7 billion to private equity commitments for the fiscal year 2027. PE Club launched a platform designed to leverage the networks of former private equity executives for its limited partners (LPs). These LPs typically consist of serial entrepreneurs, former chief executive officers, and partners or former partners from major European private equity firms. Kong's new listed alternative investment trusts present potential use cases, investment horizons, fee models, and likely adopters, according to industry participants.

Emerging Trends and Regulatory Landscape

The European Union has begun enforcing its new AI Act rules. The implications of these regulations are significant for the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies across the continent. Meanwhile, questions of how "neolabs" will achieve profitability remain a key focus for the industry. Top commercial firms are considering private equity investment, partly in response to concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. A list of 13 technical founders across Europe to watch has been identified by venture capitalists.