Last updated: September 29, 2026, 10:02 PM ET
Major Raises & Valuations
a16z-backed Elise AI raised $350M, doubling its valuation to $4B in roughly a year. Oura paused its IPO plans as Anthropic's prospectus highlighted the rising cost of frontier AI ambitions. Tiny Health closed a $33M Series B to expand its gut-microbiome testing platform.
Infrastructure, Energy & Industrials
Kohlberg-backed CLEAResult acquired California energy-code platform CHEERS, strengthening its utility-compliance footprint. Bain Capital's Matt Evans detailed the partial exit of MRO Holdings to AAR, valuing the deal at 10.7x forecast full-year 2024 EBITDA. Greenbriar struck a deal for AEA Investors' RF-components maker Spectrum Control. Mutares agreed to buy Steinmüller Engineering from Japan's IHI.
Healthcare, Medtech & Life Sciences
Webster Equity Partners completed a $664M take-private of Lifecore Biomedical, a CDMO specializing in contact-lens materials. Biospring Partners led a growth investment in spray-drying CDMO Serán Bioscience. Lee Equity-backed Carisk Partners added onsite occupational-health provider First Care Onsite. Goldman and Charlesbank-backed MyEye Dr agreed to acquire Partners Group's Eye Care Partners optometry unit, which operates more than 300 offices. Riverside backed French medtech CDMO Medical Group in the Selenium Medical tie-up.
Financial Services & Fintech
Parthenon Capital sealed the $200M sale of eSec Lending to fintech Capitolis. HIG Capital completed the acquisition of UK fulfillment specialist Torque. Luminate Capital Partners made a growth investment in pipe-inspection software firm ITpipes. Incline Equity Partners invested in industrial distributor The Conrad Company. Audax Private Equity agreed to a $1.4B sale of GCG to Rexel.
Funds, Leadership & Secondaries
KKR took a majority stake in Cisternina Logistics to build a pan-India liquid-storage platform. Inflexion took a minority stake in French nail-care brand Manucurist. Ara Partners hired former ACON Investments CFO Masumi Waida as finance chief. Hamilton Lane co-chairman Mario Giannini announced his retirement in 2027. Protego Ventures closed its debut $125M fund for Israeli defense tech.
Market Themes & AI
Sagard's Bernard Sabrier argued that private equity's era of "financial artists" is over, citing a $3tn exit backlog and AI-driven differentiation. The secondaries market is shifting as employee liquidity becomes fundamental to private businesses. Nordic fintech is searching for its next act as Flat Pay soars. UK AI founders called on the UK to limit non-competes. Marissa Mayer bet that your camera roll holds more life data than your inbox.
Operations & Geography
Manna boss Bobby Healy cited Oklahoma's business-friendly stance in the firm's relocation. CNPADC issued a request for proposal for investment consultants. Sun Capital completed the CV for Anderson Global, with insights from co-CEO Marc Leder on deal drivers. The Exit Playbook launched its fifth season on right-timing exits. Ardian opened its $45B infrastructure strategy to private investors via an evergreen ELTIF.