Private Equity 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: March 17, 2026, 8:30 PM ET
Private Equity Dealmaking & Exits
The persistent difficulty in clearing private equity exits continues to challenge the market, with even assets acquired during less frothy periods struggling to find buyers, indicating deeper structural issues beyond recent market volatility. Dealmakers are actively exploring large-scale divestitures, such as Advent and Cinven exploring a €25 billion exit of TK Elevator amid takeover talks by Kone. On the sales front, Seaport successfully exited tech company Exacom to Motorola Solutions, while Warburg Pincus is weighing options for subprime auto lender Exeter Finance in a potential $3 billion transaction.
Firms are also actively building platforms and acquiring smaller players across various sectors, demonstrating continued activity in niche markets. TPG launched One Aged Care to capitalize on rising demand for elderly healthcare services in Singapore and Malaysia. In the industrial space, Fort Point-backed VisuSewer expanded its wastewater infrastructure services by acquiring United Survey in Wisconsin, while Sagard-backed Norbec bolstered its cold room manufacturing capabilities through the purchase of Canadian Curtis. Furthermore, Audax acquired property management firm Akam, with Nautic Partners selling its stake in the process.
Platform expansion continues in specialized manufacturing and services: LFM integrated manufacturer PowerBuilt into its American Automation Group platform alongside Southern Tooling and Tuttle AAG. Elsewhere, Knox Lane-backed Ruppert Landscape bolstered its commercial landscaping footprint by acquiring Landscapes Unlimited, and New Heritage-backed Icelandirect acquired supplement manufacturer Soma Labs to deepen its contract manufacturing presence. Support for growth also materialized in specialized equipment sectors, where NewMile and Haywood Lane are backing Wilkerson Crane Rental to fund fleet expansion and strategic acquisitions.
Platform Launches & Sector Focus
In the software and B2B services arena, TPG formally launched industrial software firm Velotic, naming Brian Shepherd as CEO and former PTC CEO James Heppelmann as executive chairman to drive its strategy. In Europe, Main-backed Cisbox and Millum merged to create a source-to-pay software provider, immediately expanding their geographic reach across the DACH and Nordic regions. Meanwhile, Oakley Capital invested in French firm Groupe Senef, marking a full exit for Isatis Capital from the business.
Private capital is also targeting energy infrastructure and specialized finance. EIG-backed MidOcean Energy secured a $500 million investment from Japan’s Idemitsu Kosan to fuel the expansion of its liquefied natural gas platform. In finance, HIG Capital is testing the market for industrial services company JT Thorpe, whose business tied to system outages could attract large-cap buyers after achieving a scaled platform.
Investor Strategy & Governance Scrutiny
Institutional investors are re-evaluating their private equity exposure amid governance concerns and shifting mandates. The $74.9 billion Nevada PERS is planning to exit its exposure to Clearlake Capital, citing conflicts of interest stemming from Clearlake’s recent agreement to acquire Pathway Capital Management. This move mirrors broader LP caution, as indicated by the Maine pension fund outlining plans to cut its PE target for the second time in four years, potentially utilizing secondaries sales in specific scenarios.
Meanwhile, regional investment flows are seeing shifts, with Gulf capital previously allocated to Western markets potentially redirecting towards home countries, according to Andrei Rotaru, head of Middle East private equity at PE International. In the venture capital sphere, awards recognized major European transactions, as Accel-KKR won the Large-Cap Europe Deal of the Year Award for its exit of Smart Communications, while Capza FEMM’s Antoine Druais emphasized a flexible approach to investing, aiming to evolve into a multi-specialist rather than a generalist firm.
Venture Capital & Emerging Trends
The ascent of artificial intelligence continues to attract significant funding, though concerns remain about equitable access to capital. AI investor Rana el Kaliouby warned that a technology 'boys’ club' could exacerbate existing wealth gaps for women if they are excluded from funding and leadership roles in the sector. Despite these concerns, investment into promising startups accelerated, with 187 companies joining the Crunchbase Unicorn Board last year. Specific funding rounds saw Upvest secure $125 million backing from Tencent and Sapphire Ventures, while New York-based Candex extended its Series C funding to over $40 million to scale its vendor onboarding and payment solution for global enterprises. European fintech firms are also grappling with issues of digital sovereignty, complicating cross-border technology expansion.