Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: March 26, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Middle Market & Sectoral Transactions

Private equity dealmaking saw continued activity across specialized sectors, highlighted by Clearlake Capital's plan to acquire power and electric services grid operator Qualus from New Mountain Capital. In aviation logistics, Sun European made an investment into B&H Worldwide, a Heathrow-based firm specializing in aerospace component management, signaling confidence in the defense and maintenance supply chain. Further industrial consolidation occurred as Heartwood Partners-backed Amlon expanded its waste solutions portfolio by acquiring Lion Industrial Resources, while Industrial Opportunity Partners sold retail fixtures provider Royston to LSI for $325 million.

Continuation Funds & Minority Stakes

Continuation fund activity demonstrated a focus on maximizing existing portfolio value, exemplified by TowerBrook's successful close of a continuation fund for the business consulting firm EisnerAmper, a transaction that saw Carlyle AlpInvest take the lead role. Similarly, Cinven brought in GIC as a strategic minority partner in Envu to support future value creation efforts, indicating a preference for long-term capital alignment over a full exit. These large-scale GP-led transactions continue to dominate secondary market interest, contrasting with broader LP sentiment, as some reports suggest that evergreen fund structures face extinction risk while many LPs are slashing Africa budgets due to dwindling risk appetite.

Mega-Deals and Infrastructure

Large-scale take-privates in essential infrastructure and energy sectors moved forward, most prominently with Brookfield and La Caisse agreeing to acquire renewable energy producer Boralex in a $9.7 billion transaction aimed at scaling green growth initiatives. Concurrently, Advent is positioning itself to deploy up to $1 billion into defense technology assets, reflecting an aggressive mandate to capitalize on defense spending trends. This appetite for specialized defense services was also evident in Chimney Rock Equity's purchase of United Electronics Company, driven by "insatiable" demand for maintaining radar systems across aircraft and ground vehicles according to an Accenture report.

Venture Capital Funding & AI Valuations

The venture ecosystem saw high-profile funding rounds concentrated in AI and specialized deeptech, with the AI notetaking startup Granola achieving unicorn status following a $125 million Series C round. In the legal tech space, Harvey secured a $200 million round, pushing its valuation to $11 billion, co-led by GIC and Sequoia. Meanwhile, TPG and Allianz jointly led a substantial $350 million strategic investment into CMT to advance its AI-driven mobility platform. In contrast to these high-value rounds, YC doubled down on Trayd, a construction tech startup building a back-office operating system, providing it with $10 million in Series A funding.

Consumer, Wellness, and Specialist Fund Launches

Activity in the consumer and specialized investment space included Bansk Group's planned acquisition of wellness shots provider So Good So You, where the founders will retain equity and board seats. Further segment specialization emerged as Semcap launched a dedicated beauty and wellness arm in partnership with industry veteran Vasiliki Petrou’s Veralis Group. On the fundraising front, Pictet Alternative Advisors successfully closed its inaugural direct private equity strategy at €403 million ($440 , targeting founder-led businesses. In broader European VC support, the EIF is launching a €15 billion fund of funds intended to back roughly 100 growth-stage venture capital firms.

Governance, Legal Issues, and Personnel Moves

Governance and internal disputes continued to surface, as court proceedings revealed details of an alleged ‘covert plot’ by Balderton and AVP aimed at ousting the founder of the sales intelligence firm Cognism. Personnel changes reflected competitive jockeying in advisory services, with Jefferies appointing senior GP-led talent from Lazard to bolster its secondaries advisory team. Furthermore, the European Investment Fund is backing maverick founder Yann LeCun's handpicked choice to run the new AMI Labs, indicating strategic appointments in emerging technology research.

Space Tech and Specialized Tech Acquisitions

The space economy attracted significant capital, with Arinna raising a $4 million seed round for its ultrathin, high-efficiency solar cells designed for spacecraft, while Swiss spacetech firm Pave Space secured $40 million in seed funding amid geopolitical concerns over space sovereignty. In the digital services sphere, Etna Capital acquired digital engineering firm and software developer Code Road, while due diligence startup Eunice raised $8 million backed by Moonfire Ventures and Speedinvest. Finally, in a major exit, an investor group led by Astorg, Nordic Capital, Novo Holdings, and Cinven divested clinical trial data firm Clario to Thermo Fisher for $8.9 billion.