Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: March 26, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Dealmaking & Exits

Private equity firms continued portfolio adjustments through strategic exits and new platform acquisitions, demonstrating sector-specific deployment strategies despite broader market pressures. Audax and Greenbriar executed a successful divestiture, selling their joint portfolio company, airport services firm AGI, to Lone Star Funds, marking the conclusion of their co-investment initiated in June 2021. Concurrently, TowerBrook Capital Partners finalized a continuation fund transaction for the business consulting firm Eisner Amper, with Carlyle Alp Invest leading the process alongside Hamilton Lane, allowing existing management to roll over capital. In a separate move, Cinven agreed to sell a strategic minority stake in its portfolio company Envu to GIC, aiming to deploy further value creation strategies within the entity.

Sector-Specific Acquisitions

Activity was concentrated across infrastructure, specialized services, and logistics, reflecting long-term capital deployment themes. In the power sector, Clearlake Capital Group announced plans to acquire Qualus, a provider of power and electric services grid solutions, from seller New Mountain Capital. The logistics space saw action as Sun European Partners invested in B&H Worldwide, a Heathrow-based firm specializing in logistics for aerospace components, echoing broader M&A interest in the sector. Meanwhile, Sovereign Capital Partners deployed capital via an add-on acquisition by its portfolio company Affinia, building upon its initial investment in the firm’s predecessor, LB Group, back in May 2023.

Strategic Deployment & Capital Raising

Firms are actively raising capital and deploying large commitments into high-growth or strategic areas, including defense and wealth management. Advent International is reportedly preparing a substantial commitment of up to $1 billion earmarked for defense technology investments, signaling a focus on high-tech defense capabilities. In wealth management, Bain Capital secured a significant A$430 million loan, approximately $300 million, to finance its purchase of Perpetual’s Australian wealth management arm. Furthermore, Blackstone committed $250 million toward a UAE-based payments platform as part of a broader $1 billion investment strategy in the region.

Platform Building & Add-On Strategy

Platform companies backed by private equity continued an aggressive add-on strategy to consolidate market share in fragmented service industries. The workforce services platform Allvia, which is backed by Trinity Hunt Partners, announced the acquisition of HR Pals, a US-based provider of workforce services. In the aerospace maintenance sector, Chimney Rock Capital purchased UEC, driven by what reports cite as "insatiable" demand for maintaining radar systems. Meanwhile, Sun European also acquired a logistics business based near Heathrow, indicating a dual focus on aerospace support services.

International & Middle East Investment Flows

Middle East investment capital is actively flowing into European assets, even as regional conflict is cited as a headwind in specific sectors like beauty retail. Alterra's backing of General Atlantic's investment in Wireless Logic serves as a continued deployment example for Middle Eastern capital into European technology infrastructure. Conversely, industry commentary suggests that PE dealmaking in the beauty sector is currently facing pressure due to the Middle East conflict. In a related move to foster market growth, Semcap launched a dedicated beauty and wellness arm in partnership with industry veteran Vasiliki Petrou and her firm Veralis Group.

Banking Support & Secondary Markets

Major financial institutions are restructuring to better facilitate private equity exits and manage GP-led transactions. Bank of America established a dedicated Private Capital M&A Group specifically designed to help unlock exits for private equity sponsors struggling in the current environment. Simultaneously, critical talent is shifting within the advisory space, as demonstrated by Jefferies onboarding senior GP-led advisory talent from Lazard, intensifying competition among secondaries advisors.

Venture Capital Dynamics & Niche Funding

While overall venture dealmaking shows shifts, specific stages and sectors continue to attract large checks, particularly in deep tech and specialized health/climate solutions. Data indicates that only the upper tiers of seed funding—rounds of $10 million and above—expanded in 2025, suggesting a polarization in early-stage capital availability. In fundraising success, the AI notetaking startup Granola achieved unicorn status following a $125 million Series C round. In climate technology, Arinna secured funding for its specialized solar cells for spacecraft, developing an ultrathin material aimed at greater flexibility and efficiency than existing technology. In the wellness space, VITL raised $7.5 million to enhance its cash-pay clinic prescribing through an e-prescribing marketplace targeting the GLP-1 drug boom.