Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: March 31, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Dealmaking & Portfolio Transactions

The pace of deal execution remains high across sectors, highlighted by Carlyle agreeing to acquire a majority stake in wealth management platform MAI Capital Management for a valuation exceeding $2.8 billion, a transaction also involving Carlyle taking a majority stake in the firm. Elsewhere in the advisory space, Investcorp-backed Resultant is bolstering its M&A advisory capabilities by acquiring Liberty Advisor Group, with Resultant aiming for one to two add-on deals annually. In larger exits, Leonard Green is planning to sell Jetro Restaurant Depot, which serves over 725,000 independent restaurants via 166 warehouse stores, to Sysco in a massive $29.1 billion transaction.

Mid-market activity saw several strategic moves, including Maven exiting AccessPay to Accel-KKR for the software product that links back-office finance systems to banks, while Hg prepares to divest Geomatikk, a digital platform and field services provider, to Axcel. In the specialized services arena, Inflexion is acquiring Marioff, a supplier of high-pressure water mist fire suppression systems, and Astorg agreed to purchase French B2B technical services firm Barkene from Montefiore Investment Astorg to acquire Barkene. Moreover, Hyperion-backed Ranger Fire and Security is expanding its footprint in the UK and Ireland fire sector by acquiring Total Fire Group, and Rockbridge-backed Formativ Group snapped up consulting firm Flok FormativGroup snaps up Flok.

Sector-specific investments spanned healthcare, industrials, and consumer services. Bridgepoint-backed Prescient is adding healthcare tech firm Dolon, a pricing and market access consultancy focused on oncology and rare diseases, to its portfolio, while MTIP invested in Verifarma, a pharma regulatory compliance provider serving 2,000 companies across 26 countries MTIP invests in Verifarma. In consumer services, Mountaingate snaps up UpSwell Marketing, which serves local industries like dental and auto repair, and Longu Vue, alongside Swaney Group Capital, invested in Apex Dental Laboratory Group LonguVue invests in Apex. In the food sector, Wynnchurch-backed Archer plans to acquire Sterno’s food service business in a carve-out transaction Archer to acquire Sterno’s unit, and Ambienta invested in dairy alternatives producer Bridge Ambienta invests in Bridge.

Fundraising & Capital Markets

Demand for specialized private credit vehicles remains exceptionally strong, as evidenced by 17Capital closing its Credit Fund 2 at a record $7.5 billion, signaling accelerated financing needs within the private equity sphere. This trend of unlocking liquidity is further supported by Ares leading a substantial $1.7 billion private credit continuation vehicle for Antares Ares leads $1.7bn CV. On the GP financing front, Dawson secured over $800 million for its latest strategy, surpassing its $750 million hard-cap target. Meanwhile, in the digital marketplace segment, Palico is attempting to draw larger transactions by reducing fees to five basis points for secondaries sales exceeding $50 million.

Exits & Infrastructure

Major asset disposals are shaping up across real estate and public markets. Blackstone has agreed to sell its Fidere residential portfolio in Spain to Brookfield Asset Management for $1.4 billion, marking a significant exit from the Iberian housing market. In the infrastructure space, Blackstone-backed Mundys is increasing its stake in Getlink toward a 30% holding as part of its broader infrastructure push. Furthermore, shareholders Advent and Cinven are reportedly exploring exit avenues for TK Elevator, weighing options between an initial public offering or a sale amid speculation concerning a potential deal with Kone Advent & Cinven weigh TK Elevator exit.

Technology & AI Focus

The intersection of artificial intelligence and real-world applications continues to attract significant early-stage capital. Runway is launching a $10 million fund and a new Builders program specifically designed to support companies building on its AI video models, pushing toward real-time "video intelligence." This focus on AI-physical world integration is mirrored in seed funding trends, where a majority of the largest seed rounds over the past six months backed companies operating at this nexus. In the enterprise software domain, TA Associates invested in software firm iBase-t TA Associates backs iBase-t to fund product innovation and global expansion, while credit data startup 9fin achieved unicorn status following a $170 million capital raise in Europe 9fin crowned Europe's unicorn.

Regulatory & Structural Shifts

Shifts in regulatory environments and fund structures are influencing operational behavior. Private fund managers are grappling with rising risk exposure from sanctions, which is reportedly altering allocation strategies for managers experiencing a distribution drought. On the governance side, Advent has agreed to acquire a stake of between 8% and 10% in Natura, accompanying a board overhaul Advent takes up to 10% stake. In the U.S., the Labor Department has proposed new rules that could provide safe harbour protections for 401(k) plan fiduciaries who offer alternative investments like private equity. Structural trends in the mid-market show managers embracing multi-asset vehicles to achieve critical mass in CVs, according to Elm Capital analysis.