Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: April 8, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Dealmaking Activity & Sector Focus

Private equity deal flow showed continued activity across specialized sectors, with major firms closing transformative transactions across healthcare and industrials. Blackstone and TPG completed the take-private buyout of women’s health firm Hologic, a transaction bolstered by significant minority investments from the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and GIC. In aerospace, Blackstone and Tinicum agreed to an $1.85 billion deal for the UK-listed supplier Senior, while in the energy transition space, ECP re-acquired EnergySolutions from Tri Artisan Capital Advisors, reflecting heightened PE interest in nuclear infrastructure. Further consolidation occurred in medical devices as H.I.G.-backed Vernacare scooped up Eakin Surgical, a UK maker of single-use instruments, and in the infrastructure space, Ardian exited its position in Acousti Engineering, which was acquired by Gamut Capital Management in a simultaneous transaction.

Middle Market & Add-On Strategies

Firms continued to execute roll-up strategies, particularly in services and specialized manufacturing. H.I.G. Capital appointed long-time executive Brian Schwartz as CEO, while simultaneously promoting Doug Berman to co-president alongside Rick Rosen, signaling an internal restructuring as the firm remains active in M&A. Separately, Oaktree-backed GA Group acquired G2 Capital Advisors, a provider of advisory and liquidation services, signaling a push into professional services. In the modular construction segment, Heartwood-backed VitalSpace purchased manufacturer BIG Enterprises to expand its platform offerings. Meanwhile, Keensight Capital saw its portfolio companies execute add-ons: DimoMaint made its first add-on by acquiring Camileia, a workplace management system provider, and its portfolio peer Aconso purchased Centric Germany.

Firm Movements & Talent Shifts

Key leadership and partnership changes marked the passing day across the investment management industry. H.I.G. Capital confirmed the elevation of Brian Schwartz to CEO, the same executive change also detailed by another source. Within the secondaries market, a longstanding partner, Jared Barlow, departed Kline Hill, where he had overseen firm and investment oversight since the firm’s 2015 founding alongside Managing Partner Mike Bego. In asset management, Round Hill appointed Chad Doerge, previously the president and CRO of Aiera, as its new president and deputy CEO. These personnel shifts occur as VC teams in the UK have halved their representation of all-male teams over the last decade, according to a recent report detailing diversity trends.

Credit, Infrastructure, and Secondary Market Sentiment

Liquidity dynamics are shifting, prompting major financial institutions to launch new vehicles targeting dislocations. Blackstone successfully raised $10 billion for its latest opportunistic credit fund, capitalizing on investor demand for less liquid assets, a movement mirrored by Morgan Stanley launching a new private credit fund to capture market opportunities amid a perceived liquidity squeeze. In infrastructure, while high-value deals continue—such as the investment by Black Bay into Gulf Coast Midstream Partners to finance the Nash Energy Storage Hub—limited partners remain skeptical regarding pricing in the sector. Panellists at a recent summit suggested that while infrastructure transactions often close at or above fair market value, LPs doubt that these prices reflect the best achievable valuation outcomes.

Venture Capital Trends and AI Focus

Venture capital is increasingly concentrating capital into mega-deals, yet specialized areas like "physical AI" and enterprise software continue to attract dedicated funding. VC firm Eclipse secured $1.3 billion to back and incubate nascent "physical AI" startups, indicating a focused bet on hardware-enabled artificial intelligence applications. This trend toward high-risk, early-stage technology is also drawing in private wealth, as family offices are reportedly bypassing traditional VCs to gain direct exposure to AI startups, turning from passive investors into active backers. Furthermore, the broader VC ecosystem is watching a wide range of nascent technology, with reports tracking 19 AI agent startups deemed promising for 2026 by venture capitalists. On the exit side, the founders of the resale platform Wallapop discussed their sale to South Korean giant Naver, emphasizing that the acquirer’s scale "dwarfs ours" in comparison.