Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: April 8, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Mega-Deals and Sector Consolidation in Buyouts

Private equity dealmaking showed continued activity in specialized industrial and healthcare sectors, with Blackstone and Tinicum agreeing to a £1.4 billion take-private of the London-listed aerospace and defense manufacturer Senior, a transaction valued at approximately $1.85 billion. The defense focus extended to other corners, as Agilitas agreed to sell Integris Composites to Triton Partners; Integris specializes in lightweight survivability products for hostile environments. Elsewhere in healthcare technology, BPOC divested Midwest Products & Engineering to Graham Partners, while H.I.G.-backed Vernacare scooped up Eakin Surgical, a UK manufacturer of single-use surgical instruments, signaling ongoing platform build-ups.

In major corporate completions, Blackstone and TPG finalized the take-private buyout of women’s health firm Hologic, a transaction that incorporated minority investments from both the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and GIC affiliates. Meanwhile, leadership changes were announced at several firms, as H.I.G. Capital appointed long-time executive Brian Schwartz as CEO, promoting Doug Berman to co-president alongside Rick Rosen. Complementing this executive reshuffling, Round Hill appointed Chad Doerge as president and deputy CEO, transitioning him from his previous role as president and chief revenue officer at Aiera.

Credit Funds and Infrastructure Financing

The private credit space saw substantial capital formation aimed at exploiting market dislocations, as Blackstone successfully raised $10 billion for its latest opportunistic credit fund targeting current market volatility. This fundraising coincided with a move by Morgan Stanley to launch a new private credit vehicle designed to capture opportunities arising from the current liquidity squeeze in the broader market. In infrastructure financing, Pacific Investment Management Co. is reportedly structuring a massive $14 billion debt package to anchor the financing for an Oracle data centre project in Michigan. Separately, Black Bay injected capital into Gulf Coast Midstream Partners to advance the first phase of the Nash Energy Storage Hub.

Investor sentiment regarding large infrastructure deals remains mixed, as limited partners expressed doubt that infrastructure private equity vehicles are consistently secured at the best achievable price, even though these deals often close at or above fair market value. In energy infrastructure, ECP is re-acquiring Energy Solutions from Tri Artisan Capital Advisors, reflecting a broader embrace of nuclear investment opportunities within the sector, while First Reserve invested in grid products provider Lindsey Systems, which services transmission and distribution infrastructure.

Venture Capital Trends and Founder Dynamics

Venture capital is increasingly betting on AI-adjacent technologies, with firms like Eclipse securing $1.3 billion to incubate and back 'physical AI' startups. This focus on tangible AI applications contrasts with the broader VC landscape where nearly two-thirds of global venture capital flowed into just four companies last quarter. A growing trend sees family offices bypassing traditional VCs to gain direct exposure to early-stage AI ventures, turning them into active rather than passive investors. However, diversity metrics in the UK venture scene remain concerning, with a report indicating that VC firms operating with all-male teams have been halved over the last decade.

In secondary markets and firm departures, Jared Barlow, a longstanding partner at the small deal-specialist Kline Hill since its 2015 founding, has departed the firm. Meanwhile, portfolio company activity continues: Oaktree-backed GA Group acquired G2 Capital Advisors, a firm specializing in advisory, liquidation, and real estate services. In the media space, Mountaingate-backed WTWH Media acquired healthcare media firm HealthLeaders, while Ardian completed its exit from Acousti Engineering, selling its majority stake to Gamut Capital Management, which primarily focuses on ceiling and flooring solutions for commercial markets.

Sector Specific Acquisitions and Leadership

Activity in specialized services showed firms expanding their footprints across niche verticals. Roofing services attracted attention, with Sound Growth Partners making investments alongside Norea Capital and Bertram Capital in that field, and SGP snapping up RK Hydro Vac, a provider of essential dry and wet-vacuum services for roof preparation. Furthermore, the modular solutions platform Vital Space, backed by Heartwood, acquired manufacturer BIG Enterprises to bolster its offerings. In the resale market, the founders of Spanish secondhand platform Wallapop noted that their sale to South Korean giant Naver was driven by the immense scale the acquirer commanded, which dwarfs their previous operational size.