Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: April 16, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Dealmaking & Sector Activity

Activity across private equity saw a mix of strategic acquisitions and portfolio maneuvers, with Charterhouse agreeing to take veterinary pharma firm Animalcare private, even as that sector faces increasing regulatory scrutiny despite high pet ownership rates 11. In parallel, Warburg Pincus-backed Service Compression expanded its energy footprint by acquiring Axip Energy Services, a Texas-based provider of natural gas compression services. Elsewhere, regulatory compliance saw targeted bolt-ons, as Paine Schwartz-backed Registrar Corp purchased Dell Tech, a regulatory consulting firm serving the food, drug, and medical device sectors, while Iron Path-backed CPIhealth bolstered its pain management platform by acquiring two specialty surgical centers 25.

Specialized dealmaking continued in niche industrial and compliance verticals, with HIG Capital acquiring Inventus Power, a battery supplier serving military and medical applications, and Gemspring-backed Midland Industries securing manufacturer TSI. In the secondary market, a Pantheon-led investor group finalized the acquisition of SI and SMG from Alder II. On the divestiture front, TSCP offloaded Data Dimensions to One Call, focusing on that firm's healthcare and insurance clients. Meanwhile, EQT has reopened the sale process for the China unit of contact lens maker Ginko, marking the second attempt after an earlier exit by Advent.

Fundraising & Capital Markets

The appetite for sector-specific funds remains strong, particularly in defense, as Blue Five Capital plans a $3 billion raise targeting the burgeoning Middle East defense market. This trend is mirrored by European LPs, with the €25 billion Danish pension fund P+ exploring GP mandates focused on defense investments. In broader fundraising, Accel announced raising $5 billion in fresh capital primarily designated to back late-stage companies focusing on artificial intelligence 22. In contrast to the fundraising surge, KKR has placed caps on withdrawals from its $532 million asset-based finance fund (K-ABF) following rising redemption requests from investors 32.

European managers are looking at capital recycling, as Nordic Capital mulls a secondary vehicle anticipated to be in the range of €2 billion to €2.5 billion, following a successful multi-asset continuation vehicle (CV) 3. The debate over CVs continues, with proponents arguing that transparently structured funds can align interests rather than merely delaying exits 36. Separately, Permira signaled it is unwilling to sell equity stakes from its portfolio, preferring to retain ownership for now.

Geographic & Strategic Moves

Private equity firms are sharpening their geographic focus, evident as Eurazeo established its third German office by opening a new location in Munich, signaling a push toward the Mittelstand sector 11. London continues to demonstrate market strength, pulling further ahead of Paris and Berlin in Q1 deal activity 16. On the technology front, Thoma Bravo has formed a partnership with Google Cloud to accelerate AI adoption across its $8 billion cybersecurity portfolio, while Gryphon-backed Fortreum acquired compliance platform Kovr.AI 37.

In venture capital, the concentration of deal flow is becoming extreme, with a select group of large, well-funded U.S.-based AI companies capturing the majority of venture dollars in Q1 2026, even as the overall global startup deal count simultaneously declined 7. Venture capital interest in mature AI leaders remains intense, with reports indicating that Anthropic is currently shrugging off funding offers that would value the company at around $800 billion or higher. Meanwhile, specialized fintech compliance saw a boost, as Copenhagen-based Spektr secured $20 million in a Series A led by NEA to automate manual financial compliance tasks.

Infrastructure & Sports Finance

Large-scale strategic bids are emerging in infrastructure and real assets, where Blackstone and I Squared Capital are reportedly exploring a joint $3.8 billion offer for Ströer’s core advertising unit. In the sports sector, major financial players including Apollo, Ares, and Sixth Street are reportedly entering early-stage discussions to secure financing for the National Basketball Association’s planned expansion into European markets. Furthermore, KKR has committed $820 million in a strategic investment into Samsung SDS 27 to drive its artificial intelligence and digital transformation initiatives.

Personnel & Sector Watch

Organizational shifts occurred at Coller, where Yonatan Puterman assumed the role of head of its equity division, while co-head of investments François Aguerre transitioned to a senior adviser post. Energy price volatility is causing caution in the industrials sector, leading investors to evaluate whether to launch new mandates now or delay entry for several weeks. Finally, in the insurance space, Lightyear-backed King Risk Partners made a strategic bolt-on by acquiring insurance broker Morin Associates, while VCs are closely watching 16 insurtech startups 17 for potential investment opportunities in 2026.