Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: April 29, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

Dealmaking Activity & Sector Transactions

Private equity engagement across sectors remains active, highlighted by Archimed and La Caisse jointly acquiring Stago, a manufacturer specializing in hemostasis equipment and reagents. In the safety segment, OpenGate is set to purchase Total Safety’s EMEA division, targeting petrochemical and oil and gas compliance services across the region, while in IT services, Corporate Technologies, backed by PE, completed the purchase of RPM Technologies, bolstering its managed IT and cybersecurity offerings for mid-sized businesses. Further consolidation occurred in accessories, where HKW-backed Urban Armor Gear acquired Nomad Goods, a California-based designer of mobile device cases and power accessories, signaling ongoing strategic bolt-on acquisitions across varied end markets, 3, 4, 11.

In specialized infrastructure and energy plays, Blackstone Infrastructure agreed to invest in Eurowind Energy, a pan-European renewables developer, alongside news that Advent and Cinven’s €29.4 billion exit from the escalator business TKE represented a rare bright spot in the broader exit market. Separately, PSEI divested a minority stake in Big Sky Wind to Hamilton Lane and GCM Grosvenor, though PSEI retains majority control and operational oversight of the asset. On the consulting and engineering front, Godspeed-backed ERG acquired Haltom Engineering, a Mississippi-based design firm, while Catchment invested in Vertech Industrial Systems, serving data center, energy, and manufacturing clients, 10, 12, 8.

Technology & Venture CapitalVenture investment continues to favor specialized B2B solutions, evidenced by the $22 million Series A** [*round Pursuit announced, which helps companies manage sales to government entities, drawing backing from high-profile VCs like Mike Rosengarten, co-founder of Open Gov. In the AI analytics space, Dreambase, which aims to enable data-driven operations without dedicated data teams, secured $3.7 million in funding, attracting investment from executives at Supabase. Meanwhile, corporate venture arms are focusing on next-generation industrial technology; BMW i Ventures unveiled a new $300 million fund explicitly targeting startups focused on agentic AI, physical AI, advanced materials, and supply chain technologies, 5, 9.**

Despite the focus on later-stage funding, seed investment dynamics show contraction; more than half of seed dollars last year went into deals of $10 million or larger, even as overall deal counts at the seed stage have fallen since the 2021-2022 peak. In contrast to the general trend, Kompas VC is carving out a niche by focusing venture investments on startups tackling the physical world, adapting strategies due to increased geopolitical turbulence challenging traditional investing models, 31.

Operational Strategy & Firm Movements

As dealmaking scales, sponsors are being urged to rethink their established methods to successfully navigate the path to closing, particularly within the complex healthcare M&A environment expected in 2026. Simultaneously, internal governance and LP relations remain a point of friction; investor concerns are growing regarding conflicts of interest, prompting LPs to prioritize key person provisions and carried interest distribution terms in negotiations. Furthermore, specialized financing markets show differentiation: a Corpay report indicates that ‘truly emerging managers’ face steeper challenges securing GP financing compared to those spinning out of established firms.

In personnel and leadership shifts, Ares Management appointed Peter Ogilvie as COO and strategy head, elevating him from his current role as partner and head of the corporate strategy group. Elsewhere in firm development, Chad Doerge is transitioning to become the new president and deputy CEO of Round Hill, a music-focused PE firm that holds rights to catalogs from artists including Madonna and Black Sabbath. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG acquired a stake in Bug Bounty Switzerland, an ethical hacking and security testing business, demonstrating continued interest in cybersecurity assets, 20, 13, 15, 17, 25.

European Market Focus & Sector Niche Plays

European activity saw Montagu preparing to acquire DQS, a German provider of certification and business assurance services, while in France, venture capital interest remains high across emerging tech hubs, 29. Skyview acquired Lightspeed Commerce’s Upserve US hospitality product line, covering approximately 3,200 customer locations, illustrating targeted asset purchases in the vertical software space. On the regulatory side, there is growing awareness in the UK regarding the dangers inherent in technology chokepoints, suggesting potential future scrutiny on critical technology supply chains, 28, 29, 14, 27.