Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: June 24, 2026, 2:30 AM ET

Venture Capital & Startup Funding

Venture capital firms are consolidating their focus on artificial intelligence, with Menlo Ventures raising $3 billion across two new funds, marking its largest capital raise in 50 years. This aggressive push into AI startups, from seed through growth stages, builds on Menlo's prior success, notably its $750 million investment in Anthropic in 2024. Meanwhile, DeepMind handpicked a robotics startup for its accelerator program, which has now secured an $11.7 million seed round. In Europe, drone startup Stark confirmed a €500 million raise backed by prominent investors like Sequoia and Founders Fund, signaling continued appetite for ambitious tech ventures. The rapid growth of European startups is notable, with eight companies raising over $1 billion in 2026 and a drive to adopt performance-oriented cultures, exemplified by Revolut's People team selling a Silicon Valley approach. Despite these successes, discussions persist around potential AI bubbles and the inflation of valuations and Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) among venture capitalists.

Private Equity Dealmaking & Fundraises

Private equity firms are actively deploying capital across diverse sectors, including live events, which is experiencing a significant surge in PE interest with the global market projected to exceed $1.2 trillion by 2032 according to reports. Apollo, Hellman & Friedman, and Platinum Equity are investing in live events, highlighting the sector's newfound appeal. In technology services, Apheon is acquiring Belgian managed IT firm Easi, which serves over 1,500 clients. Teleo Capital has acquired pharma manufacturing intelligence platform Modersys from Applied Materials, Inc. The healthcare sector also saw activity, with Brightstar Capital acquiring healthcare architecture firm Erdman as an add-on to its existing portfolio company KZF Design. Reverence Capital is investing in CPA firm Eide Bailly, aiming to provide resources for strategy acceleration and innovation. In addition, Great Hill is investing in pet grooming franchise Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming.

Sector-Specific Investments & Exits

Acorn Capital is selling Berry Aviation for $105 million to Bristow Group, a provider of vertical flight solutions. In infrastructure, Pantheon's infrastructure secondaries fund has surpassed its target, with its flagship fund ranking among the largest in the sector. KKR-owned Arctos Partners is backing a $288 million Tennessee stadium district as part of its expansion into college sports. In the consumer space, L Catterton has taken a significant minority stake in clean haircare brand RŌZ. Meanwhile, CVC Capital Partners is weighing a €6 billion exit from Cooper Consumer Health, with Cap Vest-owned Stada reportedly circling as a potential buyer. CVC has also agreed to sell its entire stake in Philippine logistics leader Fast Logistics Group back to the founding family.

Fund Management & Investor Sentiment

Allianz Global Investors (Allianz GI) has secured $744 million at the first close of its third Asia Pacific private credit fund, signaling continued investor demand for private credit strategies in the region. In the secondaries market, ADIC has hired for its senior secondaries team, which deployed $19 billion in 2025. Investor sentiment towards private equity is showing some caution, with the Virginia pension fund reducing its private equity target for the first time in over 15 years due to volatility concerns. Tax changes in Japan are also poised to impact private equity, potentially boosting M&A transactions this year ahead of 2027 reforms. Separately, Apollo's flagship retail credit fund is only able to meet 5% of redemption requests, indicating challenges in liquidity for certain credit vehicles.

Strategic Shifts & Operational Focus

The European tech scene is undergoing a significant rebuild of its underlying technology stack as reported by Sifted. This includes a focus on global hiring as a growth strategy for European businesses according to industry analysis. There is also a notable trend of startups relocating key personnel, though the article suggests companies may be moving the wrong individuals. In a strategic reshuffle, TPG has named Axel André as its new CFO, freeing up the current finance chief to lead the firm's growing private wealth arm. Discussions around the effectiveness of performance cultures, like those championed by Revolut, suggest a complex dynamic in attracting and retaining talent. The private equity industry is also grappling with operational considerations, such as the increasing use of bespoke Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) which are creating back-office headaches for general partners.

Healthcare and Technology Integration

Artificial intelligence is profoundly impacting the healthcare sector, particularly in drug discovery where AI can accelerate the screening of compounds. Private capital is also showing keen interest in defense sector plans. In life sciences, PE-backed Life Science Connect is acquiring biopharma brands PharmaSource and CDMO Live to create a comprehensive outsourcing platform. Incline Equity is investing in West Physics, a provider of testing services for medical imaging equipment. The live events sector continues to attract significant private equity attention, with Platinum Equity reportedly being the sole bidder for Nestlé's water business after another firm exited the auction. In other transactions, Berkshire Partners is investing in Harbourfront Wealth Group for C$1.775 billion, and Juniper Capital is backing AV systems design firm Bug ID.