Private Equity 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: July 10, 2026, 2:30 PM ET
Mega Deals and Fund Closes
Harbour Vest Partners closed its seventh co-investment program at $4.75bn, exceeding its fundraising target. In a significant move within the life sciences sector, Apollo pehub.com in Bayer's long-acting reversible contraceptives business. Apollo also gatecrashed an easy Jet buyout with a £5.7bn bid, surpassing Castlelake's offer and prompting the airline's board to shift its support. Carlyle exited solar pehub.com to EQT for $2.6bn, a move that bolsters EQT's AI infrastructure portfolio.
Sector Focus: Healthcare and Technology
Private equity interest in primary care continues to grow, with firms like Apollo, Arsenal, Kain Capital, and OMERS Private Equity pehub.com. In the HR tech space, Shore Capital, Lightyear, and Bridgepoint pehub.com. Meanwhile, EQT, Advent, and KKR are reportedly circling the molecular testing group Qiagen. Ares backed Firebird Music's $750m catalogue acquisition fund, focusing on music rights and recorded music. Warburg Pincus invested in Australian credit agency Creditor Watch to expand its Asian presence.
VC Dynamics and Startup Funding
Fizz has expanded its lawsuit techcrunch.com against rival Sidechat, alleging a Maveron VC shared confidential startup information obtained during a fundraising meeting. In a separate development, the Minnesota State Board of Investment is privateequityinternational.com. SoftBank Corp and Pay Pay are reportedly in talks to invest in Seven & i Holdings, the owner of the 7-Eleven chain. Yann LeCun, often called the "AI godfather," is also reportedly sifted.eu.
Market Activity and Valuations
Fast-fashion group Shein has cleared a significant hurdle by securing Chinese regulatory approval for a Hong Kong IPO, paving the way for investor exits. A new $20 billion valuation for Mercor would represent a substantial increase from its October valuation of $10 billion as the company talks up its prospects techcrunch.com. In a notable investment in Canadian dental labs, CenterGate Capital pehub.com. European tech companies are facing challenges, with "tourist investors" reportedly sifted.eu. Charles Hudson of Precursor Ventures shared techcrunch.com after investing in over 500 startups.