Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: July 15, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Mega-Deals and Large Fundraises Signal Robust Private Equity Activity

Private equity firms are making significant moves across various sectors, highlighted by a potential $53 billion offer for PayPal by Stripe and Advent International reported Wednesday. Apollo Global Management is reportedly in advanced talks to provide a nearly $3 billion financing package for the New York Yankees reported by Bloomberg. Ares Management has completed its $1.7 billion take-private acquisition of Whitestone REIT, a U.S. retail property owner in an all-cash deal. Francisco Partners is nearing a $1.3 billion buyout of construction software maker Command Alkon, with Thoma Bravo reportedly eyeing an exit according to Bloomberg sources.

VC Funds Focus and AI Investments Gain Traction

Venture capital is seeing a trend towards larger, more focused funds, with Greylock capping its new fund at $1.5 billion to maintain a smaller, more impactful portfolio of around 25 investments per fund. Separately, venture funding into fintech startups surged nearly 23% in the first half of 2026, driven by a concentration of investments in AI and financial infrastructure, although the overall deal count fell more than 25%. In the AI space, Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, and Anthropic have launched a new AI services provider called Ode with Anthropic, backed by a consortium of major investors including Apollo Global Management, General Atlantic, GIC, Goldman Sachs, Leonard Green, and Sequoia Capital.

Sector-Specific Acquisitions and Exits Continue

Verdane, a European specialist growth buyout investor, has acquired a portfolio of minority stakes in technology businesses from bp PE Insights reported. Mutares has sold its Finnish remediation firm Redo, which operated over 20 locations across Finland, to Invex Group. Gemspring-backed Amplix has acquired technology sourcing and procurement firm One Connect. Caltius has invested in the tech services firm Saa S Consulting Group, which has served over 250 companies and partnered with more than 60 private equity sponsors. Phoenix Equity Partners has invested in Squarcle, a specialist supply chain consultancy founded in 2020 that serves clients including the Ministry of Defence and NATO. VSS has exited its investment in tech services company Centroid Systems, which focuses on Oracle Cloud solutions for middle-market and enterprise clients. Audax and Linden are set to sell Stat Lab Medical Products to Leica Biosystems, an operating company of Danaher Corporation. Veritas is acquiring facilities management services firm BGIS from sellers CCMP Capital Advisors and Alberta Investment Management Corporation. RFE-backed Launch Pad has acquired home inspection and residential services provider Key Inspection Services. Godspeed-backed ICE USA has acquired SLC, a firm specializing in easement acquisition and project management for the transportation sector.

Music Rights and Healthcare See PE Interest

Cutting Edge has acquired the music rights and royalties catalog of TV/film composer Brian Tyler, known for scores such as the Fast and Furious franchise and The Super Mario Bros. Movie PE Hub. Pophouse has acquired a stake in the music and NIL rights of the iconic band Iron Maiden, which has sold over 100 million records globally. Stone Point Capital and Further Global, alongside Permira-backed Kroll, have acquired ABC economics, a firm advising on competition, regulatory, and dispute matters. In the healthcare sector, Ardian has acquired a majority stake in Germany's Pflegia, a digital healthcare recruitment platform headquartered in Berlin. Ana Cap-backed Ryze has signed a deal to acquire Krata, a firm specializing in property valuations and technical advisory services across Spain.

Secondaries Market and Pension Fund Strategies Evolve

The private equity secondaries market is experiencing growth, with Louisiana Teachers exploring a sale of its private equity assets to reduce its allocation to buyout investments and increase liquidity. Credit manager Serone has launched a buyout secondaries strategy, making key hires from Ardian and UBS to lead the initiative and launching a debut fund. High Vista has appointed Ramit Malhotra as principal for its GP-led secondaries team, extending the firm's lower middle market private equity investing strategy. Real estate secondaries are also seeing increased dealflow as institutional investors seek exposure to in-demand asset classes. Carlyle Alp Invest has closed its second single asset-focused fund on $1.7 billion, surpassing its target and predecessor fund.

Energy Transition and Infrastructure Investments

BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) is set to acquire Summit Ridge Energy, a commercial solar power firm that constructs, owns, and operates solar and energy storage systems across various U.S. markets PE Hub. This follows GIP's agreement to acquire a majority and controlling interest in Summit Ridge Energy, as part of broader energy transition investments.

Other Notable Transactions and Market Developments

KKR is marketing Europe's first debt deal backed by PayPal's buy now, pay later loans in Germany PE Insights revealed. EQT has sweetened its bid for Australian fund manager Perpetual to A$22.07 per share after its initial offer was rejected PE Insights stated. Robotics startup Monumental has raised $32 million, backed by Khosla Ventures Sifted reported. CalPERS posted a preliminary net investment return of 14.8% for the year ending June 30, 2026, with private equity being a significant contributor PE Insights detailed.