Private Equity 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: July 17, 2026, 8:30 AM ET
Private Equity Targets Healthcare and Infrastructure
Private equity firms are actively pursuing opportunities in the healthcare and infrastructure sectors. KKR, Ares, and Tiger Infrastructure Partners are among those pehub.com, with five deals reported in this niche. Charterhouse Capital Partners is acquiring Batibig, a French building maintenance business with over €500 million in annual revenue, and has also purchased Borio Mangiarotti, a Milan-based real estate developer pehub.com. Health Wave Partners acquired memory care community Alamar Senior Living, while Avathon-backed Summit purchased health-focused continuing education provider Kids Bowel & Bladder for professional development pehub.com. Serent-backed Raintree acquired AI firm Spike Technologies, and Trive Capital sold HIP services provider Kittyhawk to Viking Global's portfolio company, Machine Sciences in a strategic divestment pehub.com. One Equity is set to acquire pipe fabrication and distribution firm Epic Piping from Bernhard Capital Partners in a manufacturing deal pehub.com.
Tech and European Expansion Drive VC Activity
Venture capital is seeing significant activity, particularly in Europe and the artificial intelligence space. Mollie is planning a €350 million expansion plan focused on Europe, aiming to enhance its payment services as a ‘superapp’ sifted.eu. European VCs are increasingly taking on operational roles within their portfolio startups, a trend highlighted by Sifted as a growing necessity sifted.eu. In the AI domain, a shift towards "multiplayer AI" is emerging, with applications evolving from simple chatbots to more collaborative digital tools enhancing productivity sifted.eu. Fora, an AI-powered travel agency, achieved unicorn status, raising $60 million in a Series D round that values the company at $1 billion techcrunch.com. EQT's €5 billion Scaleup Fund is reportedly in talks to lead a funding round for Mistral AI, signaling continued investor interest in generative AI ventures sifted.eu.
EQT and Advantage Partners Focus on Japan, Ardian Expands Stakes
Japanese companies are attracting significant private equity attention, with EQT leading a consortium in raising its tender offer for internet platform operator Kakaku.com to ¥3,450 ($21. per share from an initial ¥3,000. Advantage Partners is developing a strategy to target Japanese firms that are shielded from foreign takeovers, focusing on companies central to the country's economic security concerns as per Bloomberg. In a separate development, Assurances du Crédit Mutuel (ACM) and Wafra are expanding their stakes in Ardian, the global private investment firm, as AXA sells its 10% holding in a shareholder reshuffle.
Other Notable PE Transactions and Fund Allocations
Other private equity transactions include Verdane acquiring stakes in four Trifork Labs technology businesses, spanning cybersecurity, digital health, and event-sourcing specialists pehub.com. Tailwater has backed Pickton Gas Storage, led by the former management team of Nor Tex Midstream Partners in an energy infrastructure play pehub.com. Guardian has sold manufacturer Precision Roll Solutions to American Roller Company, a deal following Guardian's acquisition of PRS in 2022 pehub.com. Meanwhile, Germany's KENFO plans to increase its private markets allocation to 30% from 25% over the next two years, though it will trim its exposure to private equity according to Bloomberg. H.I.G. Capital has launched Highground Living, a new German residential platform valued at €1 billion establishing a significant presence.
LP Scrutiny and Fund Performance Concerns
Limited partners are intensifying scrutiny on fund governance amid market adversity, seeking greater control, improved economics, and stronger protections against succession and zombie fund risks privateequityinternational.com. Partners Group has warned that evergreen outflows could reach $20 billion, and disclosed that private equity accounts for two-thirds of its underperforming assets in its latest earnings presentation privateequityinternational.com. These concerns highlight a challenging environment for fundraising and fund management, prompting LPs to demand more robust governance and performance safeguards.