Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: July 30, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

Mega-Funds and GP Stakes Ascend

amassed $10.6bn for its latest GP stakes fund, which is expected to close this year after multiple extensions. In the secondaries market on its sixth fund, having raised $9.3bn to date and planning to launch an infrastructure secondaries vehicle. Savano has closed an oversubscribed direct secondaries fund that has already made 12 investments. Meanwhile, Brookfield has held a $2bn first close on its Middle East buyout fund, anchored by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Evercore is betting on APAC secondaries growth, having more than doubled its private capital advisory headcount in the region since February.

Dealmaking Across Sectors

Platinum Equity is buying a 50% stake in Nestlé's waters and premium beverages business for $3.4bn, forming a new entity at a €4.9bn enterprise value. In a separate transaction, KKR and Energy Capital Partners are set to acquire DCC for £5.75bn ($7.78bn), a deal that has received board backing despite shareholder objections. Blackstone is acquiring ultrasonic inspections company Dark Vision from Koch, while Macquarie is reportedly exploring a sale of its waste-to-energy business, Win Waste. TSG Consumer body care brand Saltair, previously backed by Prelude Growth Partners. Bain Capital has agreed to acquire UK vitamins leader Vitabiotics for approximately £900m ($1.2bn) to drive international growth. Providence Equity Partners is taking full control of THE·TEAM by buying out founder Casey Wasserman. Blackstone and Colony IM have agreed to buy Accor's 30.7% stake in hotel owner Essendi for up to €975m ($1.12bn).

Technology and Cleantech Funding Surges

Battery storage a $550m Series C round to accelerate the deployment of large-scale projects amid rising AI-driven energy demand. The EU has opened applications for a €10bn gigafactory scheme for AI development. testing platform $450m from General Catalyst for its subscription-based blood test service. Inforcer, a London-based firm, has raised $50m in a Series C round led by Insight Partners to help smaller businesses manage AI and security risks. MRC is backing Nexus Power to support its geographic expansion and targeted acquisitions. Dominus has invested in traffic products manufacturer Pelco Solutions, with the management team retaining significant ownership.

Industry Trends and Valuations

KKR posted its largest-ever realization quarter, generating $848m in performance income with exit multiples as high as 20x, signaling strong returns despite broader industry anxieties. Sweden's Alecta suggests that disciplined entry pricing is becoming as crucial as distributions for value creation in alternative investments. The concentration of capital in Asia’s large-cap market presents potential opportunities for GPs able to raise smaller funds. HIG Capital industrial services firm JT Thorpe to Truelink Capital, which it acquired in 2022. Hg and EQT are set to sell Quantios to Vista Equity, while Open Gate plans to carve out Knorr-Bremse’s HVAC unit.

Venture Capital and Startup Strategies

Vanessa Larco evaluating startups based on founder potential and their use of AI. Venture capitalists are increasingly taking on operator roles within their portfolio companies. AI startup to open a 24/7 cafe in London. European VCs are reportedly benefiting from a downturn in the chip market. Many European startups are prioritizing international expansion from the seed stage. Adyen is focusing on agentic payments, posing a challenge for startups in the space.