Private Equity 24 Hours

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

Fundraising and Investor Activity Heats Up

Blue Owl reached $10.6bn for its latest GP stakes fund, signaling continued investor appetite for diversified private market exposure. CVC Capital Partners is preparing for a potential Q3 close on its sixth secondaries fund, having already raised $9.3bn for the vehicle, and is also planning its first infrastructure secondaries fund. Brookfield Asset Management held a $2bn first close on its Middle East buyout fund, anchored by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Meanwhile, Savano Capital Partners oversubscribed, having already deployed capital into 12 investments.

Dealmaking Across Sectors Shows Robust Activity

Platinum Equity agreed to acquire a 50% stake in Nestlé's waters and premium beverages business for $3.4bn, creating a new entity valued at $5.6bn. KKR and Energy Capital Partners secured board backing for their £5.75bn ($7.78bn) takeover of DCC, despite some shareholder objections. Blackstone's energy transition group is acquiring ultrasonic inspections company Dark Vision from Koch, while Macquarie is reportedly marketing its waste-to-energy company, Win Waste. TSG Consumer Partners plans to acquire body care brand Saltair, previously backed by Prelude Growth Partners.

Technology and Cleantech Attract Significant Capital

Battery storage startup Antora Energy secured $550m in a Series C funding round, one of the largest cleantech deals this year, to accelerate deployment of its projects amid rising energy demand from AI data centers. The European Union has opened applications for a €10bn scheme to support AI gigafactories. Inforcer, a London-based firm, raised $50m in its Series C round, led by Insight Partners, to help smaller businesses navigate AI and security risks. Health testing platform Function secured $450m from General Catalyst.

Strategic Exits and Portfolio Adjustments by PE Firms

KKR reported record for realizations, generating $848m in performance income with exit multiples reaching as high as 20x, defying broader industry concerns. HIG Capital is selling industrial services firm JT Thorpe to Truelink Capital, having acquired the business in 2022. Hg and EQT are selling Saa S provider Quantios to Vista Equity Partners, while Open Gate Capital is carving out Knorr-Bremse’s HVAC unit. Bain Capital agreed to acquire UK vitamins leader Vitabiotics for approximately £900m ($1.2bn) as part of an international growth strategy.

Infrastructure and Specialized Funds Drive Investment

BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners is backing a €1.2bn ($1.38bn) management buyout of Irish Continental Group, led by CEO Eamonn Rothwell. In Asia, Evercore is overhauling its private capital advisory unit in APAC, more than doubling headcount to capitalize on growth in the region's secondaries market. Blackstone and Colony IM are jointly acquiring Accor's 30.7% stake in hotel owner Essendi for up to €975m ($1.12bn). Dominus invested in traffic products manufacturer Pelco Solutions, with the management team remaining significant shareholders.

Venture Capital Landscape and Emerging Trends

The European venture capital scene is seeing a cautious optimism regarding the chip market downturn, potentially creating opportunities. Startups in Europe internationally even at the seed stage to pursue growth. Some venture capital firms are adopting operator roles within their portfolio companies, a trend prompting analysis into its underlying reasons. Vanessa Larco, former NEA partner, focuses on evaluating startups based on founder potential and their strategic use of AI.