Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: July 31, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Deal Activity Across Sectors

KKR-backed Spectris Sentech, a move that expands its industrial instrumentation portfolio. In the senior care market, private equity firms including Goldman Sachs, Brightstar Capital, Hidden River, and Pacific Avenue, signaling a sector-wide trend. Palladian invested in UK leasing company Global Vehicle Group, which manages over 70,000 vehicles. Meanwhile, Apheon-backed Haudecoeur, Natur Food and Heliadis, marking its initial international expansion into Germany and Belgium. In a separate transaction, Charterhouse Capital Partners. HIG Capital agreed to sell industrial services firm JT Thorpe to Truelink Capital, having acquired JT Thorpe in 2022. Blackstone’s energy transition group is acquiring ultrasonic inspections company Dark Vision, while Macquarie is reportedly exploring a sale of its waste-to-energy company, Win Waste. TSG Consumer plans to acquire body care brand Saltair, which was previously backed by Prelude Growth Partners.

Fundraising and Investor Strategies

Blue Owl reached $10.6 billion for its latest GP stakes fund, which is expected to close this year after extensions. CVC is aiming for a third-quarter close for its sixth secondaries fund, having raised $9.3 billion to date for the vehicle, and is also planning its first infrastructure secondaries fund. Savano closed its direct secondaries fund oversubscribed, with the vehicle having made 12 investments to date. In Asia, a concentration of capital in the large-cap space presents a lucrative opportunity for GPs able to raise smaller amounts of capital further down the market. Sweden's Alecta, a €126.7 billion pension fund, views disciplined entry pricing as directly linked to value creation, with purchase multiples becoming a key metric according to Jonas Nyquist, head of alternatives. Platinum Equity is acquiring a 50% stake in Nestlé's waters and premium beverages business for $3.4 billion, forming a new company, Peranel, at a €4.9 billion enterprise value.

Technology, AI, and Cleantech Investments

Blossom Capital is exploring investments in the defense sector. The CEO of cybersecurity unicorn Tines shared insights from the company's AI overhaul. Europe's universities have seen significant spinout funding in the first half of 2026, with 222 spinouts raising €4.9 billion according to Sifted. European startups are actively racing to power the AI boom, with the EU opening applications for a €10 billion AI gigafactory scheme as reported. Battery storage startup Antora closed a $550 million Series C round, one of the largest cleantech rounds this year, to fund large-scale projects amid soaring energy demand from AI data centers. Health testing platform Function inked a $450 million investment from General Catalyst, offering over 100 blood tests via a yearly subscription. Inforcer, a London-based firm, raised $50 million in a Series C round led by Insight Partners to help smaller businesses navigate AI and security risks. Vanessa Larco, former NEA partner, evaluates startups based on founder potential and their ability to leverage AI.

Market Dynamics and Exit Strategies

The trend of shorter hold periods in private equity continuation vehicles is being assessed, with hold period alone deemed an imperfect metric. KKR's record realisations quarter, which included $848 million in realized performance income and exit multiples as high as 20x, fueled pushback against broader industry anxieties. Venture capitalists are increasingly taking on operator roles within their portfolio companies, a trend that is prompting questions about its underlying causes.