Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: August 3, 2026, 8:31 AM ET

AI Investment and Venture Capital

Menlo Ventures is increasing its investment focus on artificial intelligence, anticipating larger deal sizes as the technology matures. (REF:2) The venture capital firm is looking to deploy its latest capital into promising AI ventures. (REF:2) June, a startup focused on simplifying AI adoption, has secured $20 million in pre-seed funding. (REF:7) Index Ventures also announced a significant $2 billion fundraise specifically for AI investments. (REF:12) Separately, Olix achieved a valuation of $3.3 billion. (REF:4)

Private Equity Dealmaking and Exits

KKR has agreed to acquire a 50% stake in a 1.2-gigawatt portfolio of renewable energy assets across Europe from Total Energies for €1.8 billion. (REF:1) Permira is undertaking a partial exit from its investment in Reformation, a sustainable fashion company, which raised $210.9 million in its initial public offering priced at the lower end of its projected range. (REF:6) Cortec is reportedly initiating a sale process for A1 Garage Door Service, a company into which it invested in 2019 and which has since completed at least 17 add-on acquisitions. (REF:3) Easyjet extended the deadline for Castlelake's bid to acquire the company, aligning the timeframe with Apollo's own deadline on August 7. (REF:9)

New Funds and Investor Strategies

New York State Teachers' Retirement System (NYSTRS) plans to allocate up to $2.7 billion to private equity commitments for the fiscal year 2027. (REF:5) PE Club launched a platform designed to leverage the networks of former private equity executives for its limited partners (LPs). (REF:8) These LPs typically consist of serial entrepreneurs, former chief executive officers, and partners or former partners from major European private equity firms. (REF:8) Kong's new listed alternative investment trusts present potential use cases, investment horizons, fee models, and likely adopters, according to industry participants. (REF:10)

Emerging Trends and Regulatory Landscape

The European Union has begun enforcing its new AI Act rules. (REF:14) The implications of these regulations are significant for the development and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies across the continent. (REF:14) Meanwhile, questions of how "neolabs" will achieve profitability remain a key focus for the industry. (REF:13) Top commercial firms are considering private equity investment, partly in response to concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. (REF:9) A list of 13 technical founders across Europe to watch has been identified by venture capitalists. (REF:11)