Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: August 11, 2026, 5:41 AM ET

Mega-Fundraising and AI Infrastructure

A consortium of top firms including Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs, and KKR is set to mobilize over $500bn for AI infrastructure buildout through new financing platforms. Brookfield raises record $77bn in the second quarter, led by its private equity franchise. StepStone surpasses $20bn in private wealth AUM, with its venture-focused SPRING vehicle attracting nearly $1.7bn in subscriptions. Meanwhile, KKR takes strategic stake in Crowe Advisory, the tax and advisory arm of the global accounting network. The coming AI IPO liquidity wave could return significant capital to limited partners, fueling a new venture fundraising cycle rather than simply shifting public-market valuations.

European Private Equity Deals

Exponent closes €750m single-asset continuation vehicle for H&MV Engineering, a specialist in high-voltage electrical engineering for data centers and renewables. Amberjack Capital closed the carve-out of Flowserve’s PNV Automation group, which includes facilities in Houston and Solna, Sweden. Provectus Capital Romanian debut saw the firm acquire a majority stake in Seatbelt Consulting, the country’s largest occupational health and safety provider. In a landmark European take-private, Apollo lands £5.7bn recommended offer for easy Jet. The growing European HVAC market continues to attract private equity interest amid rising summer temperatures.

North American Buyouts and Infrastructure

Bernhard Capital to take-private Bowman Consulting Group for $1bn, with a 35-day go-shop period for alternative bids. New Mountain to acquire fire safety provider Jensen Hughes from Gryphon, a provider of compliance-driven engineering services. VSS closes minority stake in Cordoba, betting on infrastructure transformation and noting that AI cannot displace the need for physical infrastructure. CPP Investments teams up with HSI in a $143m deal for a 49.5% interest in two landmark Hilton hotels in Brazil.

Dealflow and Fundraising Trends

Private equity dealflow has its worst Q2 since 2020, with the TMT sector seeing the biggest year-over-year drop in volume. Secondaries divergence shows continuation fund activity now outstripping traditional secondaries, while new ESG rules could chill private markets. Global new unicorn counts in H1 2026 have already surpassed 2025’s totals, with 195 companies joining the board. Korea's Employment Insurance Fund seeks to commit 120bn won to blind-pool PE and VC funds for 2026.

Emerging Sectors and European Tech Trends

At South Summit 2026, three trends shaping the future of European tech were highlighted by industry leaders. VCs identified 17 physical AI startups to watch that blend software intelligence with hardware systems. Meanwhile, First Momentum’s cofounder outlined the most underrated areas in deeptech, pointing to niches that investors often overlook.