Private Equity 24 Hours

Last updated: August 18, 2026, 9:06 PM ET

M&A Activity

Warburg Pincus has exited its North American laboratory testing business, Certified Group, selling the platform to food safety specialist Mérieux Nutri Sciences. The transaction marks another exit for the private equity firm from the healthcare services sector. Stellex-backed Crest acquired manufacturer Dukane, expanding its industrial technology portfolio. Rockbridge agreed to sell healthcare media firm Checked Up to Providence Equity, with Varsity Healthcare Partners joining as a strategic minority investor. Agellus-backed Bluejack snapped up Phillips Fire & Life Safety, strengthening its national fire and life safety services footprint. Shore Capital’s Guidant Power acquired Dyna Scan, a specialist in infrared electrical inspections for healthcare facilities. Lone Star completed the sale of Vigor Marine Group to Antin Infrastructure Partners. Salt Creek Capital sealed its acquisition of Georgia-based Craig Wire Products, a manufacturer of custom-specification shaped magnet wire. New Heritage Capital invested in Carepoint Pharmacy to support growth of its 50-state pharmacy dispensing and patient access platform.

Healthcare & Life Sciences

Nordic Capital-backed LEO Pharma agreed to acquire dersimelagon rights from Bain-owned Tanabe for $435 million, bolstering its pipeline in medical dermatology. Hg made a growth investment in Nourish Care, a UK-based care software provider, while Livingbridge retained a minority stake. Columna Capital exited dental care provider Ardentis in a strategic sale to Medbase. THL agreed to acquire a website traffic management business from GRO, while Columna completed its exit from a Swiss dental group.

Energy & Infrastructure

Exponent agreed to invest in OFS, an Irish gas turbine services specialist serving power generation customers across more than 40 countries. Court Square and Five Point continued their oil and gas investments amid renewed private equity interest in the sector. Brookfield landed a $2.9 billion deal to acquire Reliance Worldwide Corporation, an Australian plumbing products manufacturer, after its fourth bid cleared the board. Hesta, one of Australia's top private equity investors with around A$4.9 billion allocated to the asset class, lost its unlisted assets head.

Technology & Software

GenNx360 kicked off its NVI buy-and-build strategy with the acquisition of Barracuda Specialty Services, a Gulf Coast inspection specialist. TowerBrook and CD&R-backed R1 agreed to acquire prior-authorization AI firm Humata, expanding R1's healthcare revenue management capabilities. Francisco Partners moved to take health tech firm Weave private in a $650 million deal. THL agreed to acquire Queue-It from GRO Capital in a deal reflecting growing interest in agentic commerce platforms. VCs poured billions into physical AI, with global venture funding in the space totaling $47.4 billion across 521 deals in the first half of 2026, nearly four times the second half of 2025. Reach Capital raised an oversubscribed $265 million Fund V to back AI founders focused on expanding human potential.

Capital Markets & IPO Watch

General Atlantic revived its IPO plans with JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley on board, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The potential listing represents a comeback for a fundraising effort that has been years in the making. SEMA is seeking domestic blind-pool private equity and venture capital funds for 2026, planning to commit 460 billion Korean won to the asset class. Hollyport backed Viking Growth's €160 million continuation vehicle for Talentech, a recruitment software platform that was previously moved into a multi-asset vehicle by Verdane. UBS tapped DC Advisory for a director hire, strengthening its EMEA secondaries advisory unit as the bank continues building out its private markets capabilities.

Secondary Market Trends

Ardian is exploring a multibillion-dollar sale of Swissbit, the Swiss maker of industrial data storage and security hardware, according to a Bloomberg report. Mark Benedetti of Ardian highlighted infrastructure secondaries as a mispricing bright spot within private markets, noting that while more capital is entering the space, much of it is being deployed by relatively new entrants. Novo Holdings, the $37 billion investment arm of Denmark's Novo Nordisk Foundation, is building a roster of homegrown GPs in Asia and growing its regional headcount under managing partner Amit Kakar.

Sports & Media

Clearlake Capital co-founder José E. Feliciano and his wife won a record $3.9 billion sale of the San Diego Padres in a unanimous Major League Baseball vote, tightening the private equity firm's grip on sports ownership. Mark Walter has explored selling his stake in Chelsea FC to Clearlake Capital, which already holds majority control of the London football club. The Columna exit from a Swiss dental group marked another strategic move by the firm.

Regulatory & Compliance

The DOJ’s probe into Andreessen Horowitz over board seats has baffled venture capitalists, who view occasional conflicts of interest as unavoidable for large VC firms given that portfolio companies often pivot and expand into competing markets. The investigation adds regulatory uncertainty to an already complex landscape for venture capital firms navigating governance issues.