Private Equity 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 8, 2026, 4:58 AM ET
Mega-Deals and Take-Privates
CD&R has teamed up with McKesson in a $5.8bn take-private of Option Care Health, one of the largest healthcare buyouts of the cycle. KKR, meanwhile, agreed a $5.1bn purchase of Gen II Fund Services from Hg and General Atlantic, a deal that brings a leading independent fund administrator under KKR's roof. In Europe, CVC and GBL have lifted their offer for Recordati to €53 a share, describing it as a "best and final" bid for the Italian pharmaceutical group.
Infrastructure and Energy
GIP, part of BlackRock, and CPP Investments have taken a 50% stake in a new AT&T fibre joint venture, splitting ownership of the network asset evenly between the two investors. Partners Group-backed Middle River Power has bought a California gas plant from Ares, expanding its independent power portfolio. Brazos Midstream, backed by Old Ironsides and EnCap Flatrock, is selling its Midland assets to ONEOK for $4.4bn, with the gathering and processing system covering about 700 miles of Permian infrastructure.
Healthcare Services and Data
Spectrum Equity has made its first institutional investment in Pittsburgh-based Symmetric, a hospital data firm whose database covers nearly 20 million healthcare records. Altaris has completed the carve-out of Clarivate's life sciences and healthcare business, which provides AI-enabled data intelligence and decision-support tools. Goldman Sachs-backed Integrity Care Group has completed a deal for 15 NextCare clinics across Oklahoma, Missouri and two other states.
Senior Living and Services
BDT & MSD has agreed to acquire Sunrise Senior Living from PSP Investments, a platform operating more than 230 senior living communities across the US and Canada. North Branch Capital has backed Callaway Industrial Services, an industrial maintenance provider based in Mooresville, North Carolina. Carlyle and CVC's CFGI has struck a deal for BAO Consulting, a Texas advisory firm founded in 2021 that offers accounting, CFO and controllership services.
Consolidation and Add-ons
Align Capital Partners' Advantage Investigations has completed an add-on acquisition of Nor Star Investigations, a Fishkill, New York firm providing surveillance and background checks. Eurazeo is making a play in water efficiency through its Miya Water move, while Blackstone has agreed to exit its B2B events business Clarion at a $3bn enterprise value. Sojourner is pursuing a merger with LPNA to broaden its personal care capabilities, and Main Capital, Gemspring and One Equity have placed bets on cybersecurity.
Fundraising and Fund Strategy
Fundraising rose in Q3, according to preliminary PEI Group data. Boka is targeting $300m for its third defence fund, having started the raise in Q2 with a final close aimed for Q1. On the secondaries side, a new hybrid solution is being positioned for an increasingly complex market.
Venture and Growth Capital
Endeavor Catalyst has raised $320 million to back founders outside San Francisco, even as venture capital continues to crowd into the Bay Area. Mecka AI has secured $60 million from Sequoia to train humanoid robots using human motion data. North American startup funding fell 35% in Q3 as AI megarounds faded, with investors deploying $92 billion across seed through growth-stage rounds. Hilt raised $4.2 million in seed funding for its cybersecurity startup, and Rivercell has raised $25 million to build a world model for human cells.
Europe's AI Ambitions
Aleph Alpha and Mistral's latest releases have raised hopes for Europe's sovereign AI ambitions, with investors watching whether the region can build competitive domestic model providers. Leatherback has rebranded to Foren after a two-year transformation.
Startup Guidance and Market Outlook
Writing for Crunchbase News, Maor Farid argues that AI IPOs are raising the bar for investors as public-market scrutiny increases. On the fundraising front, Sifted has published a guide to raising a Series A, detailing what investors want to see. Sifted also profiled seven Cambridge alumni building startups in stealth, and Bending Spoons' CEO explained why M&A often fails. Finally, Tech Crunch Disrupt 2026 is six days away, and early pass discounts are available before doors open.