Private Equity 24-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 22, 2026, 3:40 PM ET
Mega-Deals & Take-Privates
EQT has agreed to take QIAGEN private in a €10.8bn transaction backed by ADIA and CPP Investments, valuing the life sciences tools group at a substantial premium. KKR, meanwhile, is carving out explosion safety businesses from Hoerbiger, acquiring IEP Technologies and Newson Gale through its Global Impact strategy.
Infrastructure & Real Assets
Stonepeak has completed its acquisition of Chicago Parking Meters from a consortium of sellers. Ares Management has secured a €1.5bn equity commitment from Norges Bank Investment Management for a European logistics partnership. IFM Investors has named Michael Kulper head of its North America infrastructure business, a senior appointment for the Australian fund manager's infrastructure franchise.
Venture Funding & Early-Stage Deals
Slingshot Insurance has raised $27M in seed funding to build an AI-native insurer for small policies sold at checkout. In Zurich, Enact Intelligence drew backing from Yann LeCun and Arthur Mensch in a $30m pre-seed round. Italian startups, according to fresh data, are growing up, with larger early-stage rounds and more late-stage money flowing in.
Founders & Fundraising
Top investors are breaking down what founders need to raise a Series A in today's market. Sifted profiled Aaron Rosenberg, the investor DeepMind researchers reportedly call before they leave the lab. Ireland's AI sector, meanwhile, needs breakout successes to match its buzz.
Secondaries & Market Sentiment
Sun Hung Kai & Co has backed Clipway and Aquilius as part of its push into secondaries. Acquirers are snapping up boom-era startups that have not raised funding in years, a sign of distressed opportunity in the late-cycle market. A Crunchbase guest column argues the AI IPO wave resembles the dot-com bubble, pointing to Anthropic's delayed listing as evidence.
Coming Up
Founders can catch the TechCrunch Founder Summit in Boston on November 4.