Private Equity 3d Briefing
×Fundraising & Market Trends
The DPI metric privateequityinternational.com is driving fundraising priorities for 2026 as "DPI is the new IRR" gains traction across the PE industry. Carlyle AlpInvest secondariesinvestor.com seeks to raise $60bn as part of a fundraising supercycle, while Charterhouse pe-insights.com has secured $1.1bn first close for its new European mid-market fund. The secondaries market continues its record-breaking pace with Ares Management pe-insights.com deploying $850m in a continuation strategy amid a $240bn secondaries wave.
Investment Activity
Science Corp news.crunchbase.com, a biotech startup focused on brain-computer interface technologies, closed a $230 million Series C fundraise. Eight Sleep news.crunchbase.com raised $50 million at a $1.5 billion valuation to expand into predictive, AI-driven health technology. The AI investment boom continues with Neuberger Berman pe-insights.com leading a $500m investment in Ayar Labs at a $3.75bn valuation, backed by Nvidia. February set a record for startup funding with massive AI deals news.crunchbase.com driving $189 billion in global venture investment.
PE Firm News
Synergy Sports Capital pehub.com has debuted as a new PE firm focused on the lower middle market. GCM Grosvenor pehub.com has backed the launch of Torch Key, a new PE firm focused on food and beverage and industrial products. New Mountain secondariesinvestor.com sees acceptance of continuation vehicles as creating opportunities for new PE entrants in the current market environment.
Secondaries Market
Secondaries market uncertainty secondariesinvestor.com is creating both headwinds and tailwinds as it braces for the next round of macroeconomic challenges. Despite this uncertainty, PJ Partners' Adrian Millan secondariesinvestor.com predicts 2026 will set another record for secondaries. The compatibility of GP-led secondaries secondariesinvestor.com with evergreen funds is under scrutiny as the former hit an all-time high in 2025. Continuation vehiclesREF