Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: March 30, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Fundraising & Strategy Shifts

Inflexion Private Equity successfully tapped the private wealth channel for its latest fundraising effort, closing an oversubscribed €4.5 billion fund that strategically incorporated capital from wealth managers following high demand, according to Flor Kassai, the firm’s head of buyout. This move contrasts with a decade defined by cheap debt and rising multiples, leading to a broader industry shift where private equity firms are increasingly prioritizing "substance over structure," suggesting that holding periods may be lengthening to an average of twelve years rather than five as noted by industry observers. Meanwhile, Brookfield Asset Management navigated these changing expectations by hosting discussions with institutional investors, such as the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, focusing on evolving strategies for sustained success in the current climate. This strategic focus on long-term value creation is also reflected in exit planning, where Brookfield's David Nowak emphasized the importance of initiating educational outreach to strategic buyers three to five years before a planned exit from portfolio companies like the German battery storage business it backed.

Sectoral Deal Flow & Exits

Activity remained concentrated in specialized sectors, with multiple firms targeting the pathology space, including Astorg, Cinven, and Nordic Capital reportedly pursuing five potential transactions in the segment. Concurrently, Kearney estimates a "$1 trillion gap" is attracting private equity interest toward women’s health, signaling a growing focus on underserved medical markets as noted by Paula Bellostas Muguerza. In terms of exits, Advent International is set to fully divest its investment in the hair care brand Olaplex, selling the Nasdaq-listed company to Henkel for $1.4 billion, provided the deal closes as expected in the second quarter. Furthermore, Advent is initiating a new investment in the engineering and consulting firm Atwell, with the transaction anticipated to finalize in the second quarter of 2026. In the technology exit arena, SAP is moving to acquire Reltio, a company backed by NewView Capital, with closing expected in the second or third quarter of 2026.

Venture Capital Momentum & Geographic Focus

Despite broader retrenchment in some areas, venture funding remains vigorous in specific geographic and technology hubs, with Austin, Texas, reporting all-time high startup funding levels according to Crunchbase data. Globally, the pace of large-scale dealmaking saw an uptick this week, led by a massive $10 billion disclosure from OpenAI, alongside other significant capital raises in AI and defense. Furthermore, institutional backing for deep technology continues, as BlackRock-managed funds invested €50 million (approximately $57 in IQM Quantum Computers ahead of the quantum computing firm’s planned $1.8 billion initial public offering. Conversely, some European venture firms are restructuring; Speedinvest announced a 10% staff reduction following a period of internal churn, reflecting cautious sentiment in the regional startup ecosystem, even as others debate the merits of mimicking the Silicon Valley model as suggested by some commentators versus leveraging Europe’s "second mover advantage" as proposed by others.

Credit Markets & Infrastructure

Investment banks are actively building out specialized teams to capitalize on evolving credit opportunities, evidenced by Evercore expanding its Europe-based credit secondaries team with four new hires, two of whom originated from PJT. This focus on credit infrastructure is mirrored in direct investment activity, where Bonaccord made a minority investment into the commercial real estate credit platform Prime Finance. This capital infusion is intended to bolster Prime Finance's balance sheet and expand its credit platform, supporting its institutional infrastructure. Meanwhile, in Latin America, HIG Capital is divesting its stake in a Brazilian internet service provider to Claro in a transaction valued at roughly $750 million, marking a significant exit for the firm in the region's telecommunications infrastructure sector.