Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: May 12, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Private Equity Deal Flow & Exits

The pace of private equity transactions showed a mixed picture recently, with deal volume decreasing in Q1 2026 even as the aggregate value of completed transactions increased, suggesting larger buyouts are dominating the market. Exits saw significant activity, including Gen Nx360 divesting Precision Aviation Group to VSE for a reported price exceeding $2bn; PAG, the seller, operates 29 global locations. In other strategic sales, LDC sold construction data firm BCIS to Bowmark Capital, while Paceline plans to offload railroad firm RELAM by the end of May 2026.

Sector-Specific Acquisitions & Platform Builds

Activity across specialized sectors remained high, with several firms executing bolt-on acquisitions to build out existing platforms. Bridgepoint-backed NMi Group acquired Berlin-based testing laboratory Techno Lab, following news that NMi Group’s ATIC business might enter the aerospace & defense sector. In healthcare, Lorient provided capital to health platform Peter MD to fuel its national expansion efforts, while in the life sciences tool space, a Branford Castle portfolio company snapped up Sutter Instrument, a manufacturer of scientific instrumentation used in polygraph and human evaluation markets. Meanwhile, AnaCap launched its Italian professional services platform Titan by agreeing to take a majority stake in Cattaneo Dall’Olio Rho Tax & Legal Group.

Technology & Infrastructure Investments

Tech and infrastructure saw substantial capital deployment, including a major energy infrastructure deal where Blackstone and Halliburton committed $1bn to Volta Grid to accelerate the deployment of behind-the-meter power generation for data centers. In the digital marketplace arena, Blackstone is moving to acquire Greek online marketplace Skroutz from CVC, a transaction mentioned amid looming deadlines for dealmaking processes. Further bolstering digital platforms, Providence Equity-backed 365 Retail Markets acquired retail tech firm Cantaloupe, while Dominus-backed Seaga Manufacturing purchased Three Square Market for automated retail solutions.

Financial Services & Specialized Verticals

Goldman Sachs Alternatives completed an acquisition of commercial finance firm FGI, with FGI co-founder Sami Altaher succeeding David DiPiero as CEO post-close. In payments, Apis and Aspirity co-led a $175M investment into issuing and processing platform Paymentology. The sports investment vertical also saw movement as Bruin Capital acquired a minority stake in Matchroom Sport, which promotes and produces sporting events, aligning with themes that business models are catching up to sports fandom passion, as noted by Dynasty Equity’s Don Cornwell who invests in related assets.

European Tech, AI, and Quantum Focus

European technology investment continues to center heavily on artificial intelligence, with a growing percentage of 2026 venture funding being AI-driven, fueling new frontier model companies across the continent. This surge in AI interest is creating talent pressures, as European quantum startups face a looming commercial talent crunch, even as some hot AI startups are set to poach staff from Big Tech. Separately, Verdane is set to acquire a stake in Telenor Connexion, the IoT unit of the telecom giant, while Altor has launched an offer to buy AI-powered sleep tracking application Sleep Cycle.

Secondaries Market and Capital Raising

The secondaries market is reportedly experiencing some friction, with uncertainty causing a dent in volumes and managers advising caution regarding evergreen marketing strategies. Specific segments within secondaries are proving difficult, as Harbour Vest noted that closing deals for software assets is getting harder, particularly for businesses that might be made obsolete by AI innovation. Despite broader caution, capital commitments continue, with QIA pledging $500M toward General Atlantic’s global growth investment strategies, which will involve collaboration on thematic research. Furthermore, Verdane closed a significant funding move, finalizing a €635M multi-asset continuation vehicle, on which Coller emerged as the sole lead for a separate €600M-plus CV involving Step Stone underwriting parts of the transaction including the Arrive Group.

Firm Strategy and Talent Moves

Private equity firms are actively expanding their strategic focus and internal capabilities. Lone Star finalized its acquisition of DOMO Engineered Materials, a producer of polyamide-based engineered materials. In personnel news, Calera Capital appointed Michael O’Brien as managing director and business development head, bringing him over from Valspring Capital. Meanwhile, investors are looking to fill data gaps; Scientific Infra & Private Assets CEO Frédéric Blanc-Brude discussed how asset-level data is necessary for accurately measuring alpha in private markets. On a broader strategic note, M&G sees openings for private capital to support Europe's defense push, energy resilience, and the conversion of manufacturing facilities.