Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 6, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Private Equity Dealmaking & Fundraisings

Warburg Pincus is exiting its investment in Singular Bank, a Spanish private banking specialist, agreeing to sell its stake to a consortium led by ING. This move comes as Lone Star Funds is set to acquire Conti Tech, the rubber and thermoplastics division of Continental AG, in a €4 billion transaction. In parallel, Foresight Group is actively exploring opportunities within industrial decarbonization, with managing partner Dan Wells noting a strong pipeline in decentralized energy systems despite macroeconomic headwinds and higher financing costs impacting deal pricing and execution.

CVC Capital Partners has successfully closed its mid-market fund, CVC Catalyst III, at approximately €3 billion, nearly double its initial target. This fundraising underscores continued LP appetite for specialized vehicles even amidst market uncertainties. Similarly, Eurazeo has surpassed its fundraising target for its largest-ever secondaries vehicle, Eurazeo Fund V, which raised more than double its predecessor at €2.3 billion. These successful closes indicate a robust demand for private equity capital, particularly in the European mid-market and secondaries space.

Fund Exits & Portfolio Activity

Eurazeo has divested its stake in FST Hotels, a Spanish hotel portfolio, to Extendam, a European firm focusing on hospitality private equity. This exit highlights activity within the European hospitality sector. Meanwhile, Blackstone's private wealth fund recorded its best-ever monthly return, significantly boosted by its investment in AI developer Anthropic. This performance demonstrates the strong impact of AI investments on fund returns for high-net-worth individuals.

Venture Capital & Startup Valuations

The venture capital landscape continues to be shaped by a surge in AI-focused startups, with nearly 90 new unicorns minted globally so far this year. This trend is fueling significant investment rounds, such as ElevenLabs' reported target of a $22 billion valuation in its latest share sale. Despite the overall investor frenzy around AI, the Chinese private equity market is undergoing a repositioning, potentially offering a more disciplined opportunity set for investors who maintain conviction in the region.

Emerging Themes & Investor Interest

The Town of Wellesley is actively seeking an investment consultant for its retirement board and Other Post-Employment Benefits trust, issuing a Request for Proposals Wellesley Retirement Board. This indicates ongoing institutional interest in diversifying retirement assets. Within the European ecosystem, a 30-year initiative is transforming startup placements into patents EU initiative, showcasing a long-term strategy for innovation commercialization. The company Bending Spoons, largely unknown to the public, has built a substantial portfolio serving over a billion users, including ownership of AOL and Vimeo, illustrating the quiet growth of significant tech players.