Private Equity 3 Days

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

Fundraising and Investor Intentions

Investor appetite for private equity remains robust, with several firms actively seeking capital and strategic partnerships. JRT Partners is looking to increase its exposure to secondaries, signaling an openness to opportunities across the U.S., Australia, and Western Europe. Separately, CNPADC is seeking experienced investment consultants with a strong track record in due diligence across various asset classes, indicating a strategic approach to portfolio management. The evolving fundraising environment emphasizes trust between managers and investors, moving beyond just fund structure, as noted by Fraser van Rensburg and Warren Hibbert of Asante Capital in new rules of fundraising. Meanwhile, Eurazeo successfully closed its fifth generation private equity secondaries program at €2.3 billion, exceeding its €2 billion target, and CVC Capital Partners closed its European-focused mid-market fund, Catalyst III, at €3 billion, nearly double its target.

Energy Transition and Infrastructure Deals

Several significant transactions are underway in the energy transition and infrastructure sectors, highlighting a sustained focus on decarbonization and critical infrastructure. Blackstone has agreed to acquire Dresser Utility Solutions, a provider of natural gas and water measurement and infrastructure equipment, from First Reserve. This acquisition marks the first deal for Blackstone Energy Transition Partners V Blackstone Energy Transition Partners V. In a related move, Permira is backing Iberian engineering group Quadrante with a strategic investment, marking its second deal under its Energy Transition strategy. Avance has also invested in infrastructure firm Lexxel, with the founders and management team reinvesting significant equity. Furthermore, Foresight sees a strong flow of opportunities in decentralized energy systems, despite macroeconomic uncertainties influencing pricing.

Strategic Acquisitions and Divestitures

The private equity landscape continues to see active portfolio management through acquisitions and divestitures. CVC has agreed to sell its stake in D-Marin, a premium marina operator across the EMEA region, to Infra Via Capital Partners. D-Marin manages 28 marinas in nine countries, serving over 50,000 customers annually D-Marin operations. In a substantial industrials deal, Lone Star Funds is set to acquire Conti Tech, the industrial materials arm of Continental, for €4 billion. Conti Tech is the rubber and thermoplastics unit of Continental ContiTech business unit. London-based Cobham Ultra, backed by Advent International, is selling its undersea warfare solutions provider Ultra Maritime for $3.45 billion. Additionally, Bruin Capital plans to sell golf simulation company Full Swing to Versant Media for $530 million.

Software and Technology Investments

The technology sector, particularly software and AI-driven solutions, remains a focal point for private equity investment. Bridgepoint has provided a €200 million minority investment to Skello, an AI-powered HR management software provider serving 25,000 businesses across Europe. A significant pension fund, managing $67 billion, is actively seeking bargains in the software market, as noted in a "Side Letter" report Software bargains sought. The rapid advancement of AI is also forcing software players to rethink their business models AI's impact on software. Meanwhile, EQT is acquiring parking technology group Orikan, signaling a mid-market push into the Asia Pacific region.

Market Dynamics and Investor Sentiment

The broader market environment presents both challenges and opportunities for private equity investors. Scott Hart, CEO of Step Stone Group, suggests the private equity model is not broken, but the illusion of uniform success from the "easy money" era is fading Private equity model analysis. Despite a "challenging" environment, the private equity portfolio of Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) grew by approximately $1.4 billion year-on-year, reaching a total of $1.8 trillion GPIF PE portfolio growth. Venture capital LPs are increasingly concentrating investments in megafunds, potentially mistaking perceived safety for better returns and sacrificing higher upside opportunities, according to analysis of market uncertainty VC LP concentration. China's private equity sector is undergoing a reset, which could lead to a more disciplined opportunity set for investors who maintain conviction in the market China PE repositioning. In cleantech, investor funding stabilized in the first half of the year, with $15 billion poured into seed through growth-stage rounds for companies in cleantech, EV, and sustainability-focused categories Cleantech funding stabilization.

Other Notable Transactions

The period has also seen a range of other significant transactions across various sectors. Capmont is set to carve out Dyneon, a fluoropolymer manufacturer, from 3M Deutschland. Dyneon's products serve critical sectors including semiconductors, medical technology, electric vehicles, aerospace, and energy. HIG is acquiring a majority stake in Germany’s Terras Group, which provides infrastructure engineering and construction services across mobility, energy, digital, water, and urban development sectors in the DACH region. Warburg Pincus is exiting Singular Bank, a private banking firm specializing in wealth advisory, selling its stake to a consortium led by ING Warburg Pincus exits Singular. In a potential major deal, Castlelake has secured easy Jet's board support for a take-private proposal that would value the UK budget carrier at approximately $7.3 billion.