Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 10, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Fundraising and M&A Activity

Harbour Vest Partners successfully closed its seventh direct co-investment program, HCF VII, with approximately $4.75 billion in commitments, surpassing its fundraising target closed its seventh co-investment program. In the second quarter, private equity fundraising hit a new record, with inflows significantly boosted by the $49 billion raised for MGX Fund I in June. Meanwhile, the global mergers and acquisitions market continues to be dominated by mega-deals, indicating the sustained power of large transactions. Secondaries activity is anticipated to surge in the second half of the year, following a challenging first half marked by macroeconomic volatility. Charlesbank completed an investment in the secondaries private equity firm Overbay, with the Overbay team retaining significant long-term shareholder status and operational control.

Sector-Specific Investments and Deals

Apollo Global Management is set to invest €3 billion into Bayer's contraceptives business as part of a capital solutions deal to invest €3bn, and separately made a £5.7 billion bid for easy Jet, surpassing Castlelake's prior offer and prompting the airline's board to withdraw support for the rival suitor tabling a higher offer. Carlyle exited its investment in solar and energy storage developer Copia to EQT for $2.6 billion, a move that bolsters EQT's artificial intelligence infrastructure portfolio. Warburg Pincus is backing Australian credit agency Creditor Watch to support its expansion across Asia backs Australian credit agency. In the HR technology sector, Shore Capital acquired HR tech firm ThrivePass, and Ardian closed a €1 billion growth investment in HR Path. KKR launched a new platform, Allyntra, focused on medical technology, anchored by its existing portfolio company Precipart. Primary care is attracting attention, with Apollo, Kain, and OMERS investing in the sector, while KKR established a new platform to drive innovation in medical devices.

Venture Capital and Startup Funding

Europe experienced its strongest venture funding quarter in four years, with startups raising $24 billion in the second quarter, a rise of approximately one-third. Paradigm, a cryptocurrency venture capital firm, raised $1.2 billion for a new fund that will extend its investment focus beyond crypto to include robotics and artificial intelligence. EdVisorly, an AI-native platform aiming to streamline the college transfer process, secured $13.3 million in Series A funding. In the defense technology sector, a European unicorn raised $175 million in its Series B round. Nandan Nilekani has stepped down from his partner role at Fundamentum as the firm launched its third fund at $200 million, with Nilekani remaining the anchor investor and the firm targeting AI and fintech startups in India.

Investor Activity and Market Trends

The Minnesota State Board of Investment is seeking a general investment consultant is seeking a general investment consultant. The Korean government-related investment organization plans to commit 270 billion Korean won to domestic blind funds for 2026. Separately, Korean Teachers' Credit Union intends to commit 100 billion won to domestic blind-pool funds in 2026. L1 Impact is targeting $100 million across four funds with a social impact focus, aiming to allocate capital in the Middle East and India. Temasek aims to increase its allocations to AI-focused investments, private credit, and core-plus infrastructure assets by March 2031, noting that direct investments in EMEA have lagged other markets. Australian pension fund Rest is increasing its exposure to private markets, with a specific focus on private equity and infrastructure.

Legal and Operational Developments

Fizz, a college application platform, has escalated its lawsuit against rival Sidechat, alleging that a Maveron VC shared confidential startup information obtained during a fundraising meeting with Sidechat. Blue Wolf appointed Anne Bailey as lead operating partner, while George Judd will continue as an operating partner at the firm. O2 Investment Partners has appointed Micah Dawson as an operating partner to concentrate on driving value across its portfolio companies. American Pacific promoted Luchi Mmegwa to managing director, who joined the firm in 2020 after graduating from Harvard Business School.