Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 14, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Deal Activity and Sector Focus

Private equity firms continued their active acquisition pace across diverse sectors. Capital-backed GreenArrow, expanding its infrastructure and electrical services. Innovatus-backed Meet The People scooped up The Loomis Agency and its digital marketing arm, iluminere. Kaltroco invested in the school dental program Smile America Partners to support its growth. Gryphon-backed SMG acquired health, safety, and environmental services firm Cross Safety, including its TRH operations in the US and Mexico. Great Point-backed Vetn Care added Holistic Veterinary Care to its community of veterinary hospitals. Archi Med took biopharma firm Esperion Therapeutics private for $1.1 billion. Warburg Pincus-led investors are set to acquire a controlling stake in pharmacy Pantherx Rare. Odyssey Investment Partners invested in packaging and logistics firm Trans Pak to fuel its next phase of growth. IMB Partners invested in heavy civil contractor Strategic Land Services, which performs critical civil work for electric grid expansion. ACP-backed Marco acquired industrial products supplier Rocket Seals, a provider of specialty rubber, plastic, and metal components. Broadwing-backed Lehr acquired emergency vehicle upfitting assets of Pro Logic ITS, marking its tenth add-on acquisition. HIG Capital’s OB Streem acquired Med Frigo in Greece, enhancing its cold-chain logistics capabilities.

Consolidation and Strategic Investments

Industry consolidation remains a key theme, with major players actively acquiring peers. KKR agreed to acquire a 51% stake in Thomson Reuters’ global print business for $500 million, forming a joint venture where Thomson Reuters retains a 49% stake. Apollo and Clearlake were also noted as buyers in this consolidating market. Private markets consolidation continues with multiple deals reported. Lightyear Capital backed tax and accounting firm Prosperity Partners, with Unity Partners maintaining a minority stake. Inflexion signed a deal to acquire Primed Group, a German provider of single-use medical consumables, from Paragon Partners. Battery Ventures-backed ORTEC completed an add-on acquisition of TOBA HR Solutions, expanding its regional healthcare client base. Main Capital-backed Whitevision acquired Documation, marking its second UK acquisition this year. Atlas Holdings-backed Stryten Energy acquired C&D Trojan Battery from KPS, expanding its battery manufacturing footprint to 15 facilities across the U.S. Atlas Holdings-backed. AE Industrial acquired powder spray producer Powder Alloy, establishing a specialty materials platform. Mill Point Capital completed the acquisition of Total Safety Supplies & Solutions from Littlejohn & Co.’s portfolio company Total Safety US, while Comvest Private Equity rebranded as Vesterra Capital Partners.

Secondaries Market and Capital Formation

The secondaries market is evolving into a sophisticated capital formation tool, offering liquidity and strategic repositioning for investors. Investors are leveraging secondaries to unlock liquidity, retain high-conviction assets, and reposition platforms for growth. Asante is building its APAC secondaries business with a new hire from Evercore. Ardea Partners has appointed an MD from PJT for its secondaries advisory services, reflecting a trend of talent movement in the sector. Moelis is building out its LP-led secondaries business with a team from Evercore, aiming to construct a new division. The boom in LP-led secondaries is being driven by market conditions that encourage sellers to enter the market, according to industry leaders. Late-stage secondary offerings are transforming private market access for investors.

Firm Developments and Leadership Changes

Internal promotions and new hires signal strategic growth and leadership changes within private equity firms. Banyan promoted Simon Gélinas to managing director and head of investments, where he will lead day-to-day investment functions. Vance Street appointed Jason Burmer as managing director and head of business development, bringing extensive experience from Edgewater Capital Partners. Gen Nx360 tapped Adam Feuer as operating partner, previously serving in a similar role at One Rock Capital Partners. CalPERS reported a 17% private equity return. Ardian is closing a venture capital fund on a 2.5-year-old asset. Asante is building out its secondaries business with an Evercore hire.

Sector Trends and Investor Intentions

Specific sectors are attracting significant investor interest, while pension funds are issuing RFPs for investment consultants. Cybersecurity startup funding shows strength, with Q1 2026 being a robust period, particularly for privacy and cybersecurity firms. David Beckham’s health drink startup IM8 secured $1 billion from General Catalyst’s Customer Value Fund, which operates on a non-equity investment model. The European defense technology sector is seeing investment, with Nest AI aiming to reduce reliance on foreign models, and defense tech Project Q landing a €15 million Series A. Helsing, backed by Goldman Sachs and Lightspeed, raised $1.8 billion. Sixth Street is exploring Asian sports deals as part of its regional expansion, with initial focus on Japan and India. Water treatment is an attractive sector for private equity, driven by significant investment needs and constraints in skilled labor and engineering expertise. Bridgepoint is backing a Danish defense business. Ardian is set to acquire a majority stake in German battery-tech firm Munich Electrification. Chicago FABF issued an RFP for investment consultants to advise on its $1.66 billion AUM. KBIZ is seeking domestic blind-pool PE/VC funds for 2026, intending to commit 300 billion won.

Venture Capital and Emerging Trends

Venture capital funding continues to flow into promising startups, with a particular focus on AI and biotech. General Catalyst’s unusual Customer Value Fund provided $1 billion to David Beckham’s health drink startup IM8. The first quarter of 2026 saw robust funding for cybersecurity and privacy startups. A founder who sold his startup to Klarna for €110 million has raised €12 million to build again. Defence tech startup Project Q secured €15 million in Series A funding. Hermes agent maker Nous Research is in talks for new funding at a $1.5 billion valuation, raising at least $75 million. Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield has joined Anthropic to work on its AI compute team. Sapphire Ventures’ Anders