Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 15, 2026, 8:30 PM ET

Mega-Deals and Major Financing

A potential $53 billion takeover bid for PayPal by Stripe and private equity firm Advent International has surfaced, signaling a significant potential shift in the payments landscape reported Wednesday. Separately, the New York Yankees are reportedly in advanced discussions with Apollo Global Management for a substantial $3 billion financing package according to a report. Ares Management has also finalized a $1.7 billion all-cash take-private transaction for U.S. retail property owner Whitestone REIT completed its acquisition.

Sector Focus: Technology and AI

Verdane has acquired a portfolio of minority stakes in technology businesses from bp, expanding its European tech investments acquires portfolio. Meanwhile, Monumental, a robotics startup, secured $32 million in funding backed by Khosla Ventures. The burgeoning field of artificial intelligence is also attracting significant private equity attention, with Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR providing $5.34 billion for Williams projects, and Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, and Anthropic launching a new AI services provider named Ode with Anthropic. KKR has also begun marketing Europe's first debt deal backed by PayPal's buy now, pay later loans begun marketing a debt deal.

Consolidation and Strategic Exits

Francisco Partners is reportedly nearing a $1.3 billion acquisition of construction software maker Command Alkon, as Thoma Bravo eyes an exit from its investment closes in on buyout. In the music rights sector, Cutting Edge has acquired the catalog of TV/film composer Brian Tyler, while Pophouse has acquired a stake in Iron Maiden's music and NIL rights. Mutares has sold its Finnish remediation firm Redo to Invex Group, and VSS has exited its investment in tech services company Centroid Systems. KKR is also set to acquire a 51% stake in Thomson Reuters’ global print business for $500 million, part of a broader trend of consolidation in private markets.

Specialized Investments and Add-on Acquisitions

Gemspring-backed Amplix has acquired technology sourcing and procurement firm One Connect, while Caltius is investing in tech services firm SaaS Consulting Group. Phoenix Equity Partners has invested in specialist supply chain consultancy Squarcle. In the industrial sector, ACP-backed Marco has acquired industrial products supplier Rocket Seals, and Atlas Holdings-backed Stryten Energy has acquired C&D Trojan Battery. AE Industrial has established a specialty materials platform with its acquisition of powder spray producer Powder Alloy.

Healthcare and Life Sciences Investments

Archi Med is taking biopharma firm Esperion Therapeutics private for $1.1 billion. Ardian has acquired a majority stake in Germany's Pflegia, a digital healthcare recruitment platform, and is also set to take a majority stake in German battery-tech firm Munich Electrification. Warburg Pincus-led investors are acquiring a controlling stake in pharmacy Pantherx Rare, and Kaltroco is investing in school dental program Smile America Partners.

Secondaries Market Activity

Louisiana Teachers are exploring a sale of private equity secondaries to reduce their allocation to buyout assets and increase liquidity. Credit manager Serone has launched a buyout secondaries strategy with hires from Ardian and UBS. High Vista has appointed Ramit Malhotra as principal for its GP-led secondaries team taps principal, and Asante is building its APAC secondaries business with an ex-Evercore hire. Moelis is also building out its LP-led secondaries business with a team from Evercore.

Pension Fund Performance and LP Intentions

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) reported a preliminary net investment return of 14.8% for the year ending June 30, 2026, with private equity being a significant contributor lifts CalPERS to return. Separately, CalPERS posted a 17 percent PE return in a recent update. Investor intentions include Chicago FABF issuing an RFP for investment consultants for its $1.66 billion AUM, and KBIZ seeking domestic blind-pool PE/VC funds for 2026, aiming to commit 300 billion won.

Fintech and Venture Capital Trends

Fintech funding surged nearly 23% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, driven by larger deals despite a fall in the number of transactions. Corporate venture capital is showing a split, with wind-downs at some firms potentially indicating a concentration of power at the top of the market. Cybersecurity startups saw robust funding in the first quarter of 2026, with privacy and cybersecurity firms attracting $4.4 billion in Q2 financing. General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund has provided $1 billion to David Beckham's health drink startup IM8, notably without taking equity investments.

European Market Activity and Growth Capital

Verdane has acquired a portfolio of technology stakes from bp acquires portfolio. Inflexion is set to acquire single-use medical consumables business Primed Group from Paragon Partners, marking its sixth DACH investment and third healthcare deal in the region. EQT has sweetened its bid for Australian fund manager Perpetual to A$22.07 per share after its initial offer was rejected sweetens Perpetual bid. Nordic Capital is targeting the water treatment sector, citing significant investment requirements and skilled labor constraints. Bridgepoint is backing Danish defense business UMag.

AI and Defense Technology Investments

Ode with Anthropic has launched as PE firms team up with AI specialists, including backing from Apollo Global Management and Blackstone. OpenAI researcher Miles Wang is in talks to launch an AI drug discovery startup valued at $2 billion, highlighting investor interest in applying AI to life sciences. Helsing has raised $1.8 billion backed by Goldman and Lightspeed. Project Q, a defense tech startup, has secured €15 million in Series A funding.