Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 15, 2026, 11:30 PM ET

Private Equity Dealmaking and Fund Activity

A potential mega-deal involving payments giant Stripe and private equity firm Advent International emerged this week, with the pair reportedly making an offer to acquire PayPal for over $53 billion . In other large-cap transactions, Ares Management completed the take-private of Whitestone REIT for approximately $1.7 billion in an all-cash deal . Apollo Global Management is also reportedly in advanced talks to provide a nearly $3 billion financing package for the New York Yankees. Francisco Partners is nearing a $1.3 billion acquisition of construction software maker Command Alkon, while EQT sweetened its bid for Australian fund manager Perpetual to A$22.07 per share after its initial offer was rejected .

Sector Focus: Technology and AI Investments

Technology remains a core focus for private equity, with Verdane acquiring a portfolio of minority stakes in technology businesses from bp. Gemspring-backed Amplix acquired tech sourcing and procurement firm, and Caltius invested in tech services firm. In the AI space, Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, and Anthropic called Ode with Anthropic, with backing from several other major firms including Apollo Global Management . Separately, Apollo Global Management, alongside Blackstone and KKR, is also providing $5.34 billion for Williams projects, which are reportedly linked to AI initiatives. Venture funding into fintech startups also surged nearly 23% year-over-year in the first half of 2026, with a notable concentration on AI.

Buyouts, Exits, and Portfolio Management

Mutares has sold Finnish remediation firm Redo to Invex Group, with Redo having been part of Mutares' portfolio since 2023. VSS exited its investment in tech services company. CAI Capital exited HVAC provider Custom Air to Service Logic Holdings Canada after an eight-year holding period that saw significant growth through add-on deals. Wynnchurch exited flow control specialist Flo Works to Ferguson for $1.6 billion, representing a multiple of 10x LTM adjusted EBITDA. In the music rights sector, Cutting Edge acquired the catalog of TV/film, and Pophouse acquired a stake in Iron Maiden's music.

Secondaries Market Activity and Investor Trends

The secondaries market is experiencing significant activity, with Louisiana Teachers exploring a secondaries sale to reduce its private equity allocation and increase liquidity. Credit manager Serone has launched a buyout secondaries strategy with hires from Ardian and UBS. High Vista also launched its, and Asante is building its Asia-Pacific secondaries business with an ex-Evercore hire. Moelis and Ardea Partners are also building out their secondaries advisory teams with hires from Evercore. Real estate secondaries are seeing increased deal flow as institutional investors seek exposure to in-demand asset classes. Carlyle Alp Invest closed its second single-asset-focused fund on $1.7 billion, surpassing its target and predecessor fund.

Fundraising, Strategy Shifts, and Fund Sizes

Venture capital firm Greylock at $1.5 billion, aiming to maintain a more focused portfolio and be a more pivotal partner to its founders . Vertex Growth III is seeking $250 million, making it significantly smaller than its predecessor. CalPERS reported a preliminary net investment return of 14.8% for the year ending June 30, 2026, with private equity being a strong contributor. Inflexion signed a deal for a single-use medical consumables business, Primed Group, from Paragon Partners. Nordic Capital is targeting European water treatment due to significant investment needs and sector constraints. Consolidation and Strategic Acquisitions Across Sectors

The private markets industry is witnessing ongoing consolidation, with Apollo, Clearlake, and KKR among firms acquiring other private markets entities. KKR is acquiring a 51% stake in Thomson Reuters’ global print business for $500 million, with Thomson Reuters retaining a 49% stake in the joint venture. AE Industrial acquired powder spray producer Powder Alloy to establish a specialty materials platform. Atlas Holdings-backed Stryten Energy acquired KPS-backed C&D Trojan Battery, expanding its. CAI Capital-backed Green Arrow acquired three transportation tech firms, while ACP-backed Marco acquired industrial products supplier Rocket Seals. Financing and Corporate Venture Capital

KKR is marketing Europe's first debt deal backed by PayPal's buy now, pay later loans. General Catalyst's Customer Value Fund is providing $1 billion to David Beckham's health drink startup IM8, notable for not making equity. Corporate venture capital is seeing a split, with a concentration of power at the top of the market. Cybersecurity startups attracted $4.4 billion in seed-through growth-stage financing in the second quarter of 2026.

Specialty Investments and Valuations

The robotics startup Monumental raised $32 million backed by. Ardian acquired a majority stake in German battery-tech, and also took a majority stake in Germany's Pflegia, a digital healthcare recruitment platform. Bridgepoint signed a deal for a majority stake in Danish defense company UMag. Warburg Pincus-led investor group is acquiring a controlling stake in. OpenAI researcher Miles Wang is reportedly in talks to launch an AI drug discovery startup valued at $2 billion, signaling investor interest in applying AI to life sciences. Nous Research, an Hermes agent maker, is in talks for new funding at a $1.5 billion.