Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: July 22, 2026, 2:30 PM ET

Private Equity Dealmaking Accelerates Across Sectors

Private equity firms have been active across a diverse range of sectors, announcing several acquisitions and investments. TJC is set to acquire Sunbelt Solomon, an electrical power firm with operations in the US, Canada, and Chile. Cinven has agreed to acquire software firm Salsify, which boasts over 2,000 customers. In the healthcare space, Wildflower Health, backed by Truehelm, acquired the maternity and women’s pelvic health platform Every Mother, while Equality Asset-backed Mindoula picked up Janus Healthcare Partners and Valera Health.

The technology and software sectors also saw significant activity. Goldman Sachs Alternatives is acquiring fintech firm Aegis Hedging Solutions. Bain Capital is set to acquire the European supply chain platform Supply On, which connects over 200 manufacturers and 140,000 suppliers globally. Searchlight and Abry have completed a take-private buyout of IoT company Kore. Meanwhile, Hg is backing UK proptech company Street Group, with plans to deepen its AI capabilities in a deal valuing the company at over £200 million.

In the food and beverage industry, Paine Schwartz is selling ingredients and beverage manufacturer Lyons Magnus to Truelink. Wind Point-backed Assisi Pet Care is acquiring Forthglade, a pet food and treats business. Peak Rock Capital is reportedly testing the market for private-label food company Berner Food & Beverage, which has seen significant revenue and EBITDA growth since Peak Rock's acquisition in 2015.

Infrastructure and Industrials Draw PE Interest

Infrastructure and industrial companies are also attracting private equity capital. Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR are committing $5.34 billion to Williams' power projects, taking a 49% non-controlling interest Blackstone, Apollo, and KKR commit. KPS Asia unit is eyeing take-privates and carve-outs in Japan, focusing on manufacturing and industrials. Kinderhook is investing in aerospace components maker American Aero, marking its 33rd platform investment in the industrials sector. BGF is selling Walker Precision Engineering, a provider of components to the aerospace and defense markets, to Karman Space & Defense. Pelican Energy has scooped up industrial metal fabricator Riggins Company.

AI and Tech Startups Garner Significant Investment

The artificial intelligence sector continues to be a major focus for venture capital and private equity. Dimension Capital's latest fund, valued at $800 million, highlights the booming intersection of science and compute. AI labs collectively added over $65 billion in value as 10 such companies joined The Crunchbase Unicorn Board in June, part of a total of 34 companies. Natural has raised $30 million to reinvent payments for AI agents, aiming to compete with Stripe. Inference startup Infinity has raised $15 million at a $100 million valuation from investors including OpenAI and Anthropic researchers. Falfurrias is injecting capital into work risk AI firm Factor Lab, which focuses on transforming high-risk work planning. Cusp AI has landed a $450 million round to accelerate AI materials discovery.

European fintech funding remains strong, with AI-native startups being prioritized for investment. Menlo Ventures' Matt Murphy noted unprecedented growth in AI startups, citing Anthropic's substantial revenue run rate. Dell Technologies Capital believes AI will reshape Saa S without killing the business model.

Secondaries Market Continues Record-Breaking Run

The secondaries market is extending its record-breaking streak, with volume continuing to surge in the first half of the year. Secondaries fundraising has surpassed $50 billion in the first half, marking the second-strongest six-month period in six years. Townsend has raised $2 billion for real estate secondaries, with an initial focus on data centers. More than half of secondaries investors are now running evergreen vehicles, which are being deployed into a broadening set of opportunities. Clipway has surpassed its target, raising $6.4 billion for its debut fund.

Investor Allocations and Firm Developments

Investor caution has led to stable private equity allocations in the first half of 2026, with 67% of institutions keeping their allocations unchanged. Some investors are reviewing their benchmarks; the Alaska Permanent fund is considering its private equity benchmark, raising concerns about private debt allocations and the exclusion of energy investments. Worcester Retirement System and San Joaquin County Employees' Retirement Association have issued requests for proposals for investment consulting services.

In terms of firm developments, KKR has tapped Roy Gori as a senior advisor to focus on strategic opportunities in global financial services and insurance. Athena Capital has recruited Karim Bousta as an investment partner and appointed Francesca Cornelli to its Council of operating partners. Littlejohn has promoted Brian Michaud to managing partner.

Other Notable Deals and Market Trends

Other notable deals include Monomoy in advanced sale talks for concrete manufacturer Cast-Crete, which could be valued up to $850 million. Inflexion is taking a minority stake in Salto Systems, a designer and manufacturer of electronic access control technology. Englightenment Capital is investing in govtech firm Quorum to accelerate its product roadmap and expand its AI capabilities.

The private equity industry faces ongoing regulatory pressure, with the SEC continuing to scrutinize managers. Real estate investors are increasingly turning to recapitalizations to unlock liquidity and extend hold periods amidst refinancing pressures and elusive exits. Eli Manning, the former NY Giants QB, is sharing insights on sports investing and his role after starting as an investor with BBQGuys.