Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: August 10, 2026, 2:40 PM ET

Mega Buyouts and Take-Privates

Apollo has launched a landmark European attempt to take easy Jet private with a £5.7bn recommended offer. In Australia, I Squared Capital agreed to acquire oOh!media at a 100% premium to enterprise value, with the equity buyout worth $631m. Bernhard Capital is taking Bowman Consulting private for $1bn, granting a 35-day go-shop period. New Mountain Capital is acquiring fire safety and engineering provider Jensen Hughes from Gryphon.

Fundraising and Institutional Capital

Brookfield set a new record by raising a $77bn war chest in the second quarter, led by private equity. Step Stone surpassed $20bn in private wealth AUM, with its SPRING vehicle attracting nearly $1.7bn in subscriptions. Korea’s Employment Insurance Fund is seeking to commit 120bn won to blind-pool PE/VC funds. CPP Investments deployed $143m for a 49.5% stake in two Hilton hotels in Brazil.

Dealflow Trends and Market Dynamics

Private equity dealflow suffered its worst Q2 since 2020, with the TMT sector hit hardest. Another report confirms that dealmaking momentum faltered amid macro turbulence. In secondaries, continuation funds now outstrip traditional activity. Spain’s mid-market is attracting dealmakers, fueled by a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem and family-owned firms nearing succession.

Venture Capital, Unicorns, and AI

The first half of 2026 produced 195 new unicorns, already exceeding the full-year 2025 total. A wave of AI IPOs could return liquidity to LPs and fuel a new VC fundraising cycle. This week, three startups secured rounds of $1bn or more as part of the ten largest funding rounds. London’s King’s Cross has transformed from a red-light district into a top global AI hub. A DeepMind shakeup is testing the UK’s AI ambitions, and the lab’s future is seen as critical for the UK tech ecosystem. Separately, Nabla’s new CEO Brian Manning insisted he is not here to be acquired.

Strategic Investments and Add-Ons

KKR closed a strategic equity investment in Crowe Advisory, the tax and advisory arm of the accounting network. VSS took a minority stake in Cordoba, betting on infrastructure transformation and viewing AI as a net positive. Eir Partners invested in ClaimsBridge and supported the add-on of Dialysis PPO. In Europe, Provectus Capital made its Romanian debut with a majority stake in Seatbelt Consulting, the country’s largest occupational health and safety provider. Wise Equity signed an agreement to acquire E-Pharma Trento, an Italian pharmaceutical manufacturer, with plans for bolt-on acquisitions.

Regulatory and Regional Moves

Revolut was granted a French banking licence, a major regulatory milestone for the fintech.