Private Equity 3 Days

Last updated: August 17, 2026, 2:42 AM ET

M&A Activity

Shurco acquired Heavy Motions Inc, expanding its manufacturing footprint in cargo control systems. Wolf-Gordon purchased Andor Willow and Walls & Interiors, bolstering its interior surfaces portfolio. Providence Equity agreed to acquire Hometrack, a UK-based property valuation data firm. CVC DIF bought a majority stake in firstcolo from Cube Infrastructure. Astorg completed a $1bn carve-out of Thermo Fisher’s microbiology business. Butterfly Equity joined Wise Equity and Graham Partners in targeting nutraceuticals assets.

Fundraising & Capital Raises

Databricks raised $5 billion in a fresh funding round, just eight months after its previous $5 billion raise. Battery Ventures backed Vetspire’s AI operating system for veterinary practices. EQT launched its €5bn Scaleup Europe Fund with a €450m investment in satellite operator ICEYE. Northern Gritstone opened a San Francisco office to expand its reach. PIF outlined a 2026-2030 strategy shifting focus to active ownership and private capital participation. Weymouth Retirement Board issued an RFP for private equity co-investment managers.

Private Equity Performance & Strategy

La Caisse reported a 4.3% decline in its private equity portfolio in H1 2026, underperforming a benchmark that gained 8.0%. Silver Lake entered talks to take Workday private in a potential software mega-buyout. Pimco and Pollen Street emerged as suitors for BFF Bank’s €1.2bn ($1.4bn) non-performing loan portfolio. Thrive’s Joshua Kushner cautioned against AI euphoria weakening investment discipline. Revolut weighed whether launching physical airport lounges aligns with its fintech strategy. University of Glasgow spinouts sought external funding to commercialize research. Mistral secured enterprise backing for its data centre expansion. 40 Companies joined the Crunchbase Unicorn Board in July, the highest count in four years. European Fintech faced ongoing culture challenges despite capital inflows. ASML and Amadeus committed to supporting Mistral’s infrastructure buildout.