Private Equity 3 Hours

Last updated: June 12, 2026, 11:31 AM ET

Europe‑focused PE activity Laid off 50 staff as Danish fintech Pleo trimmed its headcount, a move that reflects tighter funding conditions across the continent. Meanwhile, French AI startup Mistral entered a fundraising round that could lift its valuation to €20bn, underscoring continued appetite for deep‑learning ventures despite a cooling market. In Switzerland, the Winterberg‑backed Healthcare Holding Schweiz completed the purchase of Compet Medical, expanding its portfolio of harm‑reduction supplies for public institutions and counseling centers.

US‑based institutional deals Invested in Crowe advisory as KKR became the accounting firm’s first institutional capital partner, signaling private‑equity interest in high‑margin professional‑services businesses. At the same time, Cal PERS elevated Anton Orlich to deputy chief investment officer for private markets after the pension fund posted top‑ranked PE returns, positioning the agency to deploy more capital into similar strategies.

SpaceX IPO milestone Launched record IPO that targets a valuation near $1.8tn, promising one of the largest windfalls for early backers such as Founders Fund, Sequoia and Andreessen Horowitz. The offering caps a fundraising saga that has seen the rocket maker absorb nearly $12bn in private capital since 2002, highlighting the scale of venture‑to‑public exits in the technology sector.

Healthcare and specialty finance Targeted speech‑therapy market as General Atlantic, Aquitaine, Avesi and PPC Enterprises pursued investments driven by rising diagnoses in children, while SK Capital‑backed Apotex prepared a C$1.3bn IPO amid stable pharmaceutical demand. These moves illustrate private‑equity firms’ focus on niche, recession‑resilient segments within health services.