Private Equity 8 Hours

Last updated: July 10, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Private Equity Fuels Healthcare and Tech Acquisitions

Apollo Global Management agreed to inject €3bn of equity into Bayer's contraceptives business, a significant capital solutions deal. In a separate move, Apollo gatecrashed the agreed take-private of easy Jet, tabling a higher £5.7bn bid that prompted the airline's board to drop support for rival suitor Castlelake. Ares Management is backing Firebird Music with $750m for catalogue acquisitions in recorded music, partnering with The Raine Group. Warburg Pincus will invest in Australian credit agency Creditor Watch to drive its Asian growth. Several private equity firms, including Apollo, Arsenal, and OMERS Private Equity, have also backed digitalization efforts in primary care, participating in six deals within the sector.

Startup Funding and European Tech Trends

VC firms are reportedly in talks with "AI godfather" Yann LeCun for a new venture capital firm. Meanwhile, European tech is seeing a shift in investor sentiment, with "tourist investors" reportedly falling out of love with previously hot sectors. This comes as sovereign capital, global chipmakers, and serial investors are backing new European unicorns. Among intriguing recent startup deals is one developing AI models for biology and another focused on preventing issues in private markets. Pasqal's SPAC filings reveal over $500m in fresh funding, alongside concerns about "French state influence" and a 100x valuation.

HR Tech and Sectoral Analysis

The HR tech sector has seen a flurry of activity, with Shore Capital, Lightyear, and Bridgepoint signing deals. In broader market commentary, one analysis suggests that "not all ARR is created equal," implying a need for nuanced valuation approaches in subscription-based businesses. The conversation around artificial intelligence also continues, with a view that "Physical AI is Europe’s last chance to be useful to the world".