Private Equity 8 Hours

Last updated: August 10, 2026, 8:47 AM ET

Capital Raising

Brookfield Asset Management gathered a record $77bn of capital in Q2, drawing on its private equity, infrastructure and credit franchises. Korea's Employment Insurance Fund plans to commit 120bn Korean won to blind-pool private equity and venture capital funds for 2026. Meanwhile, 195 companies joined the Crunchbase Unicorn Board in the first half of 2026, already surpassing the full-year total for 2025.

Dealmaking

Dealflow contracted sharply in Q2, with PE Hub reporting the worst quarter since 2020 as macro turbulence returned. Against this backdrop, I Squared Capital agreed to take oOh!media private at $733m enterprise value, a 100% premium. VSS closed a minority stake in Cordoba, betting on infrastructure transformation and noting AI is a net positive for the sector. The Spanish mid-market is drawing dealmakers as many family-owned companies approach succession decisions.

AI & Technology

A wave of major AI IPOs could return significant liquidity to limited partners, fuelling a new venture fundraising cycle, according to Crunchbase News. In the UK, a DeepMind shakeup tests the country’s AI ambitions, and DeepMind's future has become critical for the broader tech ecosystem. Revolut secured a French banking licence, expanding its European foothold. Nabla's new CEO Brian Manning says the health-tech startup is not for sale.