Private Equity 8 Hours

Last updated: August 20, 2026, 1:18 PM ET

Fundraising

Jefferies Credit Partners is seeking to raise around $1.16bn (€1bn) for a new fund that will trade private credit loans in the secondary market, according to Bloomberg sources. The vehicle represents a significant bet on the growing private credit secondary market, which has attracted increasing attention from institutional investors seeking liquidity in traditionally illiquid assets.

Domyn, an AI model maker, has raised over $1bn in funding, reflecting continued investor appetite for artificial intelligence infrastructure plays. The raise comes as AI-related startups command premium valuations amid surging enterprise demand for machine learning capabilities.

Callosum has secured $100m in seed funding led by Atomico to tackle AI compute bottlenecks. The startup aims to address critical infrastructure gaps in AI processing power, a pressing concern as models grow increasingly complex and resource-intensive.

M&A Activity

CVC has taken a majority stake in Open Rent, the UK's largest direct-to-landlord rental platform. The deal underscores continued private equity interest in proptech platforms that offer scalable, asset-light business models with recurring revenue streams.

Uplift Investors has acquired Engage fi from Falfurrias Management Partners. Engage fi advises banks and credit unions on technology and vendor decisions, drawing on more than 2,700 completed client engagements across core banking, digital banking, and payments systems.

Stone Point Capital has closed its purchase of Ever.Ag's risk management unit. The business provides risk management solutions to agricultural producers, processors, and cooperatives, and will operate as an independent company under its current leadership with a new brand identity.

Valor Exterior Partners, backed by Osceola Capital, has added Wisconsin roofer Dick's Roof Repair to its portfolio. Dick's Roof Repair, founded in 1957 by Dick Milkie and now led by his son Jeff Milkie, provides roofing, siding, and other exterior home services to homeowners in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

WSB, backed by GHK Capital, has acquired Tennessee engineering firm CIA. Civil Infrastructure Associates, founded in 2009, specializes in water and wastewater utilities, civil/site design, aviation infrastructure, and surveying for municipalities and public agencies.

Vesterra-backed Bland Landscaping has added two South Carolina landscaping and aquatics firms to its platform. Charleston Grounds Management and Clear Lakes and Wetland Services provide landscaping and aquatics services to commercial and homeowner association customers along South Carolina's coast.

Phoenix Equity Partners has backed Irish occupational health provider Medmark. Founded in 1987, Medmark provides occupational health, health screening, workplace medical assessment and employee wellbeing services to more than 500,000 employees from nine locations across Ireland.

Strategic Moves

HPS and Oaktree Capital have seized control of MBS Group, a supplier of lighting rigs and production equipment to film studios including Netflix and Warner Bros Discovery. The takeover follows MBS Group's default, highlighting the risks facing entertainment industry suppliers amid ongoing production slowdowns.

TJC is preparing to launch a sale process for Dental365, a dental services company active in eight states. Meanwhile, Apax Partners has exited its residential warranties company OnCourse to Genstar, marking another portfolio transition in the business services sector.

Continental Resources has agreed to acquire Quantum-backed Fire Bird, a Texas-based upstream oil and gas company focused on the responsible development of assets in the Midland Basin. The deal reflects ongoing consolidation in the energy sector despite broader decarbonization pressures.

Market Commentary

Transparency is becoming table stakes in a market defined by greater risk and increased regulatory scrutiny. Limited partners are demanding more granular reporting and clearer alignment of interests from general partners, reshaping how private markets operate.

Software may represent the optimal value vintage for investment, according to recent market analysis. GIC is undergoing a sustainability shake-up, while a Hong Kong investor is leaning deeper into private equity, signaling sustained institutional commitment to the asset class.

Venture Capital

Tab, the AI fintech founded by Ali Hussain, has grown into a $400M startup after Hussain pivoted from pursuing a Ph.D. in humanities. The company's journey exemplifies how non-traditional founders are leveraging AI to build significant fintech businesses.

For a16z, AI gives foreign founders an advantage through its Borderless Founder network initiative. The firm believes that having one foot in your home country and one foot in Silicon Valley creates a competitive edge for international entrepreneurs building AI companies.

Special Situations

Churchill, backed by Temasek's Seviora platform, has formed a $400M CFO vehicle with collateral spanning private equity secondaries. This follows a broader trend of insurance-linked capital vehicles targeting private market opportunities.

Starling has unveiled a weekly AI rollout as the fintech race intensifies. The neobank is accelerating its artificial intelligence integration to maintain competitive differentiation in an increasingly crowded digital banking landscape.