Private Equity 8 Hours

Last updated: September 10, 2026, 6:33 AM ET

Mid-Market Dynamics

Mid-market chief executives are increasingly prioritising operational support over pure capital when selecting GP partners, with leaders from Eurazeo, Astorg and Ridgepost arguing at an industry event on Wednesday that capital alone no longer determines which firms win mandates. The shift pressures GPs to differentiate on value creation, sector expertise and hands-on portfolio support rather than cheque size.

Deal Activity

Ambienta's No Dig Alliance has acquired Sweden's Horisonterra, a Torsåker-based specialist in trenchless pipe installation that deploys horizontal directional drilling for infrastructure contractors and public authorities across Sweden. Separately, Accel-KKR agreed a $281m deal for Eleco, a London-headquartered provider of software for the construction and built-environment sector, marking another software take-private in the UK.

Asia Expansion

Novo Holdings has inked its first China medtech transaction, part of a broader Asia ramp-up by the investment arm of Denmark's Novo Nordisk Foundation. Regional head Amit Kakar said the firm is expanding both its ticket sizes and its team across Asia, signalling sustained appetite for healthcare assets despite geopolitical friction.

Venture & Growth

Bynario has raised €2.1m to tackle cybersecurity's AI slop problem, targeting the flood of low-quality alerts overwhelming security teams. Samsung's decision to back Mistral AI in a €3bn funding round underscores continued strategic capital flowing into European AI champions. Meanwhile, VCs have flagged 7 geothermal startups to watch in 2026, as energy transition bets broaden beyond solar and wind. Sifted's ranking of growth equity investors in Europe highlights the firms most active in scaling later-stage companies across the continent.