Private Equity 8-Hour Briefing
×Last updated: October 1, 2026, 2:07 PM ET
Deal Flow
KKR completed its majority-stake acquisition of Thomson Reuters' Global Print business, which now operates independently as Westbridge Print, serving legal and tax professionals. The carve-out was finalized as a separate transaction.
Blackstone launched Falcata, a US defense technology platform, through a significant investment to scale America's interceptor missile supply chain. The firm inked a deal to combine TSC and ASEI under the new entity, which will develop sensing, guidance, navigation, and control technologies.
Thoma Bravo and 7Ridge's Trading Technologies acquired TRAFiX, an equities trading platform founded in 2014 and headquartered in Mineola, New York. Lovell Minnick’s Warner Pacific struck a deal for Beere&Purves, a California general agency founded in 1929 in Walnut Creek that supports employee benefits.
Antin Infrastructure Partners acquired a majority stake in HP Helicopters, a Redlands, California-based heavy-lift helicopter firm providing aerial firefighting services. The Sterling Group and Point 41 Capital backed garage door demand as homeowners aim to increase property value, while Antin snapped up the helicopter business.
Centre Partners’ Nearly Natural acquired Modernized Pottery, a Texas-based 3D-printed planter maker. LFM Capital’s Sis Tech acquired Alta Data Technologies, a Rio Rancho, New Mexico avionics electronics maker founded in 2007 that supplies off-the-shelf components.
Manna Tree took a majority stake in Zambezi, a Los Angeles creative agency celebrating its 20th anniversary. Blue Point Capital’s Weaver Brands acquired Shapley’s, a Fort Myers, Florida equine grooming product maker founded in 1938. Riverside’s DAWGS bolted on Empty Building Security in its second add-on.
The Borletti Group put on a new face with the buyout of Pinalli, Italy’s leading omnichannel beauty retailer, from H.I.G. Capital.
Fundraising & Capital Markets
Investcorp beat its target with a $1.22bn second North American private equity fund. Ares Management more than quadrupled its target with a $4.2bn debut GP solutions fund.
Homeward raised $120M to help homeowners buy and sell more quickly as the housing market stalls. Nuclear startup funding hit a record $6B so far in 2026, despite a bearish turn in the sector’s public markets.
The IPO window is opening selectively in 2026, favoring large companies that spend time on readiness.
People & Strategy
VSS Capital Partners hired former World Bank adviser Otilia Ciotau for an AI role; she brings over two decades of financial services experience. Abry Partners hired Advent’s Yusef Kassim to lead investor relations, leveraging his 25+ years of capital formation experience.
Harry Stebbings regretted backing the 996 work culture in many ways. Nubank halted Monzo acquisition talks after a sales plunge.
Sector Deep Dives
Private equity invested in garage door businesses with five standout deals, including Sterling Group, Monogram Capital, and Point. A deep dive explored how one European mid-market specialist, Investindustrial, is playing the long game with AI-driven expansion and succession planning. A side letter examined for Investindustrial after the Bonomi era, including an SEC proposal to allow more flexibility.