What's happening: Lightspeed taps Alexa Boghosian to spearhead growth‑stage private equity
Lightspeed Venture Partners has appointed Alexa Boghosian as a Partner in its Growth Private Equity group. She will focus on majority‑stake investments in software and tech‑enabled services platforms, with a particular emphasis on healthcare technology and AI‑enabled services. Boghosian joins from Advent International, bringing deep sector experience.

Arcmont’s latest capital‑solutions fund marks a significant scaling moment for the European private‑debt manager. The €1.5 billion close, announced by its Nuveen affiliate, almost doubles the €800 million raised for the inaugural vehicle, reflecting robust capital inflows into non‑bank lending. Across the continent, investors have been reallocating from traditional sovereign bonds toward higher‑yield, asset‑backed structures as low rates persist. The fund’s geographic focus spans Germany, France, and the Benelux region, where corporate financing demand remains strong.
Oaktree Capital is weighing a sale or a London IPO for its UK wealth‑management platform Utmost, signaling renewed interest in public market exits for private‑equity‑owned financial services. Meanwhile, Carlyle’s US buyout platform is on track to realise nearly $12 billion in...
US institutional leveraged loan issuance slowed sharply in February 2026, with only $22.85 billion priced to date and $9.54 billion expected by month‑end, far below January’s $164.1 billion. The month‑over‑month drop reflects heightened market uncertainty and tighter credit conditions. Analysts attribute the slowdown...

Anthropic announced the acquisition of Vercept, a Seattle‑based AI startup known for its computer‑use agent Vy, and will retire the product by March 25. Vercept, which raised $50 million from investors including Eric Schmidt and Jeff Dean, joins Anthropic’s Claude Code team following a...

Carlyle’s U.S. buyout platform is on track to realize close to $12 billion of cash proceeds within the next 13 months. The firm attributes this pipeline to a portfolio that aligns with current market demand, saying its assets are “what buyers...

Alphabet-owned Intrinsic, a robotics‑software specialist, is joining Google while remaining a distinct entity. The integration will link Intrinsic’s Flowstate platform and Vision AI model with Google DeepMind, Gemini AI models, and Google Cloud services. Earlier, Intrinsic expanded through acquisitions of...

Los Angeles Water and Power’s pension fund announced it will accelerate private‑equity pacing even as cash‑flow deficits persist. The plan calls for expanding exposure to European buyout opportunities and secondary market deals beginning in 2026. By targeting these asset classes,...
MarineMax, the Clearwater‑based marina operator, has circulated confidentiality agreements as Blackstone, Centerbridge and other investors evaluate a potential acquisition valued around $1 billion. The company, which runs 65 marinas, 70 dealerships and serves high‑net‑worth boaters, is currently priced at roughly $628 million,...

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) is evaluating secondary market sales to trim its older private‑equity exposures. The fund intends to allocate roughly C$20 billion to new private‑equity commitments this year, according to global head of PE Caitlin Gubbels. By...

EQT presented two cash offers and an unlisted‑share alternative to Oxford Biomedica, but the biotech’s board deemed each proposal undervalued and declined further talks. The earlier strategic interest had pushed Oxford Biomedica’s stock to its highest level since 2022, yet...
The secondary market is increasingly dominated by LP‑led transactions that target younger, high‑quality private‑equity portfolios. Ardian’s Wilfred Small described the environment as one of “asset selection and cherry picking” rather than bulk sales. Limited partners are allocating capital to these...

Deputy CIO of Oaktree Capital, Hobbs, told the NEXUS 2026 conference that private‑credit spreads have stopped falling and now sit on a floor, turning a challenging market into a source of value. He explained that tighter bank lending and higher...
Sealed Air shareholders voted to approve a $6.2 billion takeover by private‑equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). The European Commission recently cleared the deal, finding no competition concerns, allowing the transaction to move toward closing pending final regulatory sign‑offs. The...
A recent chart from McKinsey’s Global Private Markets Report shows that private‑equity fund performance is now driven primarily by portfolio‑company revenue growth rather than financial engineering. The data indicate that growth‑focused strategies generate the bulk of returns across vintages, eclipsing...
Private equity’s image as a ruthless raider is outdated; today firms focus on partnership and growth. They acquire companies through negotiated deals, often allowing sellers to retain equity, aligning incentives. While cost efficiencies remain a tool, sustainable value stems from...

L Catterton operating partner Todd Bartee has been appointed CEO of Tonal, succeeding Darren MacDonald after just 17 months. Tonal, the AI‑driven home strength‑training system, now counts over 175,000 members who have collectively lifted more than 235 billion pounds. L Catterton,...

At NEXUS 2026 CalPERS chief investment officer Marcie Frost assured members that the pension fund will not sell assets to meet payroll obligations, emphasizing a long‑term investment focus. In the same forum, 26North founder Josh Harris described a strategy of...

Citrin Cooperman, after private‑equity backing from New Mountain in 2021 and a Blackstone stake in 2025, rolled out a firm‑wide "P unit" program that gives every employee a share of the firm’s equity growth. The participation units vest based on...

Canadian pension fund CPPIB and Warburg Pincus both signal optimism for private equity returns despite recent market turbulence. CPPIB projects improving internal rates of return as deal flow stabilizes, while Warburg Pincus highlights emerging fee‑restructuring trends that could ease limited...

Zombie‑style private‑equity funds are projected to manage roughly $1 trillion in net asset value by 2030, reflecting a surge in aging, ill‑liquid portfolios. The article outlines how managers must adjust to a “new era” where exits are scarce and capital recycling...

Quantum computing has become a top‑performing de‑SPAC sector, driven by SPAC listings that fast‑tracked capital to the industry. After a bearish period in 2021‑22, recent hardware and algorithmic breakthroughs revived investor enthusiasm. The podcast revisits a February 2025 interview with D‑Wave...

BTG‑managed funds have pledged roughly $1.05 billion to support Raízen’s restructuring, joining Shell and Cosan in a multi‑billion‑realignment of Brazil’s largest downstream fuel distributor. The plan separates Raízen Energia’s sugar‑ethanol arm from its fuel‑distribution business and converts about 35% of existing...

At NEXUS 2026, CalPERS CEO Marcie Frost announced that the pension fund’s revitalized private‑equity program will operate with a degree of independence from its newly adopted total‑portfolio approach (TPA). The move signals a renewed commitment to private‑equity as a core return...

TDR’s dedicated data‑science unit, launched ten years ago, now embeds machine‑learning models across the firm’s value‑creation workflow. The team builds predictive analytics to source acquisition targets, streamline due‑diligence, and monitor portfolio performance. By automating data aggregation and applying advanced algorithms,...

Temasek’s Azalea Investment Management says GP‑led secondary structures are accelerating exits for its funds. Managing Director Justin Keh predicts more general partners will adopt the technology to provide liquidity to limited partners. The trend could expand Azalea’s assets under management...

In this episode, Sean McKenna recounts how he founded Data Fusion HCM, a payroll and HR‑tech integration platform, and sold it to Ceridian (now Dayforce) within 16 months. He explains the strategic advantage of building a product that solved a...
Gore Street Capital aims to raise €1bn for a new energy‑storage fund and a co‑investment vehicle by the end of 2026. The capital will target grid‑scale battery projects that support Europe’s renewable integration. Institutional investors are expected to form the...
Boaz Weinstein’s Saba Capital, together with Cox Capital, launched tender offers for three Blue Owl semi‑liquid private‑credit funds, proposing cash exits at a 20%‑35% discount to NAV. The move follows Blue Owl’s recent shift from quarterly redemptions to episodic capital...
On February 6, 2026, CFIUS issued a request for information (RFI) to refine its Known Investor Program (KIP), a fast‑track review mechanism for repeat foreign investors in U.S. advanced‑technology sectors. The RFI outlines eligibility thresholds—at least three covered filings in...
Sponsor‑backed merger and acquisition activity surged to $165 billion in December 2025, marking the second‑largest monthly volume in the past decade, just shy of the $168 billion peak recorded in April 2021. Data from Mergermarket shows that leveraged buyouts and other sponsor‑driven deals now...
Covenant Review released its latest quarterly snapshot of new‑issue institutional loans that include a pick‑your‑poison covenant provision. The accompanying chart tracks the share of such loans by quarter, showing a clear upward trajectory over the past two years. The data...
The 2026 outlook for Americas private credit is dominated by the mass maturity of loans originated in 2021, pushing the asset class into the mainstream. Refinancing activity surged in 2025, with a 29% jump in deals that now represent 28%...
KBRA released its latest TTM Direct Lending Default Index on February 23, 2026, showing a year‑to‑date default rate of 2.8%, up from 2.4% in the prior quarter. The index recorded 150 cumulative defaults across the direct‑lending universe, while the weighted average spread...
Private equity activity in healthcare surged in 2025, driven primarily by the devices and supplies segment. Deal value in this sub‑sector jumped more than 270 % year‑over‑year, the strongest growth among all healthcare categories. The breakout transaction was Hologic’s $18.3 billion leveraged...

Ssense, the Montreal‑based luxury e‑commerce platform valued at $4 billion in 2021, filed for bankruptcy in August 2025 after US tariff hikes and operational missteps eroded its margins. In February 2026 the Atallah brothers secured court approval to purchase the company’s...
KKR reported record fundraising in 2025, raising $129 billion and reaching over 80% of its $300 billion target for 2024‑2026. Fee‑related earnings per share rose to $1.08, with management fees up 24% YoY, driving a 68% FRE margin. The firm announced a...
Panoro Energy ASA announced a private placement of up to NOK 467 million (approximately USD 49 million) to help fund the acquisition of Kosmos International Petroleum’s 40.375% non‑operated interest in Block G offshore Equatorial Guinea. The offering consists of two tranches – a fully...

Blackstone’s global head of Strategic Partners, Perry, projected that 2026 will deliver a record year for private‑equity exits and secondary‑market volume. He explained that accelerated exit cashflows enable secondary buyers to bid higher prices, which in turn should entice more...
Eagle Energy Metals Corp. completed its business combination with Spring Valley Acquisition Corp. II, creating Eagle Nuclear Energy Corp. The new company will begin Nasdaq trading on February 25, 2026 under the ticker symbols NUCL and NUCLW. The merger pairs the largest...
At PEI Group’s NEXUS 2026 conference, Mike Lazorik of Texas TRS warned that the alignment between limited partners (LPs) and general partners (GPs) has become increasingly fraught. He cited a sharp decline in exit opportunities and compressed private‑equity returns as...

CalPERS, the $613.7 billion California public‑employees pension, announced it will require its private‑equity general partners to provide far greater transparency on portfolio‑company data. CEO Marcie Frost said enhanced visibility will sharpen risk management and fulfill fiduciary responsibilities. The fund plans to...

Private equity firms poured $1.68 billion into London office retrofits last year, more than triple the 2022 spend. The surge is driven by looming UK energy‑efficiency regulations that could render 76% of central‑London towers obsolete. Blackstone, Brookfield, DWS, Hines and Henderson Park...

At the NEXUS 2026 conference, private‑equity executives highlighted that a slowdown in exits and tighter returns are straining the traditional LP‑GP relationship. Mike Lazorik of Texas TRS warned that alignment “has never been more complicated” as limited partners push for...
Bruin Capital announced the hiring of Adam Hasiba as its first Managing Director, tasking him with expanding the firm’s sports, media and fan‑engagement platform. Hasiba leaves consumer‑focused private‑equity giant L Catterton after more than a decade, bringing deep experience scaling media‑centric...

Direct secondaries are emerging as a leading exit strategy for private‑equity portfolios, prompting a reassessment of how these assets are valued. Subu Parmeswaran of Valuation Research Corporation highlights that traditional static models no longer capture the nuanced risk‑adjusted returns of these...

Miami‑based real‑estate investor Gencom has added two luxury Manhattan hotels to its portfolio, acquiring the InterContinental New York Times Square in December and the Ritz‑Carlton earlier this month. Both purchases were largely financed by family‑office capital after Gencom partnered with...
Gemspring has sold its stake in the cybersecurity startup Security 101 to Morgan Stanley. Gemspring originally invested in Security 101 in 2021, and the transaction marks its exit from the venture. The acquisition gives Morgan Stanley full ownership of the...

Chair of Bain’s global private equity practice, Hugh MacArthur, says the growing ability for 401(k) participants to invest in private equity marks a major inflection point for the alternatives industry. He argues that retail access will set a new performance...
Meridiam has closed its latest infrastructure fund with €2.2 billion of commitments, extending its exposure to long‑hold European assets. The capital raise reached final close this week, adding to the firm’s growing pool of long‑term infrastructure capital. The new vehicle will...
GIC has emerged as the lead buyer for Meridiam’s continuation vehicle (CV) valued at over €2 billion. The CV aggregates a portfolio of 22 infrastructure assets currently held in Meridiam’s legacy funds. By acquiring the majority stake, GIC positions itself at...