Private Markets GPs Reveal Fundraising Optimism for 2026, Shifting LP Priorities Are Main Challenge
The S&P Global Private Equity and Venture Capital Outlook finds that about 60 % of private‑market general partners are optimistic about meeting fundraising targets for 2026, with one‑fifth describing themselves as highly optimistic. Yet more than a quarter remain concerned, citing shifting limited‑partner priorities, competition and distribution worries as key challenges. The survey also shows that roughly 80 % of GPs expect deal volume to stay steady or rise in 2026, supported by improving capital availability but tempered by valuation pressure. Private‑credit managers flag deteriorating credit quality as a top risk for the asset class.
Bret Taylor’s Sierra Acquires French AI Startup Fragment in Third Deal This Year
Sierra, the AI customer‑service‑agent startup founded by Bret Taylor, acquired French AI workflow‑integration startup Fragment, marking its third acquisition in 2026 after Japan‑based Opera Tech and voice‑agent Receptive AI. Fragment’s Y Combinator backing and $2 million seed round bring proven integration technology and a...
Warburg Pincus-Backed PDG Is Said to Tap Goldman for Stake Sale
Princeton Digital Group (PDG), an Asian data‑center operator backed by Warburg Pincus, has hired Goldman Sachs to conduct a strategic review that could lead to a stake sale. The engagement is preliminary, and no decision has been made about bringing in...
Warner Bros Shareholders Greenlight $155B Paramount Mega-Merger
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders unanimously approved a $111 billion merger with Paramount, offering $31 cash per share. The vote follows a fierce bidding war that saw Netflix briefly challenge Paramount for the deal. While the approval marks a major milestone, the...
Juniper Square Automates DDQs
Juniper Square announced the acquisition of Sightglass, a data‑analytics firm, to embed AI capabilities into its due‑diligence questionnaire (DDQ) platform. The combined solution links investor data, compliance workflows and machine‑learning models, allowing fundraisers to generate DDQs in minutes instead of...
US Private M&A Report - Trends And Insights Shaping The First Quarter Of 2026
The first‑quarter 2026 US private M&A report shows a modest rebound in deal activity compared with the latter half of 2025, but the recovery is uneven. While some transactions launch with strong momentum, many falter due to persistent valuation gaps...
Scandic Hotels Group Moves Closer to Dalata Deal as Leadership Overhaul Begins
Scandic Hotels Group, which has been managing Dalata’s portfolio since November, announced that Dalata’s CEO Dermot Crowley and his deputy will step down later this year as part of a post‑acquisition restructuring. Dalata was bought for €1.4 billion (approximately $1.5 billion) by...
KKR Makes $1.5 Billion Equity Investment in Vertical Bridge
Private equity giant KKR has committed a $1.5 billion equity infusion to Vertical Bridge REIT, cementing a fully funded, long‑term capital structure for the tower owner. The deal follows Vertical Bridge’s $1.9 billion cell‑tower ABS securitization, the largest in the sector, and...
Comment | Artnet-Artsy Merger: 'A Bloomberg for Art?'
Artnet and Artsy have been merged under private‑equity firm Beowolff Capital, with Artsy CEO Jeffrey Yin now running both businesses. The consolidation has already triggered staff cuts, including the closure of Artnet’s Berlin office and layoffs at Artnet News, raising...
Staying Independent: Why Your Best Clients Hope You Turn Down Private Equity
The article argues that independent CPA firms should resist private‑equity (PE) offers because their structural advantages align with client expectations. PE ownership often introduces growth mandates and cultural shifts that can erode the personalized service clients value. For many firms,...
Diversification at the Fore of Fundraising
Four newly launched secondary fund strategies made the top‑10 list of Q1 2026 fundraises, with three concentrating on single‑asset corporate‑valued (CV) investments. The strong performance reflects limited partners’ heightened appetite for diversification across niche asset classes. These debut funds collectively...
Blackstone Nearly Halfway to Target for 10th Secondaries Flagship
Blackstone’s secondaries platform surpassed the $100 billion assets‑under‑management mark in the first quarter of 2026, as announced by President and COO Jonathan Gray on the firm’s earnings call. The milestone puts the flagship tenth secondary fund roughly halfway to its $200 billion...
Middle Market Deal Terms at a Glance – April 2026
The Lead Left released SPP Capital Partners’ April 2026 middle‑market deal terms snapshot, comparing leverage ratios and pricing spreads for micro‑cap, small‑cap and mid‑cap companies against April 2025. The table highlights modest shifts—leverage levels remain broadly stable while pricing spreads...
Honeywell to Sell Warehouse Automation Business Intelligrated and Transnorm as Portfolio Overhaul Continues
Honeywell announced the sale of its Warehouse and Workflow Solutions business, which includes the Intelligrated and Transnorm brands, to private‑equity firm American Industrial Partners in an all‑cash deal. The WWS unit generated about $935 million in revenue in 2025 and will...
Kurma Partners Closes €215 Million Biofund IV to Back European BioTech Ventures From Paris
Kurma Partners announced the final close of Biofund IV at €215 million (about $232 million), a 35% increase over its €160 million (≈$173 million) predecessor. The fund, backed by pharmaceutical giant CSL, the European Investment Fund and Bpifrance, aims to make roughly twenty investments in...
VW Shortlists EQT, CVC, and Bain in Everllence Sale Process
Volkswagen has shortlisted private‑equity firms EQT, CVC and Bain as bidders for its Everllence unit, underscoring strong strategic interest in the automotive supplier market. Meanwhile, NorthWall Capital announced AUM exceeding €3bn (≈$3.3bn), and KSL Capital is set to reacquire Invited...
Majority of CVs See Both Tiered Carry and Dual Return Metrics – Morgan Lewis
Morgan Lewis reports that more than half of private‑equity continuation vehicles (CVs) now employ tiered carried‑interest waterfalls that trigger based on both internal rate of return (IRR) and multiple on invested capital (MOIC) thresholds. The dual‑metric structure aligns general partners’...
Goldman Sachs Backs BLP Digital with $50m Investment
Goldman Sachs Alternatives has injected $50 million into Zurich‑based BLP Digital, a startup that uses agentic AI to automate enterprise resource planning (ERP) finance workflows. The funding will accelerate BLP’s push to replace manual accounts‑payable processes with a unified AI execution...
Mountain Laurel Designs Is For Sale
Mountain Laurel Designs, the Virginia‑based ultralight gear specialist founded by Ron Bell in 2002, is now for sale as Bell prepares to retire. The owner is open to a full acquisition, majority or minority equity stakes, or a management‑to‑ownership deal...
New Primary Care Firm Mangrove Health Launches with Investment by Mako
Mangrove Health, a new primary‑care operator, was launched by seasoned healthcare leaders Elena Castañeda and Dr. Emily Maxson. The startup secured an investment from venture firm Mako, signaling confidence in its model. Mangrove aims to deliver integrated, technology‑enabled primary‑care services...
AIP to Acquire Honeywell’s Warehouse and Workflow Solutions Business in Carve-Out
American Industrial Partners (AIP) announced the acquisition of Honeywell's warehouse and workflow solutions business in a carve‑out transaction. The deal separates the logistics‑technology unit from Honeywell's broader industrial portfolio, allowing each company to focus on core strengths. While the purchase...
FTV Capital Invests in Fintech Firm Valitana
FTV Capital has announced a strategic investment in Valitana, a fintech platform that leverages artificial intelligence to streamline credit processes. The capital injection will fund accelerated product development, an expanded AI roadmap, and entry into structured‑credit segments such as commercial‑mortgage‑backed...
KKR to Invest $1.5bn in Communications Infrastructure Owner/Operator Vertical Bridge
Private equity giant KKR is investing $1.5 billion in Vertical Bridge, a U.S.-based owner and operator of communications infrastructure. The capital injection will support Vertical Bridge’s rollout of fiber, small cell and other telecom assets. Existing shareholders DigitalBridge and La Caisse...
Starling No Plans to Enter “Massively Overserved” US Retail Banking Market
Starling Bank’s CFO Declan Ferguson says the UK challenger will not launch its retail banking arm in the United States, calling the market "massively overserved." Instead, Starling will pursue a modest acquisition to secure a national banking licence and focus...
Anglo American Draws Three Bidders for Coal Sale
Anglo American is restarting the sale of its Queensland steelmaking coal assets after a $3.8 billion deal with Peabody Energy fell apart due to a mine fire. At least three parties—Stanmore Resources, Mitsubishi Corp. and Indonesia’s BUMA Internasional—are now in the...
Pantheon, Ardian Launch Private Wealth Products Dedicated to Infra
Pantheon has secured regulatory approval for its evergreen Global Infrastructure Secondaries Fund, a vehicle that will continuously raise capital to invest in infrastructure assets on the secondary market. Ardian simultaneously launched an evergreen feeder fund aimed at Australian wholesale investors,...
Deal Roundup: HIG Capital Agrees Celerion Sale to THL Partners, GTCR Closes Fiduciary Acquisition
HIG Capital has agreed to sell its clinical pharmacology and bioanalytical services firm Celerion to THL Partners. The transaction marks HIG’s exit from a niche health‑tech platform as it refocuses its portfolio. In a separate deal, GTCR completed its acquisition...
Oura’s Strategic Acquisition of Galen AI and the Future of Personal Medical Sovereignty
On April 17, 2026 Oura Health announced the acquisition of Galen AI, a Stanford‑born startup that unifies fragmented medical records via FHIR. The deal expands Oura’s smart ring from a fitness tracker to a connected health companion that can cross‑reference...
How Monarch Collective Made WNBA History in Cleveland
Monarch Collective, the first dedicated women’s‑sports investment platform, closed a $250 million fund and announced a minority stake in the Cleveland WNBA expansion franchise, becoming the league’s inaugural private‑equity shareholder. The fund already owns stakes in three NWSL clubs and a...
Pantheon Expands Private Wealth Offering Again with Evergreen Infra Secondaries Fund
Pantheon has secured regulatory approval for its evergreen Global Infrastructure Secondaries Fund, the firm’s newest vehicle aimed at private‑wealth clients. The fund will let high‑net‑worth investors gain exposure to secondary transactions in the infrastructure sector on a continuous basis, rather...
Calabria Unifies Domestic Distribution Under House of Fine Wine Banner
Calabria Family Wine Group has consolidated its domestic trading and distribution under the House of Fine Wine banner, following its February acquisition of House of Fine Wine and The Wine Company. The unified platform merges portfolios and teams from Calabria,...
The Asset Class by Hettie O’Brien Review – the Hidden Hand of Private Equity
Hettie O’Brien’s book *The Asset Class* exposes how private‑equity firms have seized essential public‑service assets—from water utilities to care homes—by buying undervalued assets with leveraged capital. The author traces the sector’s growth to deregulation under Reagan and Thatcher and highlights...
Exclusive: Gauri Khan Family Trust to Re-Invests in Sleepy Owl
Sleepy Owl, the Indian D2C coffee brand, announced a fresh Series C2 funding round of Rs 12 crore (approximately $1.5 million). The round was led by Optiscape Network Holdings with a Rs 5 crore ($0.6 million) investment, and included contributions from Pramod Bhasin, the Gauri Khan...
John Distilleries Open to Further Stake Sale to Sazerac, Founder Says
John Distilleries, the Bengaluru‑based maker of Original Choice whisky and Paul John single‑malt, is willing to sell its founder’s remaining stake to U.S. spirits group Sazerac. Sazerac already controls about 60% of the privately held company after a series of...
Greenleaf Capital Launches Centered Partners
Greenleaf Capital Partners has launched Centered Partners, a St. Louis‑based advisory offering M&A, capital markets, insurance brokerage, and commercial real‑estate services to middle‑market firms. The new firm targets sectors such as HVAC, residential services, manufacturing, construction, and financial services, drawing...
Leveraged Loan Insight & Analysis – 4/20/2026
Direct lenders in the United States raised less than $77 bn in the first quarter of 2026 to fund sponsor‑backed transactions. That represents a 30% drop from the fourth quarter of 2025, marking the steepest quarterly decline since 2022. The contraction...
Vero Fiber Completes Acquisition of TEC
Vero Fiber announced the closing of its acquisition of Telephone Electronics Corporation (TEC), extending its fiber‑to‑the‑home network into Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. The deal brings roughly 444,000 households—both active and prospective—under Vero’s service umbrella while allowing TEC to keep its...
Knowles Corp (KN) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Helix Energy Solutions Group posted Q1 2026 revenue of $288 million, a $13 million net loss and $32 million adjusted EBITDA, while announcing an all‑stock merger with Hornbeck Offshore Services. The deal will create a combined offshore services platform under the Hornbeck name,...
Laurence Tosi’s WestCap Targets $1.5bn for Fund III, Holds First Close
Laurence Tosi’s WestCap Strategic Operator Fund III announced a record first close in Q4 2025, securing initial commitments that put the fund on track to hit its $1.5 billion target. The close was driven by a blend of new investors and existing...
Canada’s Gold Sector Fires up Amidst M&A and Frontier Potential
Canada’s gold sector is experiencing a wave of mergers and acquisitions as global miners chase production growth. In March, Coeur Mining completed a $7 bn purchase of New Gold, while Fresnillo spent $560 m on Probe Gold and Gold Fields is scouting...
Gold Candle Completes Acquisition of Fokus Mining
Gold Candle Ltd. completed its statutory plan of arrangement to acquire all outstanding shares of Fokus Mining Corp. for $0.26 CAD per share (≈$0.19 USD), valuing Fokus at roughly $63 million CAD (≈$47 million USD). Simultaneously, Gold Candle closed a $65 million CAD (≈$48 million USD)...
GGEPIL Raises ₹90 Crore From JM Financial PE and Investors for Green Waste Solutions
Green Gene Enviro Protection and Infrastructure (GGEPIL) announced a ₹90 crore (~$11 million) capital raise from JM Financial Private Equity, the SRF family office and other investors. The funding will expand GGEPIL's hazardous waste collection, treatment and energy‑recovery operations across sectors such...
Concerns Grow Around Conflicts, Particularly in CVs: ILPA
A recent ILPA sentiment survey reveals that limited partners are zeroing in on three contract clauses to curb conflicts of interest: key‑person provisions, the mechanics of carried interest distribution, and the fiduciary‑duty standard of care. These terms are seen as...
At Vox Media, the Roll-Up Era Rewinds
Vox Media, the decade‑long editorial roll‑up, is preparing to dismantle its portfolio through sales, spin‑offs and divestitures. The company now generates roughly $400‑$500 million in revenue, down from about $600 million a year earlier, as traffic to its lifestyle brands has slumped...
8 Quiet Breakdowns That Emerge in the First 90 Days After an Acquisition (and How to Protect Against Them)
The article outlines eight subtle breakdowns that commonly surface in the first 90 days after an acquisition, ranging from slowed decision‑making to talent anxiety and customer friction. It argues that these quiet failures, not the financial models, erode value before...
Compass Takes Majority Stake in Peerage USA Holdings
Compass International Holdings has secured a controlling 51% stake in Peerage USA Holdings, the investment vehicle behind several Sotheby’s International Realty franchises. The transaction is structured as a debt‑restructuring deal, with a 30‑month payment schedule to retire Peerage’s obligations to...
Strategic IP Considerations for the Medtech Market Rebound After Record Investment and M&A in 2025
Record venture investment of $10.4 billion and a median M&A deal value of $570 million signal a strong medtech rebound in 2025. The surge has pushed median upfront payments to $529 million, prompting acquirers to intensify IP due diligence. Recent rulings—Amgen’s enablement standard,...
Tencent and Alibaba in Talks to Invest in DeepSeek - Report
Chinese tech giants Tencent and Alibaba are reportedly in talks to invest in AI startup DeepSeek at a valuation exceeding $20 billion. DeepSeek had earlier sought at least $300 million at a $10 billion valuation, and its models already run on Nvidia hardware...
Baird Capital Holds Fund III at $450m Hard Cap Despite Additional LP Demand
Baird Capital’s third global private‑equity fund reached its $450 million hard‑cap and closed its final fundraising round. Despite receiving additional interest from limited partners, the firm stuck to the pre‑set ceiling. The decision underscores Baird’s commitment to a disciplined fund size....
Clearstead Names M&A Chief as Cleveland RIA Builds Out Deal-Making Infrastructure
Clearstead Advisors appointed Shaun McCracken, formerly of Acrisure, as executive managing director of mergers and acquisitions. The hire follows the firm’s recent purchase of Seattle‑based Clarius Group, which added roughly $5.1 billion in assets and brought 36 advisors into the fold. Clearstead...