Asian Circular Economy Specialist Circulate Capital Passes Fund I Total with $220m Fund II First Close
Singapore‑based Circulate Capital announced a $220 million first close of its second fund, bringing Fund II to the same size as its inaugural Fund I. The new capital will be deployed across South and Southeast Asia to back circular supply‑chain and recycling ventures. By matching its first fund’s total, Circulate signals strong investor confidence in the region’s emerging waste‑to‑resource ecosystem. The fund’s focus aligns with growing ESG mandates and government push for sustainable infrastructure.
Lime Rock Unveils Succession Strategy, Co-Founders to Step Back After Almost 30 Years
Lime Rock Partners, a private‑equity firm specializing in oil and gas assets, announced a formal succession plan as its co‑founders step back after nearly three decades. Jeffrey Schofield has been appointed president and will assume day‑to‑day management responsibilities. The transition...
OKCupid Co-Founder, Ex-Norwest Equity GP Score $100m for Latest Corazon Capital Fundraise
Corazon Capital, the early‑stage consumer venture firm co‑founded by OKCupid creator Sam Yagan, announced a $100 million final close on its fourth fund. The round was anchored by an ex‑partner from Norwest Equity, adding credibility and capital depth. The fund will...
Deal Roundup: Hg Exits Geomatikk to Axcel, Inflexion Agrees Marioff Buyout
Hg has fully exited its investment in Geomatikk, selling the tech‑enabled underground infrastructure software provider to Axcel, a leading Nordic private‑equity firm. Geomatikk offers digital mapping, asset‑condition analytics, and cloud workflow tools for utilities and municipalities. In parallel, Inflexion has...
17Capital Seals $7.5bn for Biggest NAV Loan Fundraise Yet
Private credit manager 17Capital has closed its newest NAV loan fund, securing $7.5 billion in commitments. The raise creates the largest NAV‑linked loan vehicle ever assembled, surpassing previous private‑credit offerings. The fund will focus on senior secured loans to companies backed...
Abenex Beats Second Small Cap Fund Target with €180m Close After over Two Years in Market
French private equity firm Abenex announced that its second small‑cap fund closed at €180 million, surpassing its original fundraising target. The final close came after more than two years of marketing to limited partners. The fund, aimed at European small‑cap companies,...
Software, AI-Focused Conviction Partners Out Raising Third Fund, Second Expansion Vehicle
Conviction Partners, the AI-native software investor founded four years ago by former Greylock partner Sarah Guo, announced the launch of its third flagship fund alongside a second expansion‑stage vehicle. The firm is returning to the market to raise fresh capital aimed...
Deal Roundup: Advent Helps Shield AI to $12.7bn Valuation, Lone Star Completes AGI Buyout From Audax, Greenbriar Equity
Advent International led Shield AI’s Series G round, lifting the aerospace and defence technology firm’s valuation to $12.7 billion. The capital infusion supports the company’s push to scale autonomous, AI‑driven drone platforms for military customers. In the same roundup, Lone Star...
Early 2026 Secondaries Activity Suggests Ongoing Opportunity in Asset Class: Elm Capital
Elm Capital reports that early‑2026 secondary market activity remains robust as limited partners and general partners turn to secondary transactions for liquidity. The trend reflects a challenging distributions environment, prompting investors to sell or buy portfolio stakes to manage cash...
Ex-L Catterton Partner Leeds Hits $500m Hard Cap for Sophomore Forward Consumer Partners Fundraise
Forward Consumer Partners, founded by former L Catterton partner Matt Leeds, has closed its sophomore fund at the $500 million hard cap. The private‑equity vehicle targets consumer‑focused, growth‑stage companies and reached its fundraising goal ahead of schedule. The capital raise underscores...
SBIC Critical Tech Approval Helps VC Firm First In to $148m of New Fund Firepower
Early-stage venture capital firm First In has secured $148 million in new capital after its third fund closed oversubscribed. The fund’s success was bolstered by a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) critical‑technology approval, which expands the firm’s access to government‑backed financing....
Deal Roundup: KKR Said to Agree $2bn Nothing Bundt Cakes Buy, Sagewind Capital to Sell Aechelon to Shield AI
KKR is set to acquire bakery chain Nothing Bundt Cakes from Roark Capital for more than $2 billion, including debt, adding a franchise that operates over 500 locations in the U.S. and Canada and generates roughly $120 million in EBITDA. Sagewind Capital will sell...
“Founders Hold the Keys to America’s Victory”: Overmatch Ventures Raises $250m Second Fund
Overmatch Ventures announced the close of its oversubscribed second fund, raising $250 million to back early‑stage deep‑tech, defense and space companies. The capital will be deployed to founder‑led startups developing technologies deemed critical to U.S. national security. By targeting high‑risk, high‑reward...
Anthony Pritzker Family-Backed PAS Raises $385m to Back Emerging PE Managers
Pritzker Alternative Strategies (PAS) closed its inaugural fund at nearly $385 million, targeting emerging private‑equity managers across the United States and Europe. The capital will be allocated to buyout funds that lack large‑scale backing, giving smaller sponsors a runway to scale...
Pictet Alternative Advisors Pulls in over €400m for Debut Direct Private Equity Fund
Pictet Alternative Advisors closed its inaugural direct private‑equity fund with just over €400 million – roughly $430 million – at the final close. The capital will be deployed into mid‑market European buyout opportunities, marking the firm’s first dedicated direct‑PE strategy. The fund’s...
O2 Investment Partners Brings in Ex-Levine Leichtman, HIG Capital Raising Expert Rob Hays as Head of IR
Private equity firm O2 Investment Partners appointed Rob Hays, a veteran of HIG Capital and Levine Leichtman, to lead its investor‑relations function. Hays previously held senior IR roles at Franklin Templeton, Levine Leichtman, and CleanBridge Securities. The hire follows O2’s...
PSERS to Commit up to $275m Across Warwick Partners, LS Power Funds
The Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) announced commitments of up to $275 million to two private‑market funds managed by Warwick Partners and LS Power. The allocations are earmarked for infrastructure and renewable‑energy projects and will be drawn down over...
Hybrid Advisors, Faithstone Capital Eye $3bn Fund of Funds Platform Through New Joint Venture
Hybrid Advisors and Faithstone Capital Partners have formed a master joint venture, Hybrid Faithstone, to expand the Hybrid Advisors platform into a $3 billion fund‑of‑funds vehicle. The partners aim to raise and deploy the capital over the next 18 months, creating...
Early Mover AI Investor Air Street Capital Continues Rapid Fund Size Growth with $232m Fund III Close
Air Street Capital has closed its third venture fund at $232 million, almost twice the size of its second fund. The new capital will be deployed into early‑stage artificial‑intelligence startups, building on the firm’s track record of backing market‑defining technologies. The...
Lead Edge Capital Scores Biggest Capital Raise yet with Oversubscribed $3.5bn Fund VII
Lead Edge Capital announced the close of its seventh private‑equity fund with $3.5 billion of commitments, making it the firm’s largest raise to date and an oversubscribed transaction. The new Fund VII will focus on investments in software, internet platforms and...
Outlook Bright for Global PE Secondaries, Volume Expected to Reach New Record This Year: Houlihan Lokey
Houlihan Lokey’s LP Compass survey of nearly 60 active secondary market participants finds 86% expect private‑equity secondaries volume to eclipse last year’s $225 million record in 2026. Growth is attributed to a slowdown in distributions, expanding non‑buyout strategies, and heightened participation from...
Deal Roundup: Bain Capital Buys Into Egeria’s Duravent, Ronin Completes GP Secondary Investment in AeriTek
Bain Capital’s special situations team has taken a strategic growth stake in Duravent Group, the Egeria‑backed provider of venting and air‑quality solutions. The investment is described as “significant,” indicating a sizable capital infusion. In a separate transaction, Ronin Capital completed...
Ares Leads Continuation Fund for MCH Private Equity’s Europastry
Ares Capital has taken the lead on a continuation fund for MCH Private Equity’s frozen baked‑goods platform, Europastry, which operates across Spain and Portugal. The €200 million vehicle allows MCH to maintain its stake in the business beyond the typical private‑equity...
EquipmentShare Founders Seal $25m for Oversubscribed Sophomore Redbud VC Fundraise
Redbud VC, a pre‑seed investor, closed its sophomore fund at $25 million. The raise was oversubscribed and represents a five‑fold increase over its inaugural vehicle. The round was anchored by the founders of EquipmentShare, who joined as limited partners. The new...
BNP Paribas AM Alts Seals $722m Infra Secondaries Fund Close, Is Already Planning Successor Raise
BNP Paribas Asset Management Alternatives closed a $722 million infrastructure secondaries fund, marking its second fund close in a single month. The vehicle targets secondary market transactions in the growing infrastructure sector. The rapid close underscores strong investor appetite for diversified,...
Ares Secondaries Anchors Oversubscribed CV for Fremman Capital’s Fast -Growing Kids Planet
Pan‑European private‑equity firm Fremman Capital has closed an oversubscribed continuation vehicle (CV) for its UK nursery chain Kids Planet, with Ares Secondaries acting as anchor investor. The fund, which exceeded its target size, provides liquidity to existing shareholders and additional capital...
HarbourVest, Pantheon Enable $1.1bn Continuation Fund for QHP Capital’s Azurity Pharmaceuticals
QHP Capital secured a $1.1 billion final close for a single‑asset continuation vehicle centered on its portfolio company Azurity Pharmaceuticals. The fund is being structured with the backing of secondary market specialists HarbourVest and Pantheon. The vehicle will extend Azurity's investment...
Lone Star Bring in over $1bn for Latest Residential Mortgage Fund, Says ‘Tailwinds Will Drive Growth’
Lone Star Funds announced it has raised more than $1 billion for its newest residential mortgage fund, underscoring strong investor appetite for mortgage‑backed assets. The capital will be deployed into U.S. single‑family loan portfolios, where the firm sees a sizable opportunity...
Deal Roundup: KKR Buys Into Indian E-Bus Fleet in $310m Deal, Warburg Pincus Backs TheGuarantors
Private equity giant KKR is investing up to $310 million to acquire a majority stake in Allfleet, the electric‑bus platform of India’s PMI Electro Mobility Solutions, aiming to deploy more than 5,000 e‑buses. Warburg Pincus has taken a controlling interest in...
Partech Picks up €300m for Debut Impact Fund Amid ‘One of the Most Challenging Fundraising Environments of the Past Decade’
Partech has closed its inaugural impact fund, raising €300 million. The capital will be deployed to European B2B technology firms that are reshaping global value chains. The close occurs amid what the firm calls one of the most challenging fundraising environments...
TIAA Arm Nuveen RE Picks up $330m From Australian Superannuation Trio for US Cities Retail Fund
Nuveen Real Estate, the real‑estate arm of TIAA, has closed a $330 million commitment from three Australian superannuation funds for its US Cities Retail Fund. The capital represents the largest allocation to the strategy from the region, underscoring growing appetite for...
InfraVia Continues Powerful Fund Size Increases with €8bn Flagship Europe Vehicle
InfraVia Capital Partners has closed its sixth flagship fund at a hard cap of €8 billion, marking another sizable increase in its capital-raising track record. The new vehicle will invest in essential infrastructure assets across Europe, ranging from energy and transport...
Sands Capital Scores $1.1bn Close for Third Global Innovation Fund
Sands Capital announced the final close of its third Global Innovation Fund, securing $1.1 billion in commitments. The fund targets "category‑defining" companies that are scaling rapidly within private markets. This capital raise follows two prior funds that have built a reputation...
Google Spin-Out Gradient Seals $220m for Debut AI-Focused Fundraise
Gradient, the seed‑stage AI venture capital firm that spun out of Google last year, closed its inaugural fund with a $220 million final close. The capital will be deployed to back early‑stage artificial‑intelligence startups across sectors. Gradient’s backing reflects both Google’s...
JF Lehman Targets $3.25bn Across New Flagship Fund, Sophomore Credit Vehicle
JF Lehman & Company has re‑entered the fundraising market with a new flagship private‑equity fund and a sophomore credit vehicle. The firm is targeting roughly $3.25 billion in commitments, including about $2.75 billion for the flagship fund and $500 million for the credit...
Dual-Use Military, Civilian Tech Investor Scout Ventures Raised Oversubscribed $125m Fund V
Scout Ventures, a venture capital firm specializing in dual‑use military and civilian technologies, has closed its fifth fund at a total of $125 million. The fund was oversubscribed, reflecting heightened investor appetite for defense‑related innovation. Scout’s Fund V will continue to...
Institutional Investors Eye PE for Best Returns This Year Amid Geopolitical Event Concerns
A Commonfund survey of over 200 institutional investors shows half of them view private equity as the best source of absolute or total returns in 2026, outpacing public equities (40%) and venture capital (34%). Geopolitical events dominate concerns, cited by...
Consumer-Focused Coefficient Reaches $800m AUM Through Fund II, Apex Fund Closes
Coefficient Capital announced that its second growth‑equity fund closed oversubscribed, pulling in more than $500 million, while a later‑stage Apex vehicle also reached its target. The combined inflows lift the firm’s assets under management to roughly $800 million. The new capital will...
Silvercourt Ready to Capitalise on ‘Expanding Market Dislocations’ with Oversubscribed €135m Fund II
Silvercourt Capital Partners announced the final close of its second opportunistic credit fund at €135 million, surpassing its original fundraising target. The fund was oversubscribed, reflecting heightened investor demand for credit strategies that can exploit current market dislocations. Silvercourt plans to...
Sycamore Partners Names New Senior Advisor
Sycamore Partners has hired former Marks & Spencer CEO Archie Norman as a senior advisor. Norman will help manage existing portfolio companies and scout fresh investment opportunities across the UK and broader European consumer and retail markets. The appointment follows...
Ex-Platinum Equity Pair Race Past Second Truelink Capital Fund Goal to Strike $2bn Hard Cap Close
Truelink Capital, a Los Angeles‑based buyout firm founded by two former Platinum Equity managing directors, closed its second fund at a $2 billion hard cap, surpassing its original fundraising target. The rapid capital raise underscores strong limited‑partner interest in mid‑market private...
Glade Brook Raises over $1bn for Oversubscribed Fund III Continuation Vehicle
Glade Brook Capital Partners announced that it has raised more than $1 billion for a continuation vehicle tied to its 2021‑vintage Fund III. The vehicle was oversubscribed, reflecting strong demand from investors seeking exposure to growth‑equity assets. It will acquire the...
Irish Energy Transition-Focused TirNua Gets €140m Cornerstone Backing From ISIF
The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) has pledged up to €140 million as a cornerstone commitment to TirNua Capital Partners’ debut fund, which is dedicated to financing Ireland’s energy‑transition projects. TirNua is a joint venture between Keyridge Asset Management and Northleaf...
BNP Paribas AM Raises €540m for Hefty European GP Stakes Fund
BNP Paribas Asset Management’s alternatives arm closed its inaugural GP‑stakes vehicle at €540 million, surpassing early fundraising targets. The fund will acquire minority interests in European private‑equity general partners, giving investors exposure to fee‑related earnings without direct deal‑by‑deal risk. Backed by...
UK, Ireland B2B Software Investor Axiom Equity Scores Above-Hard-Cap Fund II Close without Formal Fundraising Process
Axiom Equity, a private‑equity firm focused on UK and Ireland B2B software, announced that its second fund closed above the hard‑cap target, pushing total assets under management past $500 million. The fund reached its final close without a formal, public fundraising...
Deal Roundup: Goldman Sachs Alts Leads $65m Sage Series C, Littlejohn & Co Invest in GDS Associates
Goldman Sachs Alternatives' growth equity arm led a $65 million Series C round for Sage, an integrated care platform serving senior living communities and skilled‑nursing facilities. The capital infusion is aimed at scaling Sage’s technology stack, expanding its geographic footprint, and accelerating...
Ex-NFL Players Terrence C. Murphy Sr, Reggie Bush Eye $150m for Debut Sports Fund
Former NFL star Terrence C. Murphy Sr., joined by Hall of Famer Reggie Bush, has launched a private‑equity vehicle to acquire controlling interests in emerging sports leagues and related ecosystem assets. The partnership aims to raise $150 million for its debut...
PE Fundraising Suffers Weakest Year Since 2020 Amid Exit, Distributions Challenges: PitchBook
Private equity fundraising slowed for a second straight year in 2025. Total capital commitments fell to the weakest level since 2020, marking a double‑digit year‑over‑year decline. The slowdown stems from a dearth of portfolio exits, which curbed distributions and left...
Investcorp Picks up More than $1.25bn to Close Second GP Staking Fund
Investcorp has closed its second general‑partner (GP) staking fund, raising more than $1.25 billion from a diversified investor base. The vehicle will acquire minority equity positions in private‑equity and hedge‑fund managers, offering them liquidity and strategic support. Compared with the firm’s...
STG Seals Rapid Hard Cap Final Close of Second Allegro Fund on More than $1.3bn
Private equity firm STG announced the hard‑cap final close of its second Allegro fund, raising over $1.3 billion. The fund targets lower‑mid‑market enterprise‑software companies, a segment where STG has built a track record. The rapid close underscores strong investor demand for...