Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · AdTech.
Prepared 2026-08-28 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
How companies like this sold · 1,015 verified exits: 27% to sponsors, 65% to corporates and platforms, 6% via IPO, 1% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 29% (was 24%), corporates and platforms 64% (was 67%), IPO 4% (was 9%).
The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers. A first round of the Tier 1 names plus the expansion buyers covers the demonstrated demand.
Financial buyers · 25
Tier 1 · Very High · score 70+
1. Bridgepoint SponsorVery High83
53 platform investments in TMT & Media · 43 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Bought Samy from Inveready Asset Management, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
2. Bridgepoint Development Capital SponsorVery High79
46 platform investments in TMT & Media · 36 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Samy, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
3. Bridgepoint (52.5% majority stake) SponsorVery High79
45 platform investments in TMT & Media · 36 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Samy, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
4. Bridgepoint BE VII + General Atlantic SponsorVery High79
46 platform investments in TMT & Media · 37 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Samy, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
5. Bridgepoint Capital SponsorVery High79
45 platform investments in TMT & Media · 36 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Samy, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
6. Bridgepoint Capital Developpement SponsorVery High79
45 platform investments in TMT & Media · 36 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Samy, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
7. Bridgepoint Development Capital (with Paluel-Marmont Capital & LT Capital) SponsorVery High79
45 platform investments in TMT & Media · 36 deals 2024–26
AUM €86.6B · Europe VIII (BE VIII) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €120-900M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Samy, 2025 · AdTech, Spain
8. Ardian SponsorVery High75
70 platform investments in TMT & Media · 51 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Bought Jakala from The Equity Club, 2021 · AdTech, Italy
9. Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 44 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
10. Ardian Mid Cap Buyout SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
11. Ardian (Clean Energy Evergreen Fund) SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 43 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
12. Ardian (ex-AXA Private Equity) SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
13. Ardian / Crédit Agricole Assurances consortium SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
14. Ardian + Tikehau Capital + EMZ consortium (Bpifrance + Amundi + Siparex) SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 43 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
15. Ardian and Centerbridge Partners SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
16. Ardian and GoldenTree Asset Management SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
17. Ardian and Latour Capital SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
18. Ardian Expansion SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
19. Ardian Expansion (Fund V) SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
20. Ardian Semiconductor SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 43 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
21. Ardian Tikehau EMZ consortium SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 42 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
22. Ardian, Finint Infrastrutture SponsorVery High75
64 platform investments in TMT & Media · 43 deals 2024–26
AUM €196.0B · Ardian Expansion Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €64-480M
13 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fermax, 2026 · TMT, Spain
23. NextStage AM SponsorVery High75
79 platform investments in TMT & Media · 21 deals 2024–26
AUM €11.6B · FCPI NextStage CAP 2026 · 2026 vintage · deploying
5 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 14 per fund.
Backed Bichard Equipement, 2025 · TMT, France
24. NextStage AM, BNP Développement, Bpifrance and management SponsorVery High75
80 platform investments in TMT & Media · 21 deals 2024–26
AUM €11.6B · FCPI NextStage CAP 2026 · 2026 vintage · deploying
5 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 14 per fund.
Backed Bichard Equipement, 2025 · TMT, France
25. Isai Gestion SponsorVery High75
28 platform investments in TMT & Media · 30 deals 2024–26
AUM €458M · ISAI Expansion III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M
23 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed blablacar, 2025 · TMT, France
Scores and facts derive from verified deal records only; sample floors and thresholds are published on the methodology page. Figures marked with a tilde are bands, not disclosures.