Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · Mobility.
Prepared 2026-08-28 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
How companies like this sold · 2,170 verified exits: 39% to sponsors, 57% to corporates and platforms, 4% via IPO, 1% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 36% (was 42%), corporates and platforms 59% (was 53%), IPO 4% (was 4%).
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. DUBAG Group SponsorVery High87
14 platform investments in Industrials · 8 deals 2024–26
Lenbach Equity Opportunities III · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €2-12M
Accelerating: 7 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.8/yr before.
Backed ItalPresseGauss, 2026 · Mobility, Italy
2. Bpifrance Investissement SponsorVery High84
27 platform investments in Industrials · 35 deals 2024–26
AUM €57.3B · Bpifrance Amorçage Industriel · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €1-8M
Accelerating: 30 deals in the last 2 years vs 4.5/yr before.
Backed Instant System, 2026 · Mobility, France
3. NCI SponsorVery High84
20 platform investments in Industrials · 12 deals 2024–26
AUM €400M · Reprendre & Developper 6 · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €2-15M
8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 8 per fund.
Backed Starwash, 2026 · Mobility, France
4. EQT SponsorVery High80
51 platform investments in Industrials · 51 deals 2024–26
AUM €291.0B · EQT X · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €440M-3.3B
53 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 11 per fund.
Backed Arlanda Express, 2026 · Mobility, Sweden
5. Waterland Private Equity SponsorVery High79
38 platform investments in Industrials · 39 deals 2024–26
Waterland Private Equity Fund IX (WPEF IX) · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €70-525M
48 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 19 per fund.
Backed Heliox, 2018 · Mobility, Netherlands
6. PAI Partners SponsorVery High79
33 platform investments in Industrials · 26 deals 2024–26
AUM €33.0B · PAI Mid-Market Fund II · 2025 vintage · deploying
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Bought Mecaer Aviation Group from Fondo Italiano d'Investimento SGR, 2026 · Aerospace & Defence, Italy
7. Altor Equity Partners SponsorVery High79
28 platform investments in Industrials · 12 deals 2024–26
AUM €8.3B · Altor Fund VI · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €60-450M
16 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 18 per fund.
Backed ElteraGruppen, 2026 · Construction, Norway
8. Sodero Gestion, CENCD SponsorVery High79
16 platform investments in Industrials · 22 deals 2024–26
AUM €350M · Transmettre & Pérenniser III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €2-15M
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed CO2 Démolitions, 2026 · Construction, France
9. IGI Private Equity SponsorVery High79
18 platform investments in Industrials · 8 deals 2024–26
AUM €169M · IGI Sustainable Transition Fund · 2024 vintage · deploying
Accelerating: 6 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.3/yr before.
Backed WeBlade, 2026 · Industrials, Italy
10. Arkea Capital, BNP Paribas Developpement and IRD Invest SponsorVery High78
47 platform investments in Industrials · 25 deals 2024–26
AUM €1.3B · Arkea Capital 3 · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €1-11M
11 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fountaine Pajot, 2020 · Mobility, France
11. Arkea Capital Partenaire SponsorVery High78
46 platform investments in Industrials · 25 deals 2024–26
AUM €1.3B · Arkea Capital 3 · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €1-11M
11 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Fountaine Pajot, 2020 · Mobility, France
12. PAI Partners (Fund VIII) SponsorVery High78
28 platform investments in Industrials · 17 deals 2024–26
AUM €33.0B · PAI Mid-Market Fund II · 2025 vintage · deploying
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed Mecaer Aviation Group, 2026 · Aerospace & Defence, Italy
13. PAI Partners (Mid-Market Fund) SponsorVery High78
28 platform investments in Industrials · 16 deals 2024–26
AUM €33.0B · PAI Mid-Market Fund II · 2025 vintage · deploying
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed Mecaer Aviation Group, 2026 · Aerospace & Defence, Italy
14. PAI Partners (Mid-Market) SponsorVery High78
28 platform investments in Industrials · 16 deals 2024–26
AUM €33.0B · PAI Mid-Market Fund II · 2025 vintage · deploying
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed Mecaer Aviation Group, 2026 · Aerospace & Defence, Italy
15. PAI Partners / ADIA SponsorVery High78
29 platform investments in Industrials · 17 deals 2024–26
AUM €33.0B · PAI Mid-Market Fund II · 2025 vintage · deploying
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed Mecaer Aviation Group, 2026 · Aerospace & Defence, Italy
16. PAI Partners and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan SponsorVery High78
28 platform investments in Industrials · 16 deals 2024–26
AUM €33.0B · PAI Mid-Market Fund II · 2025 vintage · deploying
12 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed Mecaer Aviation Group, 2026 · Aerospace & Defence, Italy
17. Audacia SponsorVery High78
21 platform investments in Industrials · 27 deals 2024–26
AUM €2.8B · Audacia Capital Développement IV · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €4-30M
45 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 12 per fund.
Backed Geolinks, 2026 · Industrials, France
18. Armira SponsorVery High78
7 platform investments in Industrials · 12 deals 2024–26
AUM €5.0B · Armira III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €20-150M
8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed AVILOO, 2026 · Mobility, Austria
19. Ardian SponsorVery High76
137 platform investments in Industrials · 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.
Backed 2i Aeroporti, 2015 · Mobility, Italy
20. Ardian, Finint Infrastrutture SponsorVery High76
126 platform investments in Industrials · 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 2i Aeroporti, 2015 · Mobility, Italy
21. Turenne Groupe SponsorVery High76
58 platform investments in Industrials · 34 deals 2024–26
AUM €2.0B · Capital Sante 3 · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €3-21M
20 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 80 per fund.
Backed O2D Environnement, 2026 · Construction, France
22. IK Partners SponsorVery High76
75 platform investments in Industrials · 52 deals 2024–26
AUM €13.8B · IK Partnership Fund III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €10-75M
18 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 13 per fund.
Bought SELATEK from Amplio, 2026 · Industrials, Sweden
23. Initiative & Finance SponsorVery High76
28 platform investments in Industrials · 11 deals 2024–26
AUM €800M · Initiative & Finance PME IV · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €5-36M
8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 18 per fund.
Backed Airess, 2026 · Industrials, France
24. Initiative & Finance (FCPR I) with Thierry Suin (MBO) SponsorVery High76
28 platform investments in Industrials · 11 deals 2024–26
AUM €800M · Initiative & Finance PME IV · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €5-36M
8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 18 per fund.
Backed Airess, 2026 · Industrials, France
25. Initiative & Finance + Turenne + Nord Capital SponsorVery High76
28 platform investments in Industrials · 11 deals 2024–26
AUM €800M · Initiative & Finance PME IV · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €5-36M
8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 18 per fund.
Backed Airess, 2026 · Industrials, 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.