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Buyer landscape

Likely buyers · DevTools in Germany.

Prepared 2026-08-28 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables

How companies like this sold · 347 verified exits: 20% to sponsors, 78% to corporates and platforms, 1% via IPO, 1% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 19% (was 23%), corporates and platforms 79% (was 75%), IPO 0% (was 3%).

The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers, including 2 geographic expansion candidates without a local platform yet. 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. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital Multi-Asset Continuation Fund SponsorVery High85

18 platform investments in Software & IT · 32 in Germany · 15 deals 2024–26

AUM €7.0B · BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital Multi-Asset Continuation Fund · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €16-122M

4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 9 per fund.

Bought Safety21 from BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital, 2026 · Software, Italy

2. Deutsche Beteiligungs SponsorVery High84

13 platform investments in Software & IT · 80 in Germany · 10 deals 2024–26

AUM €2.7B · DBAG Solvares Continuation Fund · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €3-20M

9 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 8 per fund.

Backed Bug Bounty Switzerland, 2026 · Cybersecurity, Switzerland

3. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG SponsorVery High83

12 platform investments in Software & IT · 85 in Germany · 9 deals 2024–26

AUM €2.7B · DBAG Solvares Continuation Fund · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €3-20M

9 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 8 per fund.

Backed Bug Bounty Switzerland, 2026 · Cybersecurity, Switzerland

4. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital SponsorVery High83

17 platform investments in Software & IT · 32 in Germany · 14 deals 2024–26

AUM €7.0B · BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital Multi-Asset Continuation Fund · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €16-122M

4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 9 per fund.

Backed Safety21, 2026 · Software, Italy

5. AFINUM Management GmbH SponsorVery High83

14 platform investments in Software & IT · 24 in Germany · 9 deals 2024–26

AFINUM X Buyout (2026) · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €10-75M

2 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 9 per fund.

Backed Fairbanks, 2026 · SaaS, Netherlands

6. Hg SponsorVery High82

48 platform investments in Software & IT · 19 in Germany · 22 deals 2024–26

AUM €69.0B · Hg Mercury 4 · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €48-360M

24 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 8 per fund.

Backed OneStream, 2026 · SaaS, US

7. Sophora Unternehmerkapital SponsorVery High81

5 platform investments in Software & IT · 4 in Germany · 5 deals 2024–26

Sophora Capital Unternehmer-Fonds I · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €1-8M

Accelerating: 4 deals in the last 2 years vs 0.8/yr before.

Backed SQUER, 2026 · IT Services, Austria

8. EQT SponsorVery High80

40 platform investments in Software & IT · 40 in Germany · 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 Mews, 2026 · SaaS, Netherlands

9. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High80

15 platform investments in Software & IT · 15 in Germany · 20 deals 2024–26

AUM €12.7B · Oakley Capital Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €90-675M

10 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 6 per fund.

Bought Senef from Isatis Capital, 2026 · SaaS, France

10. Axcel SponsorVery High80

20 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Germany · 14 deals 2024–26

Axcel VII · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €26-194M

15 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 9 per fund.

Backed Bekk, 2026 · IT Services, Norway

11. Capmont SponsorVery High80

16 platform investments in Software & IT · 32 in Germany · 16 deals 2024–26

Capmont Technology Fund · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €2-15M

16 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 15 per fund.

Backed Boost Inc, 2025 · Software, Germany

12. Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners SponsorVery High80

34 platform investments in Software & IT · 8 in Germany · 9 deals 2024–26

DTCP Growth Equity III · 2022 vintage · partially deployed

15 platform investments since the 2022 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 14 per fund.

Backed Dash0, 2026 · DevTools, Germany

13. BID Equity Continuation Fund I SCSp SponsorVery High80

12 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in Germany · 9 deals 2024–26

AUM €800M · BID Equity Continuation Fund I · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M

Accelerating: 7 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.0/yr before.

Bought everii from BID Equity, 2025 · SaaS, Germany

14. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High79

15 platform investments in Software & IT · 13 in Germany · 19 deals 2024–26

AUM €12.7B · Oakley Capital Fund VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €90-675M

10 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 6 per fund.

Backed Senef, 2026 · Software, France

15. NORD Holding SponsorVery High79

9 platform investments in Software & IT · 40 in Germany · 15 deals 2024–26

AUM €5.0B · NORD Holding all inclusive Fitness Continuation Fund · 2026 vintage · deploying

Accelerating: 13 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.5/yr before.

Backed VisionmaxX Gruppe, 2026 · IT Services, Germany

16. NORD Holding / Pinova Capital SponsorVery High79

10 platform investments in Software & IT · 37 in Germany · 12 deals 2024–26

AUM €5.0B · NORD Holding all inclusive Fitness Continuation Fund · 2026 vintage · deploying

Accelerating: 10 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.5/yr before.

Backed VisionmaxX Gruppe, 2026 · IT Services, Germany

17. bm-t Beteiligungsmanagement Thueringen SponsorVery High79

6 platform investments in Software & IT · 28 in Germany · 13 deals 2024–26

AUM €465M · Mittelstands-Fonds Thueringen II (MFT II) · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €0-3M

Accelerating: 8 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.5/yr before.

Backed Leapter, 2025 · Software, Germany

18. Maguar Capital SponsorVery High79

5 platform investments in Software & IT · 9 in Germany · 7 deals 2024–26

AUM €595M · Maguar Continuation Fund I · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €5-35M

7 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 4 per fund.

Backed GlobalSuite Solutions, 2026 · Cybersecurity, Spain

19. Maguar Capital Partners SponsorVery High79

4 platform investments in Software & IT · 7 in Germany · 6 deals 2024–26

AUM €595M · Maguar Continuation Fund I · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €5-35M

7 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 4 per fund.

Backed GlobalSuite Solutions, 2026 · Cybersecurity, Spain

20. Isai Gestion SponsorVery High78

61 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Germany · 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 ProcurePro, 2026 · Software, Australia

21. Inflexion SponsorVery High78

8 platform investments in Software & IT · 5 in Germany · 27 deals 2024–26

AUM €11.0B · Inflexion Buyout Fund VII · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €90-675M

4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 6 per fund.

Backed Nomentia, 2025 · SaaS, Finland

22. Armira SponsorVery High78

8 platform investments in Software & IT · 23 in Germany · 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 FTAPI, 2025 · Cybersecurity, Germany

23. BID Equity SponsorVery High78

11 platform investments in Software & IT · 13 in Germany · 7 deals 2024–26

AUM €800M · BID Equity Continuation Fund I · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M

5 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 5 per fund.

Backed everii, 2025 · SaaS, Germany

24. Apax Partners SponsorVery High77

35 platform investments in Software & IT · 6 in Germany · 21 deals 2024–26

AUM €70.8B · Apax XI · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €221M-1.7B

19 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 12 per fund.

Backed Sedex, 2026 · Data & Analytics, UK

25. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High77

30 platform investments in Software & IT · 6 in Germany · 19 deals 2024–26

AUM €70.8B · Apax XI · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €221M-1.7B

19 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 12 per fund.

Backed Sedex, 2026 · Data & Analytics, UK

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.