Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · Data & Analytics.
Prepared 2026-08-28 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
How companies like this sold · 1,823 verified exits: 21% to sponsors, 74% to corporates and platforms, 4% via IPO, 1% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 21% (was 21%), corporates and platforms 75% (was 73%), IPO 3% (was 6%).
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. Nordic Capital SponsorVery High82
27 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 deals 2024–26
AUM €39.0B · Nordic Capital Fund XI · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €180M-1.4B
15 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 22 per fund.
Bought BMLL from ACF Investors, 2025 · Data & Analytics, UK
2. Apax Partners SponsorVery High80
35 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
3. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High80
30 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
4. Apax Partners and Inova Capital SponsorVery High80
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
5. Apax Partners and JMI Equity SponsorVery High80
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
6. Apax Partners SAS SponsorVery High80
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
7. Axcel SponsorVery High79
20 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
8. River Capital SponsorVery High79
6 platform investments in Software & IT · 9 deals 2024–26
AUM €153M · North West Private Equity Fund · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €0-2M
Accelerating: 7 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.8/yr before.
Backed HyperFinity, 2025 · Data & Analytics, UK
9. Isai Gestion SponsorVery High78
61 platform investments in Software & IT · 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 Hiboo, 2024 · Data & Analytics, France
10. Deutsche Beteiligungs SponsorVery High78
13 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
11. Hg SponsorVery High78
48 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
12. YFM Equity Partners SponsorVery High78
26 platform investments in Software & IT · 23 deals 2024–26
AUM €878M · YFM Buyout Fund III · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €2-17M
32 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Integrum ESG, 2024 · Data & Analytics, UK
13. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High78
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
14. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital Multi-Asset Continuation Fund SponsorVery High78
18 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
15. Capmont SponsorVery High78
16 platform investments in Software & IT · 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 Sifflet, 2025 · Data & Analytics, France
16. AFINUM Management GmbH SponsorVery High78
14 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
17. Swanlaab Venture Factory SponsorVery High78
12 platform investments in Software & IT · 18 deals 2024–26
Swanlaab Innvierte Agrifood Tech · 2024 vintage · deploying
Accelerating: 15 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.3/yr before.
Backed Kompyte, 2019 · Data & Analytics, Spain
18. GRO Capital SponsorVery High78
22 platform investments in Software & IT · 5 deals 2024–26
AUM €1.2B · GRO Generation I · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €3-23M
5 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 6 per fund.
Backed AIMMS, 2025 · Data & Analytics, Netherlands
19. Bowmark Capital SponsorVery High77
22 platform investments in Software & IT · 11 deals 2024–26
AUM €2.3B · Bowmark Capital Partners VII · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €21-158M
7 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 10 per fund.
Backed BCIS, 2026 · Data & Analytics, UK
20. VækstPartner Kapital SponsorVery High77
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 6 deals 2024–26
VPK Fond III · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €1-8M
9 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 8 per fund.
Backed Dataminds, 2024 · Data & Analytics, Denmark
21. Kester Capital SponsorVery High77
7 platform investments in Software & IT · 7 deals 2024–26
Kester Capital IV · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €10-75M
3 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 5 per fund.
Backed Addresscloud, 2025 · Data & Analytics, UK
22. EQT SponsorVery High76
40 platform investments in Software & IT · 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 RIMES Technologies, 2020 · Data & Analytics, UK
23. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG SponsorVery High76
12 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
24. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High76
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
25. Sophora Unternehmerkapital SponsorVery High76
5 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
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.