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Buyer landscape

Likely buyers · Deep Tech in France.

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

How companies like this sold · 598 verified exits: 23% to sponsors, 75% to corporates and platforms, 1% via IPO, 0% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 23% (was 22%), corporates and platforms 76% (was 76%), IPO 1% (was 2%).

The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers, including 4 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. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High84

15 platform investments in Software & IT · 7 in France · 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

2. Isai Gestion SponsorVery High83

61 platform investments in Software & IT · 111 in France · 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

3. Ring Capital SponsorVery High82

10 platform investments in Software & IT · 52 in France · 32 deals 2024–26

AUM €470M · Ring Altitude II · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €4-33M

17 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 13 per fund.

Backed HyLight, 2024 · Deep Tech, France

4. EQT SponsorVery High81

40 platform investments in Software & IT · 12 in France · 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 VTI Technologies, 2002 · Deep Tech, Finland

5. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High81

15 platform investments in Software & IT · 6 in France · 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

6. Turenne Groupe SponsorVery High80

25 platform investments in Software & IT · 311 in France · 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 Green-Communications, 2022 · Deep Tech, France

7. Bpifrance Investissement SponsorVery High80

5 platform investments in Software & IT · 89 in France · 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 Sekoia.io, 2025 · Cybersecurity, France

8. Meanings Capital Partners SponsorVery High80

9 platform investments in Software & IT · 15 in France · 7 deals 2024–26

AUM €906M · Meanings Private Equity Fund IV (MPEF IV) · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M

Accelerating: 6 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.8/yr before.

Backed Instant System, 2026 · Software, France

9. Arkea Capital, BNP Paribas Developpement and IRD Invest SponsorVery High79

19 platform investments in Software & IT · 138 in France · 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 Heliaq, 2025 · IT Services, France

10. Arkea Capital Partenaire SponsorVery High79

19 platform investments in Software & IT · 137 in France · 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 Heliaq, 2025 · IT Services, France

11. Hg SponsorVery High79

48 platform investments in Software & IT · 5 in France · 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. Irdi Capital-Investissement SponsorVery High78

34 platform investments in Software & IT · 131 in France · 33 deals 2024–26

AUM €550M · IRDI Impulsion · 2021 vintage · partially deployed · check €2-15M

76 platform investments since the 2021 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 26 per fund.

Backed KEYSOM, 2024 · Deep Tech, France

13. TeamSystem PE-backedVery High78

86 acquisitions in Software & IT · 5 in France · 28 deals 2024–26

Active in France since 2024.

Added on ACD (ACD Finances), 2026 · Software, France

14. Capital Croissance SponsorVery High78

16 platform investments in Software & IT · 44 in France · 20 deals 2024–26

AUM €950M · Club des entrepreneurs Capital Croissance · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €2-15M

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

Backed Advanced Track and Trace, 2021 · Deep Tech, France

15. Meanings Capital Partners with Bpifrance SponsorVery High78

8 platform investments in Software & IT · 16 in France · 7 deals 2024–26

AUM €906M · Meanings Private Equity Fund IV (MPEF IV) · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M

Accelerating: 6 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.8/yr before.

Backed Instant System, 2026 · Software, France

16. Entrepreneur Invest SponsorVery High77

34 platform investments in Software & IT · 100 in France · 11 deals 2024–26

AUM €1.8B · FPCI Entrepreneurs & Croissance N°5 · 2022 vintage · partially deployed · check €3-23M

32 platform investments since the 2022 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 17 per fund.

Backed Groupe Pandora, 2026 · Software, France

17. Nordic Capital SponsorVery High76

27 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in France · 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 Evosep from Eifo, 2025 · Deep Tech, Denmark

18. Axcel SponsorVery High76

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

19. Sodero Gestion, CENCD SponsorVery High76

5 platform investments in Software & IT · 40 in France · 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 Skyld, 2025 · Cybersecurity, France

20. Waterland Private Equity SponsorVery High75

18 platform investments in Software & IT · 11 in France · 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 Netconomy, 2025 · IT Services, Austria

21. Apax Partners SponsorVery High75

35 platform investments in Software & IT · 16 in France · 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

22. Deutsche Beteiligungs SponsorVery High75

13 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in France · 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

23. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High75

30 platform investments in Software & IT · 8 in France · 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

24. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital Multi-Asset Continuation Fund SponsorVery High75

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

25. Swanlaab Venture Factory SponsorVery High75

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 Situm, 2019 · Deep Tech, Spain

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.