Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · Cloud Infrastructure in France.
Prepared 2026-09-29 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
How companies like this sold · 620 verified exits: 23% to sponsors, 76% to corporates and platforms, 1% via IPO, 0% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 23% (was 23%), corporates and platforms 76% (was 75%), IPO 1% (was 2%).
The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers, including 5 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.
Backed Hosting.com, 2023 · Cloud Infrastructure, US
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 Platform.sh, 2021 · Cloud Infrastructure, France
3. 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 McNair, 2024 · Cloud Infrastructure, US
4. Bpifrance Investissement SponsorVery High81
6 platform investments in Software & IT · 98 in France · 38 deals 2024–26
AUM €57.3B · Bpifrance Amorçage Industriel · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €1-8M
Accelerating: 32 deals in the last 2 years vs 5.5/yr before.
Backed Sekoia.io, 2025 · Cybersecurity, France
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 Hosting.com, 2023 · Cloud Infrastructure, US
6. Meanings Capital Partners SponsorVery High81
9 platform investments in Software & IT · 16 in France · 8 deals 2024–26
AUM €906M · Meanings Private Equity Fund IV (MPEF IV) · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M
Accelerating: 7 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.8/yr before.
Backed Instant System, 2026 · Software, France
7. Ring Capital SponsorVery High80
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 Enaos, 2025 · Software, Belgium
8. Turenne Groupe SponsorVery High79
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 M&C3i, 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
49 platform investments in Software & IT · 6 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 team.blue, 2019 · Cloud Infrastructure, Belgium
12. BID Equity Continuation Fund I SCSp SponsorVery High79
22 platform investments in Software & IT · 5 in France · 15 deals 2024–26
AUM €800M · BID Equity Continuation Fund I · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M
Accelerating: 13 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.5/yr before.
Bought Bmobile from BID Equity, 2025 · SaaS, 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 Oceanet Technology, 2016 · Cloud Infrastructure, France
15. BID Equity SponsorVery High78
18 platform investments in Software & IT · 4 in France · 10 deals 2024–26
AUM €800M · BID Equity Continuation Fund I · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M
8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 6 per fund.
Backed Bmobile, 2025 · SaaS, France
16. 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
17. 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
33 platform investments since the 2022 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 17 per fund.
Backed Groupe Pandora, 2026 · Software, France
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 Skaylink, 2021 · Cloud Infrastructure, Germany
21. Irdi Capital-Investissement SponsorVery High75
34 platform investments in Software & IT · 132 in France · 35 deals 2024–26
AUM €550M · IRDI Impulsion · 2021 vintage · partially deployed · check €2-15M
78 platform investments since the 2021 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 27 per fund.
Backed DONECLE, 2026 · AI/ML, France
22. 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
23. 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 Green Datahub, 2022 · Cloud Infrastructure, Germany
24. 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
25. 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
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.