Likely buyers · AI/ML in Belgium.

1. Swanlaab Venture Factory SponsorVery High81

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 Dolfin, 2026 · AI/ML, Spain

2. EQT SponsorVery High79

40 platform investments in Software & IT · 5 in Belgium · 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 Lovable, 2025 · AI/ML, Sweden

3. Hg SponsorVery High79

48 platform investments in Software & IT · 4 in Belgium · 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.

Bought CUBE from Bregal Milestone, 2024 · AI/ML, UK

4. Apax Partners SponsorVery High77

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 RapidSOS, 2025 · AI/ML, US

5. River Capital SponsorVery High77

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 Deltabase, 2026 · AI/ML, UK

6. Waterland Private Equity SponsorVery High76

18 platform investments in Software & IT · 36 in Belgium · 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

7. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High76

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 RapidSOS, 2025 · AI/ML, US

8. Apax Partners and Inova Capital SponsorVery High76

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 RapidSOS, 2025 · AI/ML, US

9. Apax Partners and JMI Equity SponsorVery High76

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 RapidSOS, 2025 · AI/ML, US

10. Apax Partners SAS SponsorVery High76

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 RapidSOS, 2025 · AI/ML, US

11. 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

12. Deutsche Telekom Capital Partners SponsorVery High76

34 platform investments in Software & IT · 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 SPREAD AI, 2026 · AI/ML, Germany

13. AFINUM Management GmbH SponsorVery High76

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

14. Deutsche Beteiligungs SponsorVery High75

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

15. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High75

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

16. 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

17. Sophora Unternehmerkapital SponsorVery High75

5 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Belgium · 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

18. Visma PE-backedHigh74

164 acquisitions in Software & IT · 12 in Belgium · 55 deals 2024–26 · add-on program under General Atlantic / Hg

Platform held 6 yrs · likely exiting

Active in Belgium since 2020.

Added on Finmatics, 2025 · AI/ML, Austria

19. Isai Gestion SponsorVery High74

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 Tinyclues, 2017 · AI/ML, France

20. Armira SponsorVery High74

8 platform investments in Software & IT · 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 PartSpace, 2025 · AI/ML, Germany

21. Bregal Milestone SponsorVery High74

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

AUM €1.3B · Bregal Milestone Fund III · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €18-137M

2 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 8 per fund.

Backed MeteoViva, 2026 · AI/ML, Germany

22. Maguar Capital SponsorVery High74

5 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Belgium · 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

23. Maguar Capital Partners SponsorVery High74

4 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Belgium · 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

24. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG SponsorVery High73

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

25. YFM Equity Partners SponsorVery High73

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 Xapien, 2023 · AI/ML, UK