Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · Deep Tech in Portugal.
Prepared 2026-09-29 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers, including 14 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. Swanlaab Venture Factory SponsorVery High79
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
2. 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
3. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High77
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
4. 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 VTI Technologies, 2002 · Deep Tech, Finland
5. 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
6. Alkemia SGR SponsorVery High76
8 platform investments in Software & IT · 8 deals 2024–26
AUM €270M · Food Excellence I · 2025 vintage · deploying
6 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 4 per fund.
Backed Circle Group, 2026 · Software, Italy
7. TeamSystem PE-backedVery High75
86 acquisitions in Software & IT · 28 deals 2024–26
Added on ACD (ACD Finances), 2026 · Software, France
8. Apax Partners SponsorVery High75
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
9. 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
10. Hg SponsorVery High75
49 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
11. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High75
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
12. 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 ProcurePro, 2026 · Software, Australia
13. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG SponsorVery High74
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
14. Permira SponsorVery High74
27 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Portugal · 17 deals 2024–26
AUM €80.0B · Permira VIII · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €334M-2.5B
17 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 11 per fund.
Bought The Key Group from CBPE Capital, 2025 · IT Services, UK
15. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High74
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
16. Apax Partners and Inova Capital SponsorVery High74
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
17. Apax Partners and JMI Equity SponsorVery High74
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
18. Apax Partners SAS SponsorVery High74
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
19. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital SponsorVery High74
17 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
20. AFINUM Management GmbH SponsorVery High74
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
21. Cipio Partners SponsorVery High74
19 platform investments in Software & IT · 8 deals 2024–26
Cipio Partners Fund VIII · 2021 vintage · partially deployed · check €4-30M
Accelerating: 6 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.8/yr before.
Backed Isar Aerospace, 2026 · Deep Tech, Germany
22. Queka Real Partners SponsorVery High74
8 platform investments in Software & IT · 8 deals 2024–26
AUM €350M · Queka Real Partners II · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €4-29M
Accelerating: 7 deals in the last 2 years vs 1.5/yr before.
Backed B2group, 2025 · IT Services, Spain
23. Nordic Capital SponsorVery High73
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 Evosep from Eifo, 2025 · Deep Tech, Denmark
24. Permira Credit SponsorVery High73
25 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Portugal · 14 deals 2024–26
AUM €80.0B · Permira VIII · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €334M-2.5B
17 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 11 per fund.
Backed The Key Group, 2025 · IT Services, UK
25. Ring Capital SponsorVery High73
10 platform investments in Software & IT · 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
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.