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Buyer landscape

Likely buyers · SaaS in Ireland.

Prepared 2026-08-28 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 38 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. Hg SponsorVery High87

48 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Ireland · 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

2. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High86

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

3. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High85

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 Blinq, 2025 · SaaS, Australia

4. AFINUM Management GmbH SponsorVery High85

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

5. Kester Capital SponsorVery High85

7 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Ireland · 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 Nutritics, 2026 · SaaS, Ireland

6. EQT SponsorVery High84

40 platform investments in Software & IT · 3 in Ireland · 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 Mews, 2026 · SaaS, Netherlands

7. Apax Partners SponsorVery High83

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 DLRdmv, 2025 · SaaS, US

8. Permira SponsorVery High83

27 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Ireland · 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.

Backed Versaterm, 2025 · SaaS, Canada

9. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High83

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 DLRdmv, 2025 · SaaS, US

10. Apax Partners and Inova Capital SponsorVery High83

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 DLRdmv, 2025 · SaaS, US

11. Apax Partners and JMI Equity SponsorVery High83

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 DLRdmv, 2025 · SaaS, US

12. Apax Partners SAS SponsorVery High83

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 DLRdmv, 2025 · SaaS, US

13. BID Equity Continuation Fund I SCSp SponsorVery High81

12 platform investments in Software & IT · 9 deals 2024–26

AUM €800M · BID Equity Continuation Fund I · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €6-45M

Accelerating: 7 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.0/yr before.

Bought everii from BID Equity, 2025 · SaaS, Germany

14. YFM Equity Partners SponsorVery High80

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 Aura Life, 2026 · SaaS, UK

15. August Equity SponsorVery High80

10 platform investments in Software & IT · 4 in Ireland · 6 deals 2024–26

August Equity Partners VI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €8-62M

4 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · early in deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.

Backed Alkimii, 2026 · SaaS, Ireland

16. Permira Credit SponsorVery High79

25 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Ireland · 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 Versaterm, 2025 · SaaS, Canada

17. Bowmark Capital SponsorVery High79

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.

Bought CubeLogic from Growth Capital Partners, 2024 · SaaS, UK

18. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital Multi-Asset Continuation Fund SponsorVery High79

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.

Backed SnelStart, 2025 · SaaS, Netherlands

19. Summa Equity SponsorVery High79

12 platform investments in Software & IT · 10 deals 2024–26

Summa Equity Fund III · 2022 vintage · partially deployed · check €46-345M

14 platform investments since the 2022 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 9 per fund.

Bought Peoplesafe from ECI Partners, 2026 · SaaS, UK

20. 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 Mojo-CX, 2025 · SaaS, UK

21. TeamSystem PE-backedVery High78

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

Added on DIA Yazilim, 2026 · SaaS, Turkey

22. Axcel SponsorVery High78

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 SuperOffice, 2025 · SaaS, Norway

23. Isai Gestion SponsorVery High77

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 Synera, 2026 · SaaS, Germany

24. BU Bregal Unternehmerkapital SponsorVery High77

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 SnelStart, 2025 · SaaS, Netherlands

25. Swanlaab Venture Factory SponsorVery High77

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 Flowww, 2025 · SaaS, 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.