Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · SaaS in United Kingdom.
Prepared 2026-08-28 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
How companies like this sold · 254 verified exits: 22% to sponsors, 76% to corporates and platforms, 2% via IPO, 0% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 26% (was 10%), corporates and platforms 72% (was 86%), IPO 1% (was 4%).
The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers, including 17 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 High91
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 19 in United Kingdom · 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. Hg SponsorVery High90
48 platform investments in Software & IT · 16 in United Kingdom · 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
3. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High90
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 16 in United Kingdom · 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. Apax Partners SponsorVery High89
35 platform investments in Software & IT · 15 in United Kingdom · 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
5. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High89
30 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in United Kingdom · 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
6. Apax Partners and Inova Capital SponsorVery High89
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in United Kingdom · 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
7. Apax Partners and JMI Equity SponsorVery High89
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in United Kingdom · 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
8. Apax Partners SAS SponsorVery High89
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in United Kingdom · 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
9. EQT SponsorVery High86
40 platform investments in Software & IT · 16 in United Kingdom · 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
10. YFM Equity Partners SponsorVery High86
26 platform investments in Software & IT · 61 in United Kingdom · 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
11. Kester Capital SponsorVery High86
7 platform investments in Software & IT · 15 in United Kingdom · 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
12. Bowmark Capital SponsorVery High85
22 platform investments in Software & IT · 55 in United Kingdom · 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
13. Summa Equity SponsorVery High85
12 platform investments in Software & IT · 3 in United Kingdom · 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
14. 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
15. River Capital SponsorVery High85
6 platform investments in Software & IT · 17 in United Kingdom · 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
16. Permira SponsorVery High82
27 platform investments in Software & IT · 19 in United Kingdom · 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
17. August Equity SponsorVery High82
10 platform investments in Software & IT · 37 in United Kingdom · 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
18. Castik Capital SponsorVery High82
5 platform investments in Software & IT · 5 in United Kingdom · 9 deals 2024–26
AUM €5.0B · EPIC III · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €40-300M
6 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 5 per fund.
Bought Interact Intranet from Perwyn, 2025 · SaaS, UK
19. Nordic Capital SponsorVery High81
27 platform investments in Software & IT · 12 in United Kingdom · 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 BRP Systems from Valedo Partners, 2024 · SaaS, Sweden
20. Inflexion SponsorVery High81
8 platform investments in Software & IT · 55 in United Kingdom · 27 deals 2024–26
AUM €11.0B · Inflexion Buyout Fund VII · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €90-675M
4 platform investments since the 2026 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 6 per fund.
Backed Nomentia, 2025 · SaaS, Finland
21. Inflexion (Partnership Capital III) SponsorVery High81
8 platform investments in Software & IT · 52 in United Kingdom · 25 deals 2024–26
AUM €11.0B · Inflexion Buyout Fund VII · 2026 vintage · deploying · check €90-675M
Accelerating: 15 deals in the last 2 years vs 5.0/yr before.
Backed Nomentia, 2025 · SaaS, Finland
22. BID Equity Continuation Fund I SCSp SponsorVery High81
12 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in United Kingdom · 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
23. Permira Credit SponsorVery High80
25 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in United Kingdom · 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
24. Maven Capital Partners SponsorVery High80
12 platform investments in Software & IT · 31 in United Kingdom · 6 deals 2024–26
AUM €889M · Maven UK Regional Buyout Fund II · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €4-26M
6 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 5 per fund.
Backed Novatus Global, 2022 · SaaS, UK
25. Vitruvian Partners SponsorVery High79
22 platform investments in Software & IT · 37 in United Kingdom · 19 deals 2024–26
AUM €18.0B · Vitruvian Investment Partnership V · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €146M-1.1B
20 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 20 per fund.
Backed Finago, 2025 · SaaS, Finland
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.