Buyer landscape
Likely buyers · AI/ML in Spain.
Prepared 2026-08-28 with GP Intel · deterministic scoring, published weights: gp-intel.com/methodology/league-tables
How companies like this sold · 98 verified exits: 17% to sponsors, 81% to corporates and platforms, 1% via IPO, 1% other routes. Route shift since 2020: sponsors 21% (was 21%), corporates and platforms 75% (was 73%), IPO 3% (was 6%) (sector-wide).
The list: 25 Tier 1 · 0 Tier 2 of 120 matched buyers, including 10 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 High91
12 platform investments in Software & IT · 24 in Spain · 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 High83
40 platform investments in Software & IT · 13 in Spain · 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. TeamSystem PE-backedVery High80
86 acquisitions in Software & IT · 10 in Spain · 28 deals 2024–26
Active in Spain since 2020.
Added on Normo.ai, 2025 · AI/ML, Italy
4. Oakley Capital SponsorVery High80
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 7 in Spain · 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
5. Oakley Capital, Eurazeo, Sagard NewGen (I-Tracing platform) SponsorVery High79
15 platform investments in Software & IT · 6 in Spain · 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
6. Queka Real Partners SponsorVery High79
8 platform investments in Software & IT · 14 in Spain · 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
7. Apax Partners SponsorVery High78
35 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Spain · 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
8. Hg SponsorVery High78
48 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Spain · 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
9. 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
10. Alkemia SGR SponsorVery High78
8 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Spain · 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 Contents, 2021 · AI/ML, Italy
11. Apax Partners (with NewAlpha) SponsorVery High77
30 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Spain · 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
12. Apax Partners and Inova Capital SponsorVery High77
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 3 in Spain · 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
13. Apax Partners and JMI Equity SponsorVery High77
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Spain · 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
14. Apax Partners SAS SponsorVery High77
29 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Spain · 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
15. 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
16. 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
17. Capmont SponsorVery High76
16 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Spain · 16 deals 2024–26
Capmont Technology Fund · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €2-15M
16 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 15 per fund.
Backed Manex AI, 2025 · AI/ML, Germany
18. 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
19. Bregal Milestone SponsorVery High76
16 platform investments in Software & IT · 2 in Spain · 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
20. 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
21. Maguar Capital SponsorVery High75
5 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Spain · 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
22. Maguar Capital Partners SponsorVery High75
4 platform investments in Software & IT · 1 in Spain · 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
23. Waterland Private Equity SponsorVery High74
18 platform investments in Software & IT · 3 in Spain · 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
24. 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
25. 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
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.