Buyer landscape

Likely buyers · Education in Ireland.

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 9 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. MML Capital SponsorVery High84

20 platform investments in Business Services · 4 in Ireland · 16 deals 2024–26

AUM €2.0B · MML Dorchester SCSp · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €13-95M

8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 7 per fund.

Backed Coptersafety, 2026 · Education, Finland

2. MML Capital + Bpifrance SponsorVery High84

21 platform investments in Business Services · 4 in Ireland · 15 deals 2024–26

AUM €2.0B · MML Dorchester SCSp · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €13-95M

8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 7 per fund.

Backed Coptersafety, 2026 · Education, Finland

3. MML Capital Partners SponsorVery High84

20 platform investments in Business Services · 4 in Ireland · 15 deals 2024–26

AUM €2.0B · MML Dorchester SCSp · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €13-95M

8 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 7 per fund.

Backed Coptersafety, 2026 · Education, Finland

4. Permira SponsorVery High82

19 platform investments in Business Services · 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 Universidad Europea, 2019 · Education, Spain

5. Inspirit Capital SponsorVery High82

9 platform investments in Business Services · 7 deals 2024–26

Inspirit Fund II · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €2-13M

12 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 11 per fund.

Backed Kaplan Languages Group, 2026 · Education, UK

6. EQT SponsorVery High81

37 platform investments in Business Services · 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 Nord Anglia Education, 2025 · Education, Hong Kong

7. YFM Equity Partners SponsorVery High79

15 platform investments in Business Services · 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 inploi, 2026 · HR Tech, UK

8. Beech Tree Private Equity SponsorVery High79

7 platform investments in Business Services · 6 deals 2024–26

Beech Tree Private Equity Partners IV · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €4-31M

9 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 6 per fund.

Bought Inspiro from Inspirit Capital, 2025 · Education, UK

9. NORD Holding SponsorVery High78

7 platform investments in Business Services · 15 deals 2024–26

AUM €5.0B · NORD Holding all inclusive Fitness Continuation Fund · 2026 vintage · deploying

Accelerating: 13 deals in the last 2 years vs 2.5/yr before.

Backed IBB Institut fuer Berufliche Bildung AG, 2026 · Business Services, Germany

10. Adelis Equity Partners SponsorVery High78

9 platform investments in Business Services · 10 deals 2024–26

Adelis Equity Partners Fund IV · 2024 vintage · deploying · check €32-242M

4 platform investments since the 2024 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 7 per fund.

Bought Horn & Cosifan from Harald Quandt Industriebeteiligungen, 2026 · Business Services, Germany

11. IK Partners SponsorVery High77

50 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 52 deals 2024–26

AUM €13.8B · IK Partnership Fund III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €10-75M

18 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 13 per fund.

Bought Skill & You from Andera Partners, 2021 · Education, France

12. IK Partners (IK Small Cap III) SponsorVery High77

46 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 39 deals 2024–26

AUM €13.8B · IK Partnership Fund III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €10-75M

18 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 13 per fund.

Backed Skill & You, 2021 · Education, France

13. IK Partners / GIC / Keensight / Parquest / management SponsorVery High77

46 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 38 deals 2024–26

AUM €13.8B · IK Partnership Fund III · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €10-75M

18 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · largely deployed vs its usual 13 per fund.

Backed Skill & You, 2021 · Education, France

14. Waterland Private Equity SponsorVery High77

41 platform investments in Business Services · 7 in Ireland · 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 Partou, 2019 · Education, Netherlands

15. Permira Credit SponsorVery High77

16 platform investments in Business Services · 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 Universidad Europea, 2019 · Education, Spain

16. Inflexion SponsorVery High77

20 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 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 Ranger Fire & Security, 2026 · Business Services, UK

17. Inflexion (Partnership Capital III) SponsorVery High77

18 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 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 Ranger Fire & Security, 2026 · Business Services, UK

18. Charterhouse Capital Partners SponsorVery High77

23 platform investments in Business Services · 10 deals 2024–26

AUM €7.0B · Charterhouse Capital Partners XI · 2023 vintage · deploying · check €28-210M

10 platform investments since the 2023 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 14 per fund.

Backed Metrodora, 2024 · Education, Spain

19. CBPE Capital SponsorVery High76

7 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 8 deals 2024–26

AUM €1.7B · CBPE Fund XI · 2025 vintage · deploying · check €17-125M

5 platform investments since the 2025 vintage · mid-deployment vs its usual 7 per fund.

Backed Brookbanks Consulting, 2026 · Business Services, UK

20. Bridgepoint SponsorVery High75

20 platform investments in Business Services · 1 in Ireland · 43 deals 2024–26