Analysis
Alternative lending thrives in the Netherlands
Only the UK, France and Germany have seen more deals involving alternative debt, with Netherlands activity growing 31% year-on-year in 2017
Italian venture moves upmarket as overall activity dips
Venture dealflow and aggregate value decreased in 2017 following five years of growth, as VCs turned their attention to later-stage rounds
LP direct investment: straight to the source
Limited partners are striking out on their own to source their investments directly, with numeorus new strategies emerging
Nordic tech's transatlantic ambition
Nordic startups are increasingly looking to find backers with ties to the US market to support their growth strategies
Deals accelerate in German online marketplaces
Three transactions in the space within the first two months of 2018 saw PE firms invest a combined €500m and cash out more than €700m
Casual dining: overbooked and undercooked
British PE owners are facing challenges as the sector shows signs of strain due to oversupply and macroeconomic headwinds
Italian private debt issuance jumps 35% in 2017
Southern Europe's two biggest markets differ greatly in their uptake of private debt, with Spanish players facing strong competition from banks
Private debt funds expand market share in Germany
Growing use of use of first-out, second-out unitranche leads to private debt funds more than doubling their share of German mid-market deals
European PE in 2017: Scaling new heights
Buyout activity and fundraising reached a new peak in 2017, with mega-buyouts and small-cap deals fueling dealflow and French funds popular among LPs
Idinvest/Eurazeo merger: Going global
Eurazeo's permanent capital and an international footprint will help Idinvest attract an international LP base
CEE mid-market players welcome renewed attention from larger GPs
Focusing on the mid-market pays off, as renewed interest from international sponsors affords interesting SBO opportunities
Less specialisation in southern Europe as generalists flourish
Trend of fund specialisation has been observed in European PE but LPs are still supporting less differentiated strategies in Southern Europe
DACH auto-parts deals motor on as sector transforms
Private equity players remain keen on auto-parts, as the sub-sector responds to rapid changes brought about by the electrical vehicle market
Secondaries: all systems go following bumper 2017
Following a slump in 2016, the global volume of PE secondary transactions increased last year to reach new records
Canadian pension funds make inroads in France
unquote" looks at Canadian institutional investors' renewed appetite for direct investments in large-cap French assets
Pan-European GPs putting feet on the ground in Benelux
Pan-European GPs seek to tap Benelux's burgeoning buyout dealflow by securing talent familiar with the region
VCs tread cautiously around blockchain craze
VC activity in cryptocurrency has increased, but despite eye-catching deals, their volume is not as high as the wider enthusiasm would suggest
European PE in 2018: beware the bullet
unquoteт brings together a group of leading practitioners to analyse industry developments during 2017 and discuss emerging trends heading into 2018
European PE in 2017: fundraising tailwinds and growing leverage
Industry professionals look back on a resilient year for private equity during a period of turbulent geopolitics
Fundraising record rounds off active year for Nordic region
Region saw strong fundraising and high deal volume off the back of low interest rates in 2017
Tech gains traction in French private equity
Expansion deals and small-cap buyouts fuelled a strong 2017, with tech proving increasingly popular among buyout houses
UK buyout activity reaches post-crisis peak in 2017
Small-cap and lower-mid-market invested strongly during the course of the year, while fundraising activity continued apace
Benelux funds specialise to compete with strategic buyers
Record level of commitments were secured by Benelux funds during 2017, with GPs increasingly turning to sector specialisation
CEE closes out 2017 with strong investor confidence
Fundraising and deal activity both increased in the region during 2017