Weekend Roundup: Latest Fundraising Trends in the Private Equity Sector

Weekend Roundup: Latest Fundraising Trends in the Private Equity Sector

In the ever-evolving landscape of the private equity market, several prominent firms have achieved significant fundraising milestones, navigating a market characterized by cautious optimism and gradual recovery. Among these trailblazers are ICG, CVC, Carlyle Group, Garnett Station Partners, and Northleaf Capital Partners.

Carlyle Group has initiated preliminary discussions with potential investors for Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund II, aiming to raise more than $3bn. This infrastructure-focused vehicle follows the success of its predecessor and underscores Carlyle's continued commitment to infrastructure investments.

ICG, known for its expertise in credit and alternative assets, has secured $11bn for ICG Strategic Equity Fund V, surpassing its $6bn target and more than doubling the size of its previous fund. The new fund will continue investing in single-asset continuation vehicles for high-quality companies across North America and Western Europe.

CVC, another heavyweight in the private equity sphere, closed its third-generation Strategic Opportunities fund at €4.61bn, maintaining the size of its predecessor while significantly expanding its investor base. The Strategic Opportunities platform focuses on stable, high-quality businesses in Europe and North America, offering an extended investment horizon compared to traditional private equity.

Northleaf Capital Partners closed its third private credit fund, Northleaf Private Credit III (NPC III) and related managed accounts, raising over $1bn. NPC III emphasizes strong contractual cash yield, conservative leverage, and robust lender protections, making it an attractive option for investors seeking private credit opportunities. The fund pushes Northleaf's private credit platform past $6.5bn in total assets.

Garnett Station Partners, too, has closed its latest private equity fund, GSP 5.0, at $1.2bn. GSP 5.0 will continue its strategy of partnering with founders and management teams across sectors such as consumer and business services, health & wellness, automotive, and food & beverage.

The private equity market in 2025 is marked by a cautious but gradually recovering environment, with a strong start to the year followed by a slowdown amid global trade uncertainties and new tariff policies. Despite recent turbulence, investor risk appetite is reviving, and fundraising continues robustly, although exit activity has slowed and faces headwinds.

In this context, firms like ICG, CVC, Carlyle Group, Garnett Station Partners, and Northleaf Capital Partners are well-positioned to capitalize on the resilient fundraising trends, particularly in private credit and infrastructure strategies. While precise fundraising announcements for these firms in 2025 have not been detailed in the sources available, it can be inferred that these large established firms likely maintain active fundraising and capital deployment given their global scale and strong position in buyouts, aligning with the overall PE market optimism and fundraising trends.

Finally, the ICG Strategic Equity Fund V is oversubscribed at its hard cap, indicating strong investor demand for GP-led secondary market opportunities. As the private equity market navigates the challenges of 2025, these fundraising achievements serve as a testament to the enduring appeal and resilience of the industry.

1. Despite a cautious and recovering private equity market in 2025, fundraising continues robustly, with ICG Strategic Equity Fund V being oversubscribed at its hard cap, indicating strong investor demand for GP-led secondary market opportunities.
2. Carlyle Group is aiming to raise more than $3bn for Carlyle Global Infrastructure Opportunity Fund II, showing the continued commitments of firms like Carlyle to infrastructure investments.
3. Garnett Station Partners has closed its latest private equity fund, GSP 5.0, at $1.2bn, and is well-positioned to capitalize on the resilient fundraising trends, particularly in sectors such as consumer and business services, health & wellness, automotive, and food & beverage.
4. Northleaf Capital Partners closed its third private credit fund, Northleaf Private Credit III (NPC III) and related managed accounts, raising over $1bn, pushing its private credit platform past $6.5bn in total assets.
5. In the face of global trade uncertainties and new tariff policies, firms like CVC, known for its Strategic Opportunities platform and focus on stable, high-quality businesses in Europe and North America, have maintained a strong investor base, closing its third-generation Strategic Opportunities fund at €4.61bn.

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