Uplift Investors completed the acquisition of Engage fi from Falfurrias Management Partners.

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AMERICAS

Goldman Sachs to acquire LCN Capital Partners for $410m.

Goldman Sachs, an investment banking and financial services company, agreed to acquire LCN Capital Partners, an investment manager specializing in the sale-leaseback, build-to-suit, and triple net lease sectors of the real estate market, for $410m, according to press release.

LCN Capital is advised by RBC Capital Markets and McDermott Will & Schulte. Goldman Sachs is advised by Goldman Sachs, DLA Piper and Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz, according to press release.

NVIDIA completes a $1.5bn investment in SB Energy.

NVIDIA, a technology company, completed a $1.5bn investment in SB Energy, data center and power infrastructure company purpose-built for AI infrastructure, according to press releases.

SB Energy was advised by Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan. NVIDIA was advised by Morgan Stanley and Latham & Watkins (led by Haim Zaltzman, Aida Vajzovic and Josh Dubofsky), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

Ecopetrol completes the acquisition of a 51% stake in Brava Energia for $1.2bn.

Ecopetrol, an integrated oil and gas company, completed the acquisition of a 51% stake in Brava Energia, a Brazil‑focused independent oil and gas company, for $1.2bn, according to press releases.

Ecopetrol is advised by Bank of America, Mayer Brown (led by Rodolfo Tella), Tauil & Chequer Advogados (led by Alexandre R. Chequer and Luciana Sodré) and White & Case (led by Denise A. Cerasani), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

Mitsui Chemicals completed the acquisition of Ultradent Products for $900m.

Mitsui Chemicals, a Japanese multinational chemical company, completed the acquisition of Ultradent Products, a developer of high-tech dental materials, devices, and instruments, for $900m, according to press releases.

Ultradent Products was advised by Jefferies & Company and Foley & Lardner (led by Blake Tengberg). Mitsui Chemicals was advised by KPMG and Baker McKenzie (led by Kiyoshi Endo), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

Francisco Partners to acquire Weave for $650m.

Francisco Partners, a private equity firm, agreed to acquire Weave, a SaaS company providing an AI-powered patient engagement and payments platform for healthcare practices, for $650m, according to press releases.

Weave is advised by Jefferies & Company and Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. Francisco Partners is advised by Kirkland & Ellis and Prosek Partners, according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

Curaleaf to acquire Aurora Cannabis for $272m.

Curaleaf, an international provider of consumer cannabis products, agreed to acquire Aurora Cannabis, a cannabis producer that cultivates and distributes medical and recreational cannabis products, for $272m, according to press releases.

Curaleaf is advised by Canaccord Genuity, Dentons, Carson Proxy and Kekst CNC, according to press releases.

Equinor to acquire an 87.71% stake in Lackawanna Energy Center from BlackRock-backed GIP for $940m.

Equinor, a Norway-based energy company, agreed to acquire an 87.71% stake in Lackawanna Energy Center, a 1,483 MW gas-fired combined cycle power plant in Pennsylvania, from BlackRock-backed GIP, for $940m, according to press releases.

BlackRock is advised by Morgan Stanley and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett (led by Eli Hunt), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

Agellus Capital-backed Bluejack Fire & Life Safety completes the acquisition of Phillips Fire & Life Safety.

Agellus Capital-backed Bluejack Fire & Life Safety, provider of code‑compliant fire protection and life safety solutions, completed the acquisition of Phillips Fire & Life Safety, a provider of fire and life safety services for commercial facility alarms, sprinklers, and extinguishers throughout the Greater Houston area, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Agellus Capital was advised by Squire Patton Boggs, according to press releases.

DST Global led a $400m Series B round in Higgsfield.

DST Global led a $400m Series B round in Higgsfield, with participation from Tribe Capital, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Smash Capital, Fifth Wall, Valor Capital, Intel Capital, Liberty Global Tech Ventures, Mirae Asset Capital, NTT DOCOMO Ventures, Accel, Menlo Ventures, AI Capital Partners, GFT Ventures, Capra Ventures, BAM Corner Point and BroadLight Capital, according to press releases.

Disruptive led a $350m Series A round in Groq.

Disruptive, a late-stage global technology investment firm, led a $350m Series A round in Groq, AI infrastructure company providing high-performance inference cloud services for real-time artificial intelligence applications, with participation from NVIDIA, according to press releases.

Menlo Ventures led a $280m Series B round in Wispr.

Menlo Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm focused on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and robotics, led a $280m Series B round in Wispr, a technology company developing an AI-powered voice dictation and speech-to-text software that lets you speak naturally instead of typing across any app or text field, with participation from Notable Capital, NEA, Neo Ventures, 8VC, MVP Ventures, Acrew, Activate, Forerunner, Goodwater, Peak XV, Together Fund, PLUS Capital, Livvy Dunne, Shaun White, Dak Prescott, DK Metcalf, Joe Burrow, Kyle Hamilton, Aaron Gordon, Alex Caruso, Domantas Sabonis, Klay Thompson, Paul George, and Trae Young, according to press releases.

Andreessen Horowitz could make close to $1.5bn from OpenRouter's potential sale to Stripe. (Press Release)

Stripe is pursuing the acquisition of AI model marketplace OpenRouter in a transaction valued at more than $8bn, which would rank among the largest artificial intelligence deals of the year.

The proposed acquisition would deliver substantial returns to existing investors, including Andreessen Horowitz and Menlo Ventures, following investments made less than two years ago. Discussions are ongoing and no transaction has been finalized.

Paramount seeks $1.9bn bond from states in merger lawsuit. (Bloomberg)

Paramount Skydance has requested that the states challenging its proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery post a $1.88bn bond in connection with ongoing antitrust litigation.

The company said the amount reflects potential costs associated with delays to the transaction, including financing expenses and fees that could be incurred if the merger is not completed by the agreed deadline.

Jeanie Buss disputes sale of family stake in LA Lakers. (Bloomberg)

Jeanie Buss is challenging the sale of the Buss family's remaining stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger.

The dispute follows the family's earlier sale of majority control of the NBA franchise. The remaining stake sale would complete the transfer of the Buss family's ownership interest in the Lakers, although the transaction now faces a legal challenge.

Stellantis considering sale of Canada plant. (Reuters)

Stellantis is considering the closure and potential sale of its Brampton, Ontario assembly plant as it reviews its manufacturing footprint in North America.

The proposed move would end vehicle production at the facility and follows a broader assessment of the impact of US tariffs on the automotive sector. Discussions remain ongoing and no final decision has been announced.

Floating Point announces $125m Fund III to embrace complexity. (Press Release)

Floating Point has closed its third venture capital fund with $125m in commitments, exceeding its fundraising target and increasing total assets under management to more than $300m.

The fund is backed by a range of institutional investors, endowments, foundations and financial industry executives. Floating Point focuses on early-stage investments in sectors including healthcare, logistics, financial services and insurance, targeting businesses that combine technology with operations in regulated industries.

General Atlantic picks JP Morgan to lead revived IPO effort. (Reuters)

General Atlantic has appointed JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs to work on a potential initial public offering, reviving listing plans that had been on hold for nearly three years.

The investment firm is evaluating a public market debut that could take place as soon as this year, with preparations now underway alongside its selected advisers.

EMEA

BioMarin to acquire Alesta Therapeutics for c. $490m.

BioMarin, a biotechnology company, agreed to acquire Alesta Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, for c. $490m, according to press releases.

Alesta Therapeutics is advised by JP Morgan, Goodwin and NautaDutilh. BioMarin is advised by Morgan Stanley and Jones Day, according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

Midas Atlantic Partners and The Najafi Companies to acquire the power and battery control solutions business of Panasonic Industry.

Midas Atlantic Partners and The Najafi Companies, the private investment firms, agreed to acquire the power and battery control solutions business of Panasonic Industry, a developer of electronic components and industrial devices used in automotive, factory automation, and ICT infrastructure, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Midas Atlantic Partners and The Najafi Companies are advised by DC Advisory, Simmons & Simmons, TMI Associates and RSM Ebner Stolz, according to press releases.

Medbase completes the acquisition of a majority stake in Ardentis from Columna Capital.

Medbase, a healthcare services group, completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Ardentis, a dental and orthodontics clinic group, from Columna Capital, a private equity firm, according to press releases. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Medbase was advised by Bar & Karrer (led by Christoph Neeracher and Thomas Rohde), according to press releases and MergerLinks data.

SoftBank led a $200m Series A round in Gravis Robotics.

SoftBank, a Japanese technology investment conglomerate, led a $200m Series A round in Gravis Robotics, a developer of autonomous technology capable of retrofitting construction machines with autonomous operation, according to press releases.

Chelsea shareholders Mark Walter and Todd Boehly in talks to sell their stakes to Clearlake. (FT)

Clearlake Capital is in discussions to acquire the stakes in Chelsea Football Club held by Todd Boehly and Mark Walter, a transaction that could simplify the ownership structure of the Premier League club.

The talks follow several years of discussions among Chelsea's shareholders after the consortium acquired the club for £2.5bn in 2022. No agreement has been reached, and discussions remain ongoing.

Frasers falls short of majority stake in bid for fashion house Hugo Boss. (Bloomberg)

Frasers Group has increased its stake in Hugo Boss to approximately 48%, further strengthening its position as the German fashion company's largest shareholder.

The increase follows Frasers' unsolicited €38 per share takeover offer for Hugo Boss, valued at approximately €2bn. While the retailer remains below the threshold for full control, the higher ownership stake increases its influence over the company.

Ardian taps UBS to explore sale of Swissbit. (Bloomberg)

Ardian is exploring a potential sale of Swissbit, a provider of industrial data storage and security solutions.

The private equity firm is working with UBS to assess interest from prospective buyers ahead of a potential sale process. Swissbit could be valued at several billion dollars based on its earnings profile, although discussions remain at an early stage.

Zara billionaire Ortega buys Marylebone Rental Development. (Bloomberg)

Amancio Ortega's family investment vehicle, Pontegadea Inversiones, has acquired a residential rental property in London's Marylebone district for £150m ($202m).

The acquisition expands Pontegadea's real estate portfolio and adds another central London asset to its holdings. The property comprises luxury residential units in a prime location within the UK capital.

Optiver to buy majority stake in Dutch energy trader Northpool. (Bloomberg)

Optiver has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Dutch energy trader Northpool as part of its strategy to expand its presence in power and natural gas markets.

The transaction is expected to close in November, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Dangote Refinery secures $400m ahead of planned IPO. (Bloomberg)

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has secured $400m in underwriting commitments ahead of a planned initial public offering to support the expansion of its refining operations.

The commitments were provided by Marob Strategies and Consulting DIFC and Lilium Capital Group, which are acting as co-financial advisers to the refinery. The planned offering is intended to raise capital for further development of the facility.

Rare $1bn IPO rush seen in Zambia after election. (Bloomberg)

The Lusaka Securities Exchange expects as much as $1bn of initial public offerings to come to market following Zambia's presidential election, supported by strong investor interest in the country's mining and resources sectors.

Exchange officials expect a significant increase in listing activity as companies take advantage of favorable market conditions linked to higher copper prices and improving capital markets sentiment.

APAC

Brookfield to acquire Reliance Worldwide for AUD4.1bn.

Brookfield, an alternative asset management company, agreed to acquire Reliance Worldwide, a global Australian-founded manufacturer that designs and supplies water flow, control, and plumbing solutions, for AUD4.1bn, according to press releases.

Reliance Worldwide is advised by Goldman Sachs, Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer and Teneo, according to press releases.

Alibaba to sell Lingxi Games in more than $2bn deal. (Reuters)

Alibaba Group has agreed to sell its entire stake in game developer Lingxi Games to private equity firm Trustar Capital.

The transaction is expected to generate more than $2bn in proceeds for Alibaba and forms part of the company's ongoing efforts to streamline its portfolio. The parties have signed a definitive agreement following multiple rounds of negotiations.

Anytime Fitness Asia’s owner is said to weigh $400m sale. (Bloomberg)

Inspire Brands Asia is exploring a sale of Anytime Fitness Asia, the operator of Anytime Fitness franchises across eight Asian markets.

The company has engaged an adviser and begun approaching potential buyers as part of a divestment process. The transaction could value the business at up to $400m, including debt, although discussions remain at an early stage.

NSE said to seek up to $55bn valuation in record India IPO. (Bloomberg)

National Stock Exchange of India is seeking a valuation of up to INR 5.26tn ($55bn) for its planned initial public offering as it advances investor marketing efforts for the listing.

The exchange has been discussing a valuation range of INR 2k to INR 2.1k per share with prospective investors during its roadshow process. The IPO would rank among the largest public offerings in India if completed.

Shein cuts company valuation to around $25bn in Hong Kong IPO. (Reuters)

Shein is preparing a Hong Kong initial public offering at a valuation of approximately $25bn-$28bn, significantly below the level achieved in a private share sale several years ago.

The fast-fashion retailer is proceeding with IPO preparations as it seeks to access public markets amid moderating growth. The proposed valuation range is expected to form the basis of marketing discussions with prospective investors.

Temasek-backed Milky Mist hits $1.5bn valuation in India debut. (Deal Street Asia)

Milky Mist Dairy Food rose strongly in its stock market debut in India, lifting the company's valuation to approximately $1.5bn following its recent IPO. The shares traded at a significant premium to the offering price, reflecting strong investor demand for the dairy products manufacturer.

The company raised approximately $163m through its IPO, which was oversubscribed during the bookbuilding process. Milky Mist produces value-added dairy products including cheese, butter, ice cream and yogurt, and plans to use proceeds to repay debt and expand manufacturing capacity.

Alibaba-backed AI video platform ShengShu mulls HK IPO. (Bloomberg)

ShengShu Technology, the developer of the Vidu AI video generation platform, is considering an initial public offering in Hong Kong that could raise more than $500m.

The company is working with China International Capital and Citic Securities on the planned listing, which could take place next year. Preparations remain at an early stage and no final decision has been made.

Unitree crypto futures indicate more than 300% debut pop. (Bloomberg)

Unitree Robotics' valuation has surged in derivatives markets ahead of its Shanghai stock market debut, with futures contracts implying a market value of approximately $40.5bn.

The Chinese robotics company is scheduled to begin trading following an IPO that valued the business at about $9bn. Trading in related perpetual futures contracts reflects strong investor interest in companies exposed to the robotics and artificial intelligence sectors.

Not worth the squeeze’: global private equity makes zero deals in China. (FT)

Global private equity firms have largely avoided new investments in mainland China this year, extending a slowdown in deal activity as regulatory scrutiny of foreign investment remains elevated.

Several of the world's largest buyout groups, including KKR, Warburg Pincus and Blackstone, have not announced new equity investments in China during the first seven months of 2026. The trend highlights continued caution among international investors toward the Chinese market, particularly in sectors deemed sensitive by regulators.

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