Billion-Dollar NFL Stakes and PE Platforms Headline the October Edition of Dakota Sports Capital
Private markets are going long on sports. October saw billion-dollar minority sales across the NFL, record valuations in global football, and new private equity platforms dedicated to the business of sports. CVC Capital rolled $13.6B in assets into its Global Sports Group, Apollo launched Apollo Sports Capital, and Avenue Capital closed a $1B+ sports fund spanning golf, motorsports, and MLB.
Athlete and family office investors also took the field, with John Elway, Tim Tebow, and Blake Bortles launching Momentous Sports and Lakers executives Joey and Jesse Buss debuting Buss Sports Capital. Meanwhile, women’s sports continued their surge toward becoming a standalone institutional asset class.
Download the October edition of dakota Sports Capital to see how private capital is reshaping the game, and where the next wave of investment is headed.
Transaction News Summary
Hollywood drama appears to be spilling into Wall Street, as Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly rebuffed an initial takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, rejecting a $20 per share offer that CEO David Zaslav deemed too low for the studio and streaming empire. The standoff sets up a high-stakes game of brinkmanship as David Ellison may seek financial backers like Apollo Global Management to sweeten his bid or even take his case directly to shareholders.
In Europe’s gaming arena, Allwyn International and OPAP struck an all-stock merger, creating the world’s second-largest gaming operator valued at €16B ($18.5B). The combined company will remain listed in Athens with plans for a potential London or New York listing, cementing its role as a global lottery and betting powerhouse.
In finance and infrastructure, Brookfield Asset Management and Brookfield Corporation will acquire the remaining 26% of Oaktree Capital Management for $3B, bringing the distressed-debt firm fully in-house and solidifying Brookfield’s footprint in the US. Meanwhile, Blackstone is weighing a bid for Big Yellow Group and simultaneously selling a £1B ($1.3B) UK warehouse portfolio to Tritax Big Box REIT, extending its strategy of optimizing across the UK real estate market.
Elsewhere, Warburg Pincus agreed to acquire PSI Software in a €700M ($811M) deal, adding to its European tech portfolio, while blockchain firm Securitize is reportedly preparing to go public via a SPAC merger that could value it above $1B, a milestone moment for the tokenization of real-world assets backed by BlackRock and Morgan Stanley.
Read on for a rundown of all the latest fundraising news.
Tech & Telecom
M&A
Warburg Pincus to acquire PSI Software for €700M ($811M) at a 50% premium, taking the firm private. E.ON retains its stake as PSI upgrades post-cyberattack; Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan advised. Source
Bending Spoons, backed by Silver Point, plans $495M in bids for Typeform and Elysium, part of a broader $2.5B loan–funded acquisition spree after recent offers for Vimeo and AOL. Source
FLEX Capital bought Evo IT from VR Equitypartner, expanding its AI and mobility software reach in Germany. CEO Paul Kleinrath will continue leading the firm. Source
Lendscape (a Bowmark Capital company) acquired WinFactor to boost its US factoring software and capital finance tech presence. Source
Inflexion-backed ANS acquired Sci-Net, adding 65 staff and Microsoft Dynamics 365 expertise to grow its cloud ERP offerings. Source
Venture & Growth
Prezent AI raised $30M from Multiplier, Greycroft, and others, and acquired Prezentium, reaching a $400M valuation for its AI presentation platform. Source
Tigris closed a $25M Series A led by Spark Capital and a16z to deploy its own AI datacenter hardware globally. Source
Glide Identity raised $20M+ led by Crosspoint Capital to develop SIM-based authentication with T-Mobile and Verizon. Source
Optimaze raised AUD 3M ($1.95M) to build AI tools reducing cloud spend, co-led by Arconic and The Innovation Club. Source
Elelem, backed by SVV, raised funding for its Generative Engine Optimization tech to manage AI search visibility. Source
Pimly raised $2.25M from High Alpha to enhance its Salesforce-native product cloud with Agentic AI tools. Source
Solentrex received new capital from Chair Capital to expand its AI-powered solar industry SaaS platform. Source
Recognize Capital invested in Security Risk Advisors, the firm’s first institutional funding, to scale its cybersecurity services. Source
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Sports, Media & Entertainment
M&A
Allwyn International (backed by KKCG) and OPAP will merge to form a €16B ($18.5B) global gaming leader. The new Allwyn, led by CEO Robert Chvatal, will remain listed in Athens with plans for a London or NY listing. Morgan Stanley, PJT Partners, and top law firms advised. Source
Warner Bros. Discovery rejected a $20/share takeover offer from Paramount Skydance, calling it undervalued. CEO David Zaslav seeks a higher valuation post–cable separation; Paramount may raise its bid or seek Apollo Global backing. Source
Tampa Bay Rays sold to a group led by Patrick Zalupski in a $1.7B deal approved by MLB. The new owners, including Bill Cosgrove and Ken Babby, will focus on securing a new stadium before 2028. Source
Genting Bhd launched a $1.6B bid to privatize Genting Malaysia, offering MYR 2.35/share ($0.56) for the remaining 50.6% stake. The deal values the unit at $3.15B and is pending Securities Commission Malaysia approval. Source
Canal+ plans to take MultiChoice private and list itself on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange by 2026. Holding 94.4% of MultiChoice, the $3B merger creates a pan-African media powerhouse with 40M subscribers. Source
Venture & Growth
Everyset raised $9M from Crosslink Capital and Haven Ventures to expand its entertainment payroll automation platform used by Netflix, Sony, and Amazon. Source
Healthcare
M&A
Keensight Capital acquired a majority stake in Bedfont Scientific, a UK breath analysis device maker. Existing shareholders reinvested; the deal supports international expansion and M&A growth. Source
RoundTable Healthcare Partners sold Renaissance Lakewood, a US CDMO, to LTS LOHMANN of Germany. The transaction closes in November, with Sidley Austin advising the sellers. Source
Venture & Growth
Excellergy launched with a $70M Series A led by Samsara BioCapital, Red Tree, and Decheng to develop cellular-level allergy therapeutics. Source
Ona Therapeutics raised €10M ($11.6M) led by CDTI Innovation, joined by Asabys, Ysios, Alta Life Science, and Fund+, to advance antibody-based cancer therapies. Source
5IR Funds invested $6.5M in RIIG Technology, an AI-driven claims automation firm reducing healthcare insurance denials. Source
Alleviate Health raised $4.3M led by a16z to grow its AI recruiter platform for clinical trial patient recruitment. Source
Meta-Flux secured €1.8M ($2.1M) from pharma and tech executives to scale its AI biotech decision platform improving preclinical drug development. Source
Gladys, a UK AI home care platform, raised £1.5M ($2M) led by Cornerstone VC to expand nationwide and enhance its AI scheduling and payment tech. Source
Financials
M&A
Brookfield will acquire the remaining 26% stake in Oaktree Capital for $3B, valuing the firm at $11.5B. The deal, closing early next year, makes the U.S. Brookfield’s largest market, managing over $550B in assets. Source
Securitize, a blockchain asset tokenization firm, is in talks to go public via Cantor Equity Partners II SPAC at a $1B valuation. The company is backed by BlackRock and Morgan Stanley and central to the tokenized assets trend. Source
Equirus Group and Sapient Finserv merged to form a $3.95B (INR 350B) wealth manager. Amicus Capital backs the deal, and Sapient co-founders Amit Bivalkar and Pallav Bagaria join Equirus Wealth’s leadership. Source
Netley Capital completed its first tertiary transaction, acquiring $140M of LP interests from two secondaries funds. It now manages $315M in commitments. Alvaro Rosado (ex–Rothschild & Co.) joins as co-founder. Source
Simplicity Group will acquire RetireOne, an outsourced insurance desk for RIAs, forming Simplicity OID to deliver fee-based insurance and annuity solutions. Founders David Stone, Jeff Cusack, and Ed Mercier join as partners. Source
Venture & Growth
Teylor, a European SME financing platform, secured €150M ($173M) from Fasanara Capital to scale its pan-European factoring business. Source
State Super acquired a 23% stake in Frontier Advisors, hiring it as independent OCIO and gaining a board seat, joining major Australian pension shareholders. Source
Dezerv raised $40M Series C from Premji Invest, Accel, Elevation Capital, and Z47, expanding its wealth tech platform and portfolio offerings across India’s 200+ cities. Source
Lemon, an Argentine crypto fintech, raised $20M Series B led by F-Prime and ParaFi to expand across Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Chile. Source
CipherOwl raised $15M seed led by General Catalyst and Flourish Ventures for its AI blockchain compliance tools used to detect cross-chain financial crime. Source
ClaimSorted secured $13.3M seed from Atomico, Eurazeo, and Y Combinator for its AI-powered insurance claims SaaS. Source
GoodScore, a Bengaluru AI credit platform, raised $13M Series A led by Peak XV Partners to expand its credit health and marketplace offerings. Source
Irys, an insurance tech company, raised $12.5M seed led by Markd to build an AI-native platform integrating financials, operations, and client data. Source
Cryptomesh, a DeFi staking startup, raised $2.5M Series A to expand its multi-chain staking infrastructure. Source
REasy, an African fintech, raised $1.8M pre-seed from Launch Africa Ventures and others to simplify cross-border SME payments. Source
Kapnative, a Berlin-based WealthTech, received investment from First Rate Ventures to deploy its AI platform for private market access. Source
Other News
Lenskart and Billionbrains (Groww) plan $1.7B combined IPOs in India this month — $900M and $750M, respectively — signaling robust investor appetite. Source
Brazil’s PicPay revived its U.S. IPO, seeking $500M. The fintech, offering digital wallets and loans, reported $38M profit on $826M revenue in 1H 2025 and is working with Citi, RBC, and BofA. Source
Professional Services
M&A
zvoove (backed by LEA Partners) acquired adata Software, combining expertise to create a cloud-based ERP platform for the cleaning industry, integrating workforce, payroll, and financial tools under one system. Source
Level Education Group (LEG), backed by Baum Capital, acquired Triad, expanding its healthcare and mental health education portfolio into licensure and exam prep services. Source
Baker Tilly Germany is exploring a potential sale to private equity to finance growth, following moves by Baker Tilly US (Hellman & Friedman, Valeas Capital) and Baker Tilly Netherlands (Inflexion). Source
Venture & Growth
Resistant AI raised $25M Series B led by DTCP Growth, with participation from Experian, GV, and Notion Capital, to expand its AI fraud detection and transaction monitoring tech across the EU. Source
Planera raised $8M from existing investors (Sorenson Capital, Sierra Ventures, Prudence, Brick & Mortar) and Zachry Construction, bringing its total to $26.5M to grow its AI scheduling platform for data center projects. Source
Consumer & Retail
M&A
Palatine Private Equity launched the sale of The Alchemist, a UK cocktail-led dining chain with 24 locations and £57.9M ($77.2M) in revenue, marking Palatine’s exit from consumer holdings. Source
Pangea acquired Milarex from Summa Equity, after Summa grew the salmon producer’s revenue five-fold and expanded into 30+ markets, including the US. Source
Exponent Private Equity is among bidders for ADT UK, expected to sell for £150M ($200M) as Johnson Controls exits international operations. Source
Venture & Growth
CHANDO Group raised $40M from Harvest Capital and L’Oréal, supporting digital transformation, R&D, and a potential IPO for the Chinese cosmetics brand. Source
Unfabled, a UK women’s healthcare brand, raised $1.7M from Arāya Ventures, Morgan Stanley, and Exceptional Ventures to expand into 737 Boots stores nationwide. Source
Other News
Navan, a business travel and expense software provider, is pursuing a $960M IPO led by Goldman Sachs and Citi, following a $9.2B valuation in 2022. Source
Infrastructure
M&A
ARM Energy reached FID on its $2.3B Mustang Express Pipeline (42-inch, 2.5 bcf/d capacity), supported by Sempra Infrastructure and financed with PIMCO. Source
Vingroup is seeking a $500M private credit loan to expand EV charging stations via V-Green, with rates near 10%. The group also announced a $300M Indonesia JV. Source
XKIG (backed by Sterling Investment Partners) acquired Thomas Contracting, expanding vegetation management and utility services across Tennessee. Source
The Vortex Companies (backed by Quad-C Management) acquired PrimeLine Products, strengthening trenchless pipeline tech under its MaxLiner division. Source
Venture & Growth
Fuuse, a UK EV charge management platform, raised £6M ($8M) from Par Equity and YFM Equity Partners to scale operations and advance profitability. Source
Energy
M&A
LandBridge (a Five Point Infrastructure portfolio company) sold a 3,000-acre, 250 MW solar project in Texas to an unnamed energy infrastructure buyer, including cash and milestone payments. Source
Citadel will acquire FlexPower, a German renewable power trading firm managing 1,700 MW, integrating its capabilities to expand in energy trading and risk management. Source
Strathcona Resources ended its MEG Energy takeover bid, opting to distribute CAD 10 ($7.13) per share from its Montney asset sale; a shareholder vote is set for Nov. 27. Source
Venture & Growth
NGP Energy Partners launched 406 Energy, a new Houston-based upstream company, funded through its Natural Resources XIII vehicle, focused on high-return oil and gas assets. Source
Industrials & Materials
M&A
Linamar to buy select Aludyne North America assets for $300M, adding aluminum casting, precision machining, and design to expand US chassis/structures footprint. Source
AMG Critical Materials selling Graphit Kropfmühl to Asbury Carbons for $65M, exiting natural graphite to focus on lithium/vanadium. Source
Assurant bought OptoFidelity’s mobile device test-automation tech to scale CPO device processing across its care centers. Source
Solve Industrial (Audax) acquired Power Rite, expanding bearings and power-transmission components; sixth brand added. Source
Ecobat sold UK lead recycling assets (Matlock plant, Welwyn mill) to Splitstone Capital to sharpen focus on US and Li-ion recycling. Source
Monroe Capital financed Newman Reilly buyout of a New England environmental liquid-waste platform to fund regional M&A. Source
DecisionPoint (Graham Partners) bought Imprint Enterprises, adding barcode labels/printing and a Chicago/Minneapolis footprint. Source
Trident Maritime Systems (J.F. Lehman) sold Trident UK/AGI to DC Capital; Trident refocuses on core US customers. Source
PROtect (Sterling) acquired Trident Pipeline Integrity, adding advanced NDT to its pipeline safety services. Source
Sigma Defense (Sagewind) bought Aries Defense to bolster tactical ISR/CJADC2 within its Olympus ecosystem. Source
Montyon Capital acquired Caillau Group (metal fastening for auto/aero/industrial) to drive international and EV-adjacent growth. Source
Venture & Growth
Ecorobotix raised $150M (Series C/D) to scale Plant-by-Plant AI precision spraying; led by Highland Europe with ECBF/McWin and others. Source
Muon Space won $44.6M USAF SBIR Phase III for a 3-satellite dual-use environmental monitoring/wildfire demo. Source
Flyntlok (heavy-equipment DMS) secured $36M from Mainsail Partners to add AI features and customer success. Source
Chara Technologies raised INR 520M (~$6M) to build a Bengaluru plant and launch rare-earth-free EV/industrial motors. Source
Without (deep-tech recycling, India) raised $1.9M led by Rewilding Wealth to commercialize proprietary process and hire technical talent. Source
Harkness Capital invested in Premier Fence (MA) to scale New England fencing/guardrail services; CEO John Feerick remains. Source
Theon International to buy 9.8% of Exosens for €268.7M, financed by a UBS/Citi bridge; becomes second-largest shareholder. Source
Real Estate
Blackstone weighing a cash bid for Big Yellow Group (UK self-storage; ~£2.2B market cap) amid discounted REIT valuations. Source
Blackstone to sell £1B UK warehouse portfolio to Tritax Big Box REIT for £632M cash + £375M in shares; takes ~9% Tritax stake. Source
IEC refinanced the 400-unit Bryant at Yorba Linda (CA) with $145.75M Freddie Mac + preferred equity (Walker & Dunlop). Source
Mesa West Capital provided $66.3M refi for Nova at East Park Village (264 units, Orlando) to an Onicx-led JV. Source
TPG RE & Gatehouse sold Start Living (610 UK SFR homes) to Lloyds Living; Ascend remains operator. Source
TruAmerica bought North Creek (168 units, Thornton/Denver), lifting CO portfolio to 4K+ units; JLL arranged sale/financing. Source
Drawbridge Realty purchased The HIVE (Costa Mesa) and signed a long-term, full-campus lease with Anduril Industries. Source
Monomoy & Axonic acquired 590 W. Peachtree (Atlanta) to reposition as The Marriott Atlanta ahead of Super Bowl LXII (2027). Source
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