Fundraising

This year’s PEI 300 ranking welcomes 35 new firms, with some old names struggling to maintain their historic highs.

Evergreen funds account for about 5% of private markets NAV today, a figure that is expected to grow in the long term.

The number of regional firms continued to slide in the latest ranking, albeit at a slower rate than in prior years.

Mega-funds, market bifurcation and a resurgent investor base are reshaping the continent’s private equity landscape.

While recent AI disruption is yet to infiltrate the PEI 300 ranking, tech-focused managers must be sure to future-proof their operations.

Canadian fundraising slumped in 2025, though it was a record year for private equity investment in the country.

Between 2024 and Q1 2026, about $14.3bn was realized and distributed by Onex's private equity funds, according to the firm's Q1 documents and supplemental data shared with Buyouts.

PEI's latest tally of the most active participating placement agents shows a total of $82bn in new capital raised for GP clients last year.

The firm believes AI-produced content will only give its investment strategy a greater edge.

Pact acquires minority interests in, and provides strategic support to, mid-market private equity, real estate, infrastructure, private credit and secondaries managers.