Over the past year, a change has taken place in how capital is being allocated. Investors are spending less time debating new themes and more time focusing on where pressure is building across the economy. Capital is increasingly flowing to businesses that sit inside those pressure points.
Private equity interest in live sport has evolved materially in recent years. Instead of focusing on sports rights ownership or single-event risk, investors are increasingly backing premium sporting event platforms that combine repeatable formats, contracted sponsorship revenues, and high-margin hospitality.
2025 was a strong year for Aalto Capital and our clients. After a few slower years, we saw markets begin a more trackable recovery. While equity markets remained somewhat unsteady, we saw an uptick in M&A activity, creating valuable opportunities for our clients and enabling a number of successful exits.
The professional sports landscape is entering a new phase of institutionalisation, with team and club ownership (football in particular) attracting unprecedented interest from private capital, strategic operators, and global investor groups. This shift reflects a broader recognition that sports organisations are no longer solely competitive sports teams; they have become diversified media, entertainment, and real-estate platforms with recurring, multi-channel revenue potential.
The telecommunications industry sits at a pivotal moment. Telecom networks act as the backbone of the global digital economy, carrying the data, supporting the applications, and powering the interactions integral to modern life.
The fundraising landscape in 2025 has remained challenging for funds. Current data shows a clear decline in private capital raised; SS&C Intralinks reported that by the end of 2024 the number of closed private-capital funds was down roughly 45% year-on-year, with total capital raised falling by about 18%.
The healthcare software sector continues to undergo consolidation. According to Capstone Partners, deal activity in the healthcare IT sector increased for the third consecutive year in 2024, with over 260 transactions recorded globally. PwC’s H1 2025 report also demonstrated that while deal volumes in the space had fallen, deal values increased by about 50%. Strategic buyers are pursuing integrated platforms, while private equity firms are backing roll-up strategies focused on clinical and administrative tools with established traction.
In M&A much of the focus tends to fall on financials, market share, and operational synergies; however, one of the most critical and often underestimated factors in determining the success of a deal post integration is early attention to talent retention. The people who drive innovation, maintain client relationships, and hold institutional knowledge are often the ones who ensure that post-merger integration succeeds.
Cross-border M&A activity between the Nordic and DACH regions is showing renewed momentum, reflecting a shift toward strategic consolidation across Europe’s mid-market. While both regions have demonstrated resilience in their domestic deal activity, with the Nordics recording over €80 billion in transactions in H1 2025 and DACH volumes rising by roughly 15% year-on-year according to studies by KPMG and PWC respectively, a growing share of this activity now stems from corporates and sponsors pursuing cross-regional growth opportunities.
European credit markets are shifting toward equilibrium. The clear divisions that once separated bank loans, private credit, and public bonds are fading as higher base rates and tighter bank regulation reshape how companies raise capital.