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Mergermarket Private Equity Forum US 2026

location_on Four Seasons Hotel, Austin Map
All times CDT
access_time 08.45

Registration and breakfast

access_time 09.25

Chair’s opening remarks

access_time 09.30

Keynote fireside chat

access_time 10.00

GP leaders’ panel: diversification and resilience

  • How are higher interest rates and tighter financing conditions impacting large-cap buyout deal activity, valuations, and competition?
  • Where are GPs finding the most attractive deals, and which sectors show the strongest growth and resilience?
  • How are GPs approaching liquidity in today’s market?
  • How are managers positioning themselves to generate alpha in this cycle, through operational improvements and creative structures?
access_time 10.45
local_cafe

Networking break

access_time 11.15

Middle market private equity: unlocking opportunity

  • What are some of the distinct advantages offered by the middle market, such as portfolio diversification and diverse deal flow?
  • How are GPs unlocking value in the middle market through strategic investments?
  • Which sectors, geographies and investment strategies are providing the best avenue for growth? 
  • How are managers taking advantage of the flexible liquidity options and exit strategies in the middle market?
access_time 12.00

Fundraising: shifting playbooks

  • What are some of the strategies GPs are using to attract new sources of capital?
  • How are GPs differentiating themselves in a crowded fundraising environment, and what trends are emerging around fund size, structure, and specialization?
  • How are investor relations professionals adapting to an increasingly complex regulatory and geopolitical landscape?
  • How are LPs thinking about manager selection, and what do they want to hear in terms of co-investment opportunities, fees, DPI and more?
access_time 12.45
restaurant

Networking lunch

access_time 13.45

Exits: beating the odds

  • What is the exit window looking like as we head into 2027, and what trends will shape the market? 
  • Will GPs continue to rely on alternative liquidity pathways to generate distributions?
  • To what extent are IPOs returning as a viable exit route, or is the market still favouring strategic and sponsor-to-sponsor deals?
  • Has DPI actually become more important than IRR in today’s environment?
access_time 14.30

Operational value creation: an evolving landscape

  • How is value creation evolving in a higher-cost, lower-growth environment?
  • Which operational levers have proven most effective in driving value?
  • Where is AI delivering measurable value in portfolios today?
  • How do required skillsets and capabilities change as holding periods are extended?
access_time 15.15
local_cafe

Networking break

access_time 15.45

Fireside chat- Game on: the rise of private equity sports investing

access_time 16.15

Software and AI disruption- the shifting sands of SaaS

  • With software valuations under pressure, how are GPs timing exits and adjusting return expectations?
  • Which software business models are most resilient- or at risk- of AI disruption, and where are GPs finding pockets of opportunity? 
  • What questions ae LPs asking about the sector and are they still willing to make new commitments? 
  • What comes next as AI reshapes the sector, and how can managers use it as a long-term competitive advantage?
access_time 17.00
local_bar

End of conference and networking reception

All times CDT
access_time 08.30
local_cafe

Registration and breakfast

access_time 09.10

Chair’s opening remarks

access_time 09.15

GP-led Secondaries and continuation vehicles: here to stay?

  • Are GP led secondaries becoming a necessary long-term solution for liquidity and value creation, or just a partial fix?
  • What are the most compelling opportunities in lower and mid-market secondary deal flow?
  • How are GP-led secondaries and continuation funds evolving to meet LP demands for DPI?
  • Is there still LP scepticism surrounding CVs or has there been a shift in mentality towards these liquidity mechanisms?
access_time 10.00

Private credit: navigating headwinds

  • How are private credit managers addressing the current risks surrounding the asset class?
  • Are sector and asset-class specialization becoming the key value drivers?
  • How are current market dislocations leading to a growth of distressed and opportunistic credit activity and the need for bespoke capital solutions?  
  • What is the outlook for the asset class as we head into 2027?
access_time 10.45
local_cafe

Networking break

access_time 11.15

Sector focus: energy and real assets

  • What are the biggest risks and challenges investors face in energy and real assets today, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical conflicts ?
  • What is prompting the shift in investments towards energy and real assets?
  • The clean energy sector- from large-scale renewables to hydrogen, solar and wind – where are managers deploying capital in the US and beyond?  
  • The growing data center build-out and AI-driven infrastructure demand- where are the investment opportunities? 
access_time 12.00

LP viewpoint: adapting to a changing market

  • How are LPs seeking differentiation when it comes to portfolio construction, and what areas of the market are offering the best protection and risk-adjusted returns?  
  • How is manager selection evolving? Are LPs going for fewer, deeper partnerships?
  • What role are continuation vehicles playing in LP portfolios?
  • With the rise of retail capital, what are the implications and concerns for LPs, and how do LPs differentiate themselves as investors?
access_time 12.45
restaurant

Close of conference and networking lunch