C. Ashton Newhall

The key to starting a private equity firm? 🔑 Building systems + building trust. Our latest guide covers how emerging managers define a strategy, raise a first fund, and build the foundation for Fund II, step by step. If you’re an emerging manager (or advising one) thinking about what it really takes to launch and scale a PE firm, this is for you. Read the full guide ➡️ https://hubs.la/Q047yTpd0

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💡 New data from Colibri Institute show that funds with women general partners deliver a 1.6 percent IRR advantage on average, despite structural fundraising barriers. In its latest white paper on venture capital performance and institutional portfolio construction, Colibri Institute analyzes fund performance data, portfolio construction, and risk behavior across thousands of venture funds — offering a data-driven lens on how capital is actually performing. ➡️ Read even more insights by downloading the white paper: https://lnkd.in/gfx6QfuR

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🚀 Boardroom Toolkit for Search Fund Boards The SF ecosystem is growing rapidly, and with growth comes new challenges. At the 2025 Stanford GSB Search Fund Conference, both CEOs and investors raised a clear concern: board effectiveness is slipping. Directors are stretched thin, newer board members lack structured training, and CEOs are calling for deeper coaching and support. To help address this gap, the Board Development Program (BDP) has launched a practical “Boardroom Toolkit” designed to strengthen director readiness and elevate board performance across the community. 🔎 What’s inside the Toolkit?: - How to intentionally form high-performing boards with the right mix of operators, investors, experts, and local voices - Clear expectations around board roles, responsibilities, and behaviors - Guidance on meeting cadence, preparation, and feedback loops - Practical frameworks for CEO support, accountability, and board renewal The goal: to reinforce the culture of trust, humility, candor, and high performance that has long defined the SF model. A huge thank you to Sara Rosenthal, Rob LeBlanc, and Chris Hendriksen for leading this effort, and to the many veteran and emerging directors who contributed their time, insights, and experience. If you’re a searcher, investor, or aspiring board member, I think you’ll find this resource especially valuable… it’s a must read! 📘 Read the Boardroom Toolkit here: 👉 https://lnkd.in/eny3CdDT #EntrepreneurshipThroughAcquisitions #EtA #SearchFund #SearchFunds #BusinessAcquisitions #SmallBusinessAcquisition #SearchFundsNews

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Private equity fundraising continues to slow as exits remain limited. According to PitchBook, PE funds raised about $414 billion in 2025, marking the lowest annual total since 2018. The slowdown is largely tied to a weak exit environment, which has reduced distributions to limited partners and constrained the capital available for new commitments. Distributions fell to about 17 percent of NAV, well below the 10 year average of 26 percent, putting additional pressure on fundraising. The impact has been most visible among megafunds over $5 billion, where capital raised dropped 43 percent year over year, while investor interest has shifted more toward midmarket funds between $1 billion and $5 billion. PitchBook notes that declining interest rates across Western economies could support a gradual recovery in fundraising, even as venture capital continues to face its own challenging cycle. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eH944X8q #PrivateEquity #PrivateMarkets #Fundraising #AssetManagement #Investing #CapitalMarkets

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Navigating the current private equity landscape requires a keen eye on emerging trends. While the fundraising climate is challenging—with a notable supply-demand imbalance and a slow exit environment impacting limited partners' ability to reinvest—there are clear pockets of success and strategic shifts. Despite the headwinds, established managers are thriving. We've seen significant fund closings from firms like Stone Point Capital and Neuberger Berman, far exceeding their targets. This highlights a flight to quality as investors remain selective. Key strategies gaining traction include co-investments, which align GP and LP interests, and the continued dominance of the secondary market. Evergreen funds are also surging in popularity, offering more liquid access to private markets. It's a complex market, but one full of opportunity for those who adapt. #PrivateEquity #CapitalRaising #Fundraising #InvestmentTrends #AlternativeInvestments #Finance #LP #GP

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McDonald Hopkins' Frank Massaro provides a brief overview of common fundraising options available to help companies attract new #investors and raise additional capital: https://lnkd.in/grckyF7g #DestinationFirm #MHVentureCapital

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