About private equity
How private equity invests in privately-owned businesses, supports jobs and creates prosperity.
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The authoritative data source on European private equity activity.
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Fundraising methodology
Direct private equity investment funds that focus primarily on investments in Europe are monitored. Funds raised are recorded in the country of the advisory team that is raising or managing the fund. This data falls into the basket we refer to as “industry statistics”.
The funds included in the statistics are:
- private equity funds making direct private equity investments
- mezzanine private equity funds
- co-investment funds
- rescue / turnaround funds
The following funds are excluded from the statistics:
- infrastructure funds
- real estate funds
- distress debt funds
- primary funds-of-funds
- secondary funds-of-funds
- private debt funds
Investment methodology
Industry statistics are an aggregation of figures according to the country of the private equity firm’s office in charge of the investment. At European level, this relates to investments made by European private equity firms regardless of the location of the target company.
Market statistics are an aggregation of figures according to the location of the portfolio company. At European level, this relates to investments in European companies regardless of the location of the private equity firm.
Equity value: The amount of capital invested to acquire shares in a company. The equity value includes equity, quasi-equity, mezzanine, unsecured debt and secured debt provided by the firm.
Included countries: Austria, Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Other CEE (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia, Slovakia), Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
Divestment methodology
Industry statistics are an aggregation of figures according to the country of the private equity firm’s office in charge of the divestment. At European level, this relates to divestments made by European private equity firms regardless of the location of the target company.
Market statistics are an aggregation of figures according to the location of the portfolio company. At European level, this relates to divestments of European companies regardless of the location of the private equity firm. Divestment amounts (including write-offs) are recorded at cost (i.e. the total amount divested is equal to the total amount initially invested).
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Invest Europe research methodology and definitions
Invest Europe Research
Research methodology sectoral classification
Invest Europe Research
This document provides the conversion table from Invest Europe sectoral classification to NACE codes.
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Meet the team
Research
Julien Krantz
Research
Research Director
Ariane Mortelmans
Research
Research Officer