Target of €400 million significantly exceeded
Sagard Private Equity, the global private equity platform for medium-sized businesses, today announced the final closing of its third fund, which focuses on emerging managers. With a volume of 520 million euros, the fund significantly exceeds its original target of 400 million euros and is almost three times the size of its predecessor fund.
This fund is the largest ever launched with an explicit focus on emerging buyout managers. The investment team draws on more than three decades’ experience in investing in start-up private equity firms. During this time, the team has supported more than 125 emerging managers – including the early fund generations of players who have since developed into established market leaders in the sector. Following the merger of Unigestion with Sagard Private Equity, the strategy benefits from a broad international network, in-depth local market expertise and differentiated access to transactions in North America, Europe and Asia.
The fund focuses on highly differentiated managers, including spin-offs from renowned, hard-to-access private equity firms, as well as sector specialists with focused investment strategies. Alongside traditional primary fund commitments, the strategy may selectively invest in co-investments, late-stage primary investments and opportunities with shorter holding periods in order to strengthen portfolio diversification and manage cash flow in a targeted manner. The fund is already well advanced in its allocation process; initial capital commitments have already been made for promising investment opportunities with emerging managers in the US and Europe.
Kim Pochon, Global Head of Primary Investments at Sagard Private Equity, says:
“The successful closing of the fund’s subscription period underscores the confidence institutional investors have in our specialist emerging managers team. Our in-depth expertise, a disciplined selection process and robust local networks enable us to identify the next generation of leading private equity managers in the lower mid-market at an early stage and provide them with strategic support.”
Paul Newsome, Head of Investment Solutions at Sagard Private Equity, adds:
“Institutional investors are once again showing growing interest in emerging managers – particularly due to their sector expertise, differentiated strategies and exclusive access to opportunities amongst smaller medium-sized companies. However, identifying these firms and carrying out due diligence on them requires considerable resources and a deep understanding of the market. Our platform offers institutional investors bespoke access to this segment, combining local market knowledge with the operational capabilities of a globally organised organisation.”
In addition to its investment activities, Sagard is constantly driving forward thematic research and thought leadership work in the emerging managers segment. In September 2026, as part of IPEM Global in Paris, the company hosted its sixth annual Emerging Managers Conference, which brought together emerging managers, institutional investors and key industry representatives to analyse market trends and recognise outstanding newcomers.
