KKR

Ashurst, Perkins Coie Advise Amwins on A$8B Steadfast Deal

Ashurst Perkins Coie acted for Amwins on its proposed A$8 billion consortium buyout of ASX-listed Steadfast, under which Amwins would take the underwriting agencies and KKR and Dragoneer the retail broking arm.

Steadfast Group accepts A$7.7 billion takeover offer

Steadfast has agreed to a takeover by a Dragoneer- and KKR-backed consortium valuing it near A$7.7 billion, with Amwins Australasia set to take its underwriting unit and the bidders keeping the broking operation.

Australia's Steadfast agrees to $5.5b buyout bid by KKR-backed consortium

Insurance broker Steadfast is set for an A$7.7 billion take-private by a KKR-backed consortium, with Amwins and Dragoneer taking its two businesses, amid a wider Australian public-to-private wave.

KKR ready to check out of $500m-plus boutique hostels-hotels biz Drifter

KKR has mandated Rothschild & Co to find a buyer for Drifter, a boutique hostel and hotel operator, in a sale process that could deliver upwards of $500 million.

Sarah Thompson

Street Talk roundup: Tasman Capital's new fund reaches first close, EQT buys control of an NRL club, KKR eyes a Drifter exit, PAG dealmakers jump to Jardine Matheson, Colter Bay lands a debut loan.

Also AFR Technology·AFR Technology·AFR Technology·Dealroom

About - Jerrara Environmental

About page for waste solutions company Jerrara Environmental profiling its holdings and operating boards, with biographies recalling sector transactions including Cleanaway's sale to KKR and later acquisition by Transpacific.

Brookfield Raises Record $77B in Q2 2026 Fundraising

RealtyWire's earnings report on Brookfield Asset Management's record second-quarter capital raising, higher fees and dividend, noting its pending LXP Industrial Trust purchase, completed Oaktree buyout, and energy partnerships.

Steadfast takeover edges closer as consortium flags readiness to sign $7.7b deal

A consortium of Amwins, Dragoneer and KKR is moving toward a binding agreement to acquire Steadfast after completing most due diligence, valuing the insurance broker at $7.7 billion; two senior executives have left.

MGA Thermal appoints ex-Shell Energy executive as CCO to accelerate industrial decarbonisation

Thermal storage company MGA Thermal hires a former Shell Energy Australia executive as its commercial chief, with the appointment underpinned by a $17 million raise made earlier in the year.

Also Startup Daily

URUS acquires AgriWebb to make livestock tech 'resemble other critical infrastructure systems'

Australia's AgriWebb, a livestock management software maker, is being bought by cattle genetics company URUS. Cofounder Justin Webb discusses the deal and a wider move toward integrated, data-driven farm systems.

Small solar and battery specialist adds another 27 projects as it buys up competitor

Sydney-based CleanPeak Energy has agreed to buy Sustainable Energy Infrastructure's 27-project portfolio of solar and battery assets; the piece also recalls KKR's $550 million backing and CleanPeak's earlier purchase of Photon Energy's Australian assets.

Also This Week in Australian Startups

Seek’s VC fund is conscious uncoupling with Employment Hero

Seek's venture arm has begun selling its remaining stake in Employment Hero, a year after a $95 million partial sale to KKR, following the recent resolution of their Federal Court dispute over API access.

SEEK to sell Employment Hero stake after court battle ends

SEEK's venture arm has begun a sale process for its remaining Employment Hero stake, following a $95 million partial sale to KKR and a resolved Federal Court dispute over API access.

HMC ready to invest in first big battery project after landing major cash deal with investment giant KKR

KKR will invest up to $603 million in HMC Capital's energy transition arm, funding its first big battery, after HMC bought Neoen's Victorian assets and battery developer Stor-Energy.

Also RenewEconomy

HMC ready to invest in first big battery project after landing major cash deal with investment giant KKR

HMC Capital has landed KKR backing of up to $603 million for its new energy platform, unlocking its first grid battery and a multi-gigawatt project pipeline.

Also RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy·RenewEconomy

Investment Notes: Hachiko

Investible's climate tech arm explains its seed investment in Hachiko, a software platform for commercial and industrial batteries, citing distributed storage growth and the founder's energy-trading background.

Also Startup Daily·SmartCompany·Startup Daily

Hillhouse in US$7 billion fundraising as Asia private equity revives: sources

Business Times reports Hillhouse has begun seeking US$7 billion for its sixth private equity fund as Asia-Pacific dealmaking and fundraising pick up, with KKR and Blackstone also raising and past Hillhouse buyouts recapped.

KKR aims to raise US$15 billion in new Asia private equity fund, Reuters sources say

KKR has begun marketing its fifth Asia-focused buyout fund, targeting US$15 billion; the piece also recalls the 2021 close of its fourth regional fund and recent stake sales in LOGISTEED, Seiyu and JB Chemicals.

US equity giant bets $500 million on Aussie commercial solar and storage platform

Global investment firm KKR is committing $500 million to Sydney-based CleanPeak Energy to expand commercial and industrial solar, storage and microgrid projects, marking the firm's climate strategy's first Asia-Pacific investment.

Also RenewEconomy

Travel Funding Holds Strong As Etraveli Said To Reach $3.1B Valuation

Roundup of travel-sector dealmaking: KKR invests in Etraveli at a reported $3.1 billion valuation, Airalo, TravelPerk and Klook raise big rounds, and SevenRooms and MadeComfy are acquired.

Employment Hero sues investor Seek over job platform access

Employment Hero has begun Federal Court action against backer Seek to halt its job-listing API shutdown; the piece recalls Seek's 2018 investment and KKR's $95 million stake purchase.

Aussie remote and off-grid power specialist snapped up by US giant in $2 billion deal

US investment firm KKR has agreed to buy Zenith Energy, an Australian specialist in off-grid renewable power for mines, in a transaction reported at over A$2 billion following a bidding contest.

Seek offloads a $95 million slice of its Employment Hero investment to US private equity firm KKR

Seek is selling part of its Employment Hero holding to KKR for $95m, implying a $2.2bn valuation; the article also recalls the HR startup's Series F and its buyouts of Humi and Employment Innovations.

Vitruvian Partners Raises €7.3bn for High-Growth Middle Market Fund

Vitruvian Partners has gathered €7.3 billion for its VIP V vehicle, beating its target, with pension commitments from CalPERS and CalSTRS and a quarter of the capital already put to work.

Canadian pension fund takes majority stake in GreenCollar for reported $800m

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is taking majority ownership of GreenCollar by buying KKR's 49 per cent stake, reportedly putting the carbon projects developer's value at $800 million.

Tech founders pile in as VC fund raises $55m in a week

OIF Ventures has gathered $55 million toward a new Opportunity Fund with a $75 million goal, backed by several tech founders, and has put $4 million into Advanced Navigation's $108 million round.

Also SmartCompany·TechCrunch Australia

KKR-owned Kiwi edtech acquires Australian primary school teaching startup in $40 million deal

New Zealand's KKR-backed Education Perfect has bought Victorian school assessment platform Essential Assessment in a deal reported around $40 million, with founder Andrew Spitty and his team moving across.

Also Techboard

The Week in AgriFoodTech: Pluton Biosciences bags $16.5m, Babylon Micro-Farms secures funds, José Andrés launches climate institute

Weekly agrifoodtech roundup reporting funding rounds for Pluton Biosciences, FLINTpro, eFishery and others, a first close by Big Idea Ventures' fund, Wicked Kitchen's acquisition of Current Foods, plus partnerships and launches.

Also AgFunderNews·AgFunderNews

The Ignition Lane Wrap: Sunrise. Demise. No more pies.

Ignition Lane's weekly tech roundup covering record Australian VC fund raises, several green-tech startup funding rounds, Deliveroo's administration, the FTX collapse, and takeover offers for ELMO and Nitro.

Also Techboard

KKR backs Aussie robotics company in blockbuster $108m raise

US giant KKR joined navigation-technology maker Advanced Navigation's $108 million Series B, alongside returning local backers; the company also bought ANU spin-out Vai Photonics, and two KKR staff will join its board.

Also @AuManufacturing·SmartCompany·Startup Daily·Techboard·SmartCompany·Forbes Australia

MYOB acquires the rest of HR fintech Flare

MYOB has taken full ownership of Sydney HR and payroll fintech Flare, converting its existing stake into a takeover, giving exits to venture backers who had invested over $50 million across several prior rounds.

Ignition Lane's Weekly Wrap: Venture capital is down, but a long way from out

Ignition Lane's weekly wrap reports falling Australian venture funding, lists several startup raises and fund raises, covers Chargefox's acquisition, Volt's closure, the Zip-Sezzle merger termination, and global tech news.

Also Startup Daily·Techboard

Online learning platform Atomi banks $9m from OIF

Atomi, an online teaching platform, has closed a $9 million Series A led by OIF Ventures, which backed it before, with angels also taking part; schools in Australia and the UK use its tools.

Also OIF Ventures portfolio·OIF Ventures portfolio·Startup Daily·SmartCompany

Finding The Exit: Australian VC exits and market roundup

Commentary piece on VC exit strategies (IPO, trade sale, secondary sale) referencing recent Australian tech M&A deals and venture funding rounds including Sendle, UpGuard, Sonder and others.

Apax Partners eyes $13bn Fund XI raise just a year after $11bn fund close

A year after its previous flagship vehicle hit an $11bn ceiling, Apax Partners is chasing a bigger fund, while US pension minutes reveal new commitments and the firm moves to take control of Alcumus.