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An edition of Velocity Meter

Private Equity

Deal trends, operational insights, market conditions, exit strategies.

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41 briefings
published

Velocity Meter Private Equity

Hormuz hits the floor. Boardroom Salon and Givaudan’s royalty math.

Boardroom Salon’s 36% churn reduction and Givaudan’s 'royalty' margins show why operational grit is the only hedge against a volatile global oil supply floor.

· 10 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

Escaping the Factory Model: Triton’s 10% Margin Play and Anthropic’s Mythos Leap

Forget the fear-driven headlines. Seasoned investors and operators reveal how AI is expanding total addressable markets and creating new opportunities.

· 10 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

40% Of The Internet Is AI: Why AI Readiness is the New Cyber Diligence

Why synthetic content is repricing niche data and 'AI readiness' is the new cyber diligence.

· 10 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

Software’s credit crunch, CoreWeave’s $35B edge, and the 9-cent LLM

Private credit is signaling a correction in SaaS loans, driven by AI's impact and asset-liability mismatches. This isn't 2008, but investors are hedging and stress-testing exposures as valuations fall.

· 11 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

The S&P 500 AI Trap, Kalanick’s Atoms, and PE’s Debt Reckoning

Passive indexing is now an active risk, forcing a return to 'Atoms-based' alpha and debt-free PE.

· 9 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

150 Million Barrels Lost: Global Economy Nearing Recession

Geopolitical instability is reordering global markets. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already stopped millions of barrels of oil flow, and a parallel fertilizer crisis threatens food security. This isn't a future risk; it's a present...

· 12 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

China’s 90% AI Target, Dalio’s 600% Debt Warning, and the PE Niche Play

The smartest money is now specializing, not just in sector or geography, but in deal structure and operational playbook—because everyone knows the 2x multiple expansion days are over. This isn't just theory; it's a playbook for portfolio company...

· 6 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

The 20% Efficiency Trap: Calacanis on SaaS Decay & Sundheim’s 5-LLM Bet

AI is decimating software valuations but creating massive, concentrated opportunities in foundational models. Traditional SaaS faces existential threats, while private capital chases a few dominant LLM players.

· 7 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

The ‘Unnatural’ Alpha: Pacific Avenue's Carve-out Play and the 40% Unicorn Gap

This week, we dive into the "unnatural owner" playbook, the "SaaSpocalypse" driven by AI, and why 40% of private unicorns are a ticking time bomb. Plus, learn how strong reputations translate to $7 trillion in shareholder value.

· 8 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

29,000 Companies Stuck: PE Exit Bottleneck Worsens

The long-anticipated "normalization" of private markets might not be happening. Instead, we're witnessing a structural shift with 29,000 unsold companies, representing $3.6 trillion in unrealized value, and holding periods often exceeding five years. This isn't a temporary blip.

· 9 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

'Pro Forma EBITDA Madness': 56% of Deals Unsellable

The private equity market is facing an unprecedented liquidity drought, with over half of companies failing to sell. The culprit isn't high valuations, but "pro forma EBITDA madness," leading to low DPIs and frustrated LPs.

· 13 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

SaaS Pricing Under Siege: The AI Agent Threat to Per-Seat Revenue

The exit backlog isn't cracking as expected. Half the market tanks, the other half holds. Smart money rewrites the rules for distressed assets, propelled by AI and industry-specific "microcycles." Find out what top investors are saying.

· 9 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

Flat Headcount, Rising Revenue: The New AI Productivity Playbook

Microsoft’s flat-headcount growth strategy, Blackstone’s 'farm-to-table' credit model, and why family offices are pivoting to structural alpha in co-investing.

· 12 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

The Silent Power Shift: How Data Centers and AI Reshape Real Assets

The exit backlog isn't shrinking; it's being creatively circumvented. Discover how data centers and AI are creating unprecedented energy demand, reshaping real asset investment, and revealing where smart money is truly moving.

· 11 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

Liquidity Without Exits: Why IP Licensing is a New M&A Workaround

The M&A playbook is being rewritten. Discover how private equity is adapting to high interest rates and valuation gaps with IP licensing, AI-driven strategies, and a relentless focus on talent. Liquidity is found in new places.

· 14 min read

Velocity Meter Private Equity

The Algorithm-Driven Deal

Forget financial engineering. Top PE firms are quietly revolutionizing value creation with data-driven operations, transforming "bad businesses" into high-margin ventures. Discover how.

· 14 min read