Sagard Private Equity, the global middle-market private equity platform, today announced the final close of their third emerging manager-focused fund (the fund) at €520 million [$600 million], exceeding its original €400 million target and reaching approximately three times the size of its predecessor fund.
The fund is the largest fund ever raised with a specific focus on emerging buyout managers, and draws on more than three decades of experience investing in emerging private equity firms. Over that period, the team has backed more than 125 emerging managers, including early funds of firms that have since become established industry leaders. Following the combination of Unigestion with Sagard Private Equity, the strategy benefits from a broad international network, deep local market expertise and differentiated access to investment opportunities across North America, Europe and Asia.
The fund focuses on highly differentiated managers, including spinouts from established, hard-to-access private equity firms and sector specialists pursuing distinct investment strategies. Alongside primary fund commitments, the strategy may invest in co-investments, late primaries and shorter-duration opportunities to support portfolio diversification and cash flow management. The fund is already well deployed, having made commitments to some exciting emerging manager opportunities in the US and Europe.
Kim Pochon, Global Head of Primary Investments at Sagard Private Equity, said: "The success of the fund's final close underscores investors' confidence in our dedicated emerging manager team. Our specialist expertise, disciplined selection and strong local networks enable us to identify and back the next generation of lower middle-market private equity leaders."
Paul Newsome, Head of Investment Solutions said: "Institutional investors are showing renewed interest in emerging managers for their sector expertise, differentiated strategies and access to lower middle-market opportunities. Yet identifying and evaluating these firms requires significant resources and insight. Our platform provides a dedicated route into this segment, combining local market access with the investment capabilities and resources of a global organisation."
Alongside its investment activities, Sagard continues to contribute to thought leadership and research focused on the emerging manager market. In September 2026, the firm held its sixth annual Emerging Manager Conference in Paris during IPEM Global, bringing together emerging managers, institutional investors and other industry stakeholders to discuss developments in the market and recognize emerging firms.
About Sagard Private Equity
Sagard Private Equity is a global middle-market private equity and venture capital platform that brings together Sagard's activities in primaries, secondaries and co-investment as well as venture capital, offering diversified, long-term exposure to private markets for institutional and private wealth investors across North America, Europe and Asia. Following the completion of the previously announced combinations with Performance Equity Management, BEX Capital and Unigestion's private equity platforms, Sagard Private Equity manages over USD 23 billion in combined private equity assets. The combination results in one of the largest middle-market private equity solutions platforms globally, connecting more than 300 institutional investors and over 500 general partners through Sagard's international network.
About Sagard
Sagard is a global multi-strategy alternative asset management firm with over USD 47 billion in assets under management. We invest in venture capital, private equity, private credit, and real estate. We deliver flexible capital, an entrepreneurial culture, and a global network of investors, commercial partners, advisors, and value creation experts. The firm has offices in Canada, the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
For more information, visit www.sagard.com/private-equity-solutions or follow us on LinkedIn.
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Contacts:
US pro-sagard@prosek.com
UK Europe pro-sagard@prosek.com
Germany carsten.boehme@trencavel-cie.com
