Dutch buyout firm Main Capital Partners is aiming to more than double its assets under management to €15bn within three years, as US institutional demand for European assets accelerates, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Currently managing €6.8bn, the software-focused investor plans to open a London office in 2026 to better connect with North American LPs, adding to its existing presence in Boston, Paris, Stockholm and Düsseldorf. CEO Charly Zwemstra has said that US investors are increasingly looking to Europe amid stretched US equity valuations, geopolitical tensions, and heightened trade uncertainty under the Trump administration.
Defence spending is emerging as a key driver of interest, with NATO members ramping up budgets and exploring domestic manufacturing capacity. Zwemstra noted that investors now openly inquire about dedicated defence funds – a stark shift from five years ago. Credit markets, he added, will play a central role in funding the sector’s expansion.
The push comes despite a slowdown in global private equity deployment, which fell to $363.7bn in Q2 from $505.3bn in Q1, according to KPMG. Zwemstra stressed the importance of maintaining steady exit activity to deliver returns in a challenging market backdrop.
