Global M&A activity has surged to $2.6tn year-to-date, underpinned by a renewed corporate appetite for growth and a significant boost from artificial intelligence (AI)-related deals, and marking the highest level for the opening seven months since the pandemic-driven peak of 2021, according to a report by Reuters.

Genstar Capital is exploring a potential sale of OEConnection, the automotive software firm backed by Ford and General Motors, with sources indicating a valuation of up to $5bn including debt, according to a report by Reuters.

Global investment firm Carlyle has agreed to invest in Ingentis Group, a provider of organisational charting, design, and analytics software, with Maguar Capital Partners selling its stake in Ingentis to Carlyle.

Mediterrania Capital Partners (MCP), a private equity firm focused on growth investments for SMEs and mid-cap companies in North and Sub-Saharan Africa, has invested in Dislog Dispositifs Médicaux (DDM) through a MAD540m capital increase together with CDG Invest Growth.

South Korean private equity firm JKL Partners is preparing a shortlist of bidders for the sale of Cleantopia, the country’s largest laundry franchise operator, in a deal that could value the business between KRW700bn and KRW800bn ($504m-$576m), according to a report by the Korean Economic Daily citing investment banking sources.

Growth equity firm General Atlantic and UK-based buyout house Oakley Capital are nearing an agreement to acquire French SaaS provider Brevo in a transaction valuing the business at approximately €1bn ($1.1bn), according to a report by Bloomberg citing sources with knowledge of the matter.

Alphabet’s growth equity investment arm CapitalG and AI chipmaker Nvidia are in advanced discussions to back Vast Data, an AI-focused data infrastructure company, in a funding round that could value the business at up to $30bn, according to a report by Reuters citing two sources familiar with the matter.

NDT Global, a provider of advanced diagnostic inspection and integrity solutions for the energy sector, has acquired Entegra, a technology company specialising in Ultra-High-Resolution Magnetic Flux Leakage (UHR MFL) in-line inspection services, from Amberjack Capital Partners as well as a group of co-founders led by Mark Olson.