Equistone Pauses Fundraising for €2.5 Billion Fund VII

• Equistone has paused fundraising for its €2.5 billion Fund VII and is exploring alternative formats, such as sector-focused or geographic-specific sub-funds.

• New investments in German-speaking regions are halted, and due to capital constraints, the firm focuses on its current portfolio.

• Equistone’s staff has decreased to around 50 from 70 after personnel departures and back-office team consolidations.

• The firm began pitching Fund VII in late 2022 after raising €2.8 billion for its sixth flagship fund in 2018.

• Alternative fundraising strategies aim to adapt to challenges in reaching the initial target of €2.5 billion.