Thoma Bravo closed a €1.8B fund for European software deals, after opening a London office in 2023; the US PE firm has deployed €14B in Europe since 2010
Context & Ripple Effects
Thoma Bravo’s European push pairs a London presence opened in 2023 with a dedicated pool of capital, extending €14 billion of European deployment since 2010. It fits a broader fundraising cadence that included a $32.4 billion, three-fund technology raise in 2022.
The firm has continued to execute software take-privates, including Everbridge’s $1.5 billion take-private in 2024. A Europe-specific fund gives that established acquisition model a clearer regional channel rather than relying solely on global vehicles.
First-order effects
- Thoma Bravo has €1.8 billion earmarked for European software transactions, giving European targets and intermediaries a dedicated buyer with local London coverage.
- The firm can pursue European deals while preserving capital in its broader funds for opportunities outside the region.
Second-order effects
- European software companies considering a sale gain another well-capitalized sponsor bidder, which can intensify competition for assets that fit Thoma Bravo’s software-buyout strategy.
- Rival private-equity firms seeking European software deals may need to demonstrate comparable regional sourcing and execution capability to compete for the same targets.
Third-order effects
- If large US software buyout firms keep raising region-specific pools, European software ownership could become more concentrated among global sponsors with repeatable operating playbooks.
- The move reinforces a capital-concentration dynamic: fundraising scale and local presence can compound an acquirer’s access to proprietary deal flow, though deployment will still depend on available targets and transaction conditions.
The trend: Dedicated regional vehicles are becoming a way for large software-focused private-equity firms to turn global fundraising scale into local deal-sourcing advantages.