Dan Primack

The midterm elections are just three weeks away, with most polls indicating that the House will go Democratic and that the Senate is a toss-up. So I figured that this was a good time to check in on the check-writing activities of VenturePAC, the political action committee that is voluntarily funded by certain member firms […]

Every time the PE Week Wire adds another thousand subscribers, I like to remind you that these morning missives are just appetizers on our editorial menu. Yes, it’s they are free appetizers (happy hour apps, if you will), but paid subscribers to Buyouts Magazine, Private Equity Week or Venture Capital Journal get market news and analysis that […]

The sun is shining, VC fundraising slowed in Q3 and the launch of “big new project” is just a couple of weeks away. In other words, it’s time for some Monday Mouth-Off… Most of last week’s email was about Sevin Rosen Funds, and its decision to postpone fundraising just days before a scheduled first close. […]

I spent most of yesterday working on “big new project,” and this morning must do a bit of actual reporting (it seems I get paid to do so). So, in the meantime… Details remain sketchy on the apparent U.S. Department of Justice probe into possible collusion between private equity firms, with most journalists either rehashing […]

Last month, I spoke to a class of MBA candidates and fellows at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. The topic was the interaction between businesspeople (i.e., the future them) and business journalists (i.e., the present me). One point I emphasized was that they should always try to get out in front of a breaking story […]

The buyouts market is expected to record its third-straight year of record-breaking deal volume, according to Q3 numbers released this week by Buyouts Magazine. The first three quarters of 2006 saw U.S. firms participate in a total of 770 control-stake deals valued at $181 billion in disclosed value (including leverage), compared to $198 billion for […]

 I spent most of yesterday working on “big new project,” and this morning must do a bit of actual reporting (it seems I get paid to do so). So, in the meantime…  *** Details remain sketchy on the apparent U.S. Department of Justice probe into possible collusion between private equity firms, with most journalists either […]

Last month, I reported that Draper Atlantic Ventures seemed to have lost its Draper. But it seems that was only half the story. Draper Atlantic Ventures has, indeed, renamed itself New Atlantic Ventures – and is in the market with a $200 million fund. Not only does it include the former Draper Atlantic partners (minus […]

 At 4:18 yesterday afternoon, I was on CNBC to discuss public-to-private buyouts (based, in part, on the proposed Cablevision deal). Just as I was saying that LBO heavyweights are disingenuous when complaining about inflated valuations, our segment got interrupted. Seems Google had picked that moment to confirm that it will purchase YouTube for $1.65 billion […]

Just a few quick notes, before heading outside to rake up the hundreds of apples that my tree has dropped (blessing, meet curse). *** Buyouts Magazine reports that U.S.-based buyout and mezzanine funds raised approximately $140 billion over the first three quarters of 2006, compared to “just” $111 billion raised over the same period last […]