2022 UK & Ireland Private Capital Breakdown

A tale of two markets: UK & Ireland sees strong VC activity while PE falters in H1

Venture capital activity in the UK and Ireland defied expectations in H1 2022 despite the economic downturn while private equity dealmaking flattened. 

In our 2022 UK & Ireland Private Capital Breakdown, we delve into the numbers behind the region’s private equity and venture capital markets, providing insight into dealmaking, exits, and fundraising.

Key takeaways include:

• VC deal activity in 2022 is on track to match last year’s record numbers with £15.4 billion invested across 1,879 deals in H1.
• PE deal count and value failed to reach 2021’s halfway mark in the first six months of the year, registering 762 deals worth £75.6 billion. 
• Exit volume for PE-backed companies is pacing higher than last year while the VC exit market returns to pre-2021 levels. 
• Fundraising activity in both private markets fell slightly as conditions become more challenging.