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Big news: Dakota is now on Substack. For years, we've been publishing fundraising intelligence, LP market analysis, and deal sourcing strategies on our blog. Now we're bringing our best content directly to your inbox. What you'll get: → LP allocation intelligence and movement tracking → Private markets data you won't find elsewhere → Deal sourcing playbooks that work in 2026 → The real story behind what's happening in fundraising right now → Insights from CEO Gui Costin on leadership and fundraising If you're raising capital or sourcing deals, this is the intelligence brief you need. Subscribe now using the link in the comments to get more Dakota.

TPG, Blackstone Strike $3.5B Sabre Deal, I Squared Eyes $2B BDx Exit

“What makes Dakota different?” It starts with our people. Our belief is simple: if we take care of our teammates, they will take care of our customers. When people feel respected, supported, and backed by their leaders, better work follows: for clients, for the product, and for the long term. Here’s Gui Costin on why culture at Dakota isn’t a slogan. It’s how we operate every day. 👇

Pensions Eye £10B+ UK Ports Exit, ElevenLabs Hits $11B Valuation

New episode from Dakota Studios This week, we sit down with Crow Holdings to break down what actually drives long-term outperformance in industrial real estate. Guests: • Kelsea Alexander, Director, Industrial Development & Acquisitions • Michael Balcom, Managing Director, Industrial What we cover: • How 75 years of continuity shapes culture, speed, and conviction • Why vertical integration lowers risk and fees for LPs • The real criteria behind winning industrial developments (market, basis, entitlements) • Secular tailwinds: onshoring, near-shoring, e-commerce, and the flight to quality • Where Crow is leaning in — and where they’re cautious — over the next 12–24 months If you care about industrial fundamentals, disciplined development, and where capital is going next, this one’s worth your time. Find the full episode in the comments!

GIP, EQT Eye $43B AES Takeout as Power Demand Heats Up

5 Sponsor-Backed Companies Potentially Nearing a Transaction Tracking transaction timing in private markets is hard. Using Dakota’s sponsor-backed signals (hold period, funding stage, last transaction), these companies sit in common windows for a sale, recap, or next raise. NAYLA نايلة (Financial Services, Saudi Arabia) • Last round: Seed, $4M (Mar 2025) • Backer: Sanabil Venture Studio • Signal: 12–18 month seed-to-Series A window Augustine Therapeutics (Biotech) • Last round: Series A, €78M / $85M (Mar 2025) • Backers: Novo Holdings, Jeito Capital, others • Signal: Post–Series A window ahead of key clinical milestones Firefly Diamonds (Consumer / Luxury Goods, India) • Last round: Seed, $3M (Mar 2025) • Backer: WestBridge Capital • Signal: Early brand traction phase before Series A Styx Intelligence (Cybersecurity, Canada) • Last round: Seed, $2.7M (Mar 2025) • Backers: BDC, Framework Venture Partners • Signal: Seed-to-Series A timing with early revenue pilots Lumber (Vertical SaaS, Construction) • Last round: Series A, $15.5M (Mar 2025) • Backers: Foundation Capital, Firsthand Capital • Signal: Typical 12–18 month post–Series A raise window Not predictions, just where timing, capital cycles, and sponsor behavior tend to align. Find the full article at the link in our comments! #Transactions #DakotaMarketplace #Finance

This week’s Dakota Joe Top Prompts are live! Last week we rolled out a new series featuring 3 ready-to-run prompts for Dakota Joe, our AI report builder, and moving forward these will be sent by our Customer Success team to help our customers get to insights faster. Each prompt is designed to instantly generate a curated report across Accounts, Investments, or Accounts & Contacts. Just copy, paste, and let Dakota Joe do the heavy lifting in real time. This week’s prompts: • Accounts Report - Can you make me a report of all public pensions that invest in private equity in New York City? • Investments Report - Show me core Real Estate investments with a fund balance over $50M. • Accounts & Contacts Report - Can you show me all CIO contacts based in San Francisco who work at firms that invest in hedge funds? Once your report is generated, you can easily click in, edit columns, validate results, and tailor it exactly to what you need. We hope Dakota Joe continues to make your day-to-day research faster, easier, and more powerful. To be added to the email list, check it out via the link in the comments!

Spacex, xAI in $1.25T Merger, Waymo Lands $16B Round

In honor of Dakota Cocktails making its way to Greenwich this Thursday, we wanted to share a sample of what Dakota Recommends has to offer, Greenwich style. Below are standout examples of the best restaurants, coffee shops, and hotels near the event, perfect to visit while you’re in the area. Restaurants – • Mediterraneo Restaurant – Lively Mediterranean eatery with seafood and pasta • MŌLÌ – Upscale Chinese with refined flavors and ambiance • Eastend – Casual New American with drinks and bites Coffee Shops – • CFCF Coffee – Artisan coffee and pastries on Greenwich Ave • Maman – Charming French café with breakfast and lunch • Raphael’s Bakery – Top-rated local bakery with treats and coffee Hotels – • The J House Greenwich – Modern luxury boutique with standout service • Delamar Greenwich Harbor – Elegant waterfront hotel in downtown Greenwich • Hyatt Regency Greenwich – Spacious full-service hotel with resort amenities To register for the event or explore everything Dakota Recommends has to offer, the link is in the comments. Feel free to comment your favorite Greenwich spots as well! #DakotaRecommends #DakotaMarketplace #Food #Finance