Buyouts and Gen II Fund Services Release Ninth Annual Emerging Manager Report

The 2026 Emerging Manager Report, produced by Buyouts in partnership with Gen II Fund Services LLC, serves as a benchmark on the status of the emerging manager market.

Buyouts, in partnership with Gen II Fund Services, LLC, releases its ninth annual Emerging Manager Report, which once again spotlights the top-of-mind issues and concerns for new general partners when launching their funds.

Over 100 emerging managers were surveyed for this year’s report. Based on multiple data points, the report offers managers’ perspective on a broad range of topics from fundraising and fees and fund terms, to outsourcing and talent acquisition.

Back-office sophistication is a key success factor. “In a bifurcated market, experience may clear early hurdles in fundraising, but platform maturity and an optimized operating structure is the differentiator,” said Jeff Gendel, Principal of Gen II Fund Services. “Emerging managers who treat fund administration as a value driver, not a back-office task, will be better positioned to survive consolidation and eventually graduate from the emerging manager class.”

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Among the big themes covered in this year’s survey are:

• Market sentiment – gauging the confidence of emerging managers in the current climate
• Seeding portfolio strategies – the extent managers are using this approach to attract LPs
• Sourcing LP capital – where managers are finding their commitments
• Outsourcing – what managers want most from third-party service providers
• Hiring trends – emerging managers’ most sought-after skills and biggest challenges

Significant findings from the survey:

• Market conditions are seen as the most challenging aspect of the fundraise, cited by 51% of respondents
• Despite the difficult fundraising climate, emerging managers are continuing to raise capital; 56% of manager respondents are currently fundraising, up from 55% a year earlier
• More managers are using AI-based solutions, with 41% of managers integrating AI into both their operations and portfolio companies
• The average length of time between first and final close shortened slightly in 2025 to 15.8 months, from 18.0 the previous year
• A third of emerging manager respondents are using a seeded portfolio strategy to attract investors
• Recession in core markets is seen as having the greatest impact on performance over the next 12 months, according to nearly half of this year’s survey respondents

The Private Equity Emerging Manager Report can be downloaded at: https://www.buyoutsinsider.com/emerging-manager-survey-2026-download/

Graeme Kerr, Editor of Buyouts Emerging Manager Report 2026, said, “We are delighted once again to publish this report in partnership with Gen II Fund Services. Now in its ninth year, the survey data tracks the sentiments of emerging managers on a broad range of factors from fundraising to talent acquisition. This year’s findings show that despite the challenging fundraising climate in the private equity industry, there are real growth opportunities for emerging managers if they have the proven expertise to stand out from the crowd.”

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