Affinity.co

In private equity, a warm introduction is worth its weight in gold. As our CEO, Ken Fine, puts it: “Relationships are the most valuable currency that every investment firm owns.” At Campfire last month, he shared a powerful vision for the future; unpacking the next generation of relationship intelligence and sharing how Affinity fits into that vision. Here’s one thing he said. Want to hear more from Ken? Link to the keynote is in the comments.

Market spotlight: ProcessMaker and Decisions have officially merged, positioning the combined platform at the forefront of the business orchestration and automation technologies market. CEO Giles Whiting, who will lead the new entity, brings 20+ years of SaaS, technology, and private equity experience to the role. Congratulations to Giles and teams for bringing two category leaders together 👏 Link in the comments.

2026 is shaping up to be one of the most defining years for private capital. IPO windows are still unpredictable, M&A activity remains selective, and valuation pressures continue to mount—while LPs push for liquidity and AI widens the gap between firms that adapt and those that do not. Join leaders from Northwestern Mutual Future Ventures, Armira, and Crunchbase for Affinity’s 2026 Private Capital Predictions webinar as they unpack the market forces and strategic shifts shaping the year ahead. We’ll cover: • Market outlook: IPOs, M&A, valuations, LP expectations • Sourcing strategies and proprietary deal access • Portfolio management through extended timelines • How AI is redefining firm and portfolio performance Register Today: https://lnkd.in/e8BrfngJ

Another great Campfire NYC in the books. Thanks to everyone who joined us and big thank you to Alec McNiff for the great insights and conversation. If you missed the event, you can catch up on all of our Campfire sessions at https://buff.ly/kf4AePG

We had the pleasure of hearing from Alec McNiff of Bessemer Venture Partners tonight at Campfire NYC. Missed today's event? See where we're headed next https://buff.ly/zOqj7jk

We spend a lot of time talking to the dealmakers using Affinity to power their deal flow. With insight into the people, deals, and ideas shaping the market, we thought it was time to share that front-row perspective with you. Today, we’re launching Carried Interest — Affinity’s monthly read on what’s moving private equity right now. Inside each issue, you’ll find: ➡️ The data and deals shaping PE today ➡️ Trends and emerging themes worth tracking ➡️ The people and insights redefining relationship intelligence ➡️ Rapid-fire updates on the conversations happening across the market If you want a clear, data-led take on private equity, then Carried Interest is for you. Link to subscribe is in the comments.

Meet Udai C. He’s a PE Principal at FoW Partners — a technology-focused private investment firm that spun out from the quant hedge fund Two Sigma 18 months ago. He knows what it takes to build from the ground up. From architecting infrastructure to finding the right tools to leading deals, Udai has worn every hat to help launch the new fund. Last month, Jamie Shafer from the Affinity team sat down with Udai to talk about his team’s experience incorporating Affinity into their tech stack. “I’m pretty impatient,” he laughs. “I hate the idea of having to wait for screens or views to be customized. With Affinity, we were able to hit the ground running pretty quickly.” Here’s what else Udai had to say.  

Market spotlight: Starr recently announced its acquisition of IQUW Group from Aquiline. The transaction expands Starr’s footprint in insurance and specialty reinsurance. Congratulations to Igno van Waesberghe, Daniel Flueckiger, Harry Gilfillan, Ines Mendelsohn, and everyone else involved in the successful transaction.

Value Spotlight: Embrace Growth Mindset This month, we’re highlighting Garrick Sangil, Sr Product Designer, for how he lives Affinity’s company value of embracing a growth mindset. Garrick demonstrates that growth comes from curiosity, adaptability, and the willingness to learn. From pivoting his career path after a personal setback to taking on new challenges at Affinity, he consistently demonstrates resilience and a willingness to learn. As he shares: “Curiosity is more valuable than certainty. Being upfront about what I don’t know and asking thoughtful questions not only helps me learn but benefits everyone around me. Growth comes from being willing to pivot, ask questions, and embrace the learning process—even when it feels uncomfortable.” Whether navigating career shifts or contributing to the AI committee, Garrick leads by example, showing that embracing a growth mindset means staying curious and leaning into learning at every step. 

In October, Kyle Turner sat down with Jamie Shafer to talk through best practices for PE teams scaling their workflows. Together, they explored how leading firms are using AI to curate and grow their networks, and increase deal flow in smarter, more targeted ways. Here’s one thing that stood out. Full conversation link in the comments.