Private equity has entered a new era of "powering up." In 2025, global private equity investment surged to $2.1 trillion, a significant leap from the sub-trillion levels of 2018. While deal counts have become more selective, the scale of individual transactions has exploded; the U.S. alone saw investment hit $1.1 trillion last year, which was the second-highest level in history. This resurgence is fueled by a staggering $2.5 trillion in global dry powder, leaving firms with a "liquidity logjam" that they are now under immense pressure to break.
However, the "proprietary deal" is more elusive than ever. In 2026, the market is increasingly K-shaped. High-quality assets are triggering aggressive bidding wars among a smaller pool of mega-funds and strategic acquirers, while mid-market firms are having to work twice as hard to uncover non-intermediated opportunities. To win, firms are now forced to move beyond traditional networking, using data-driven intelligence to seed proprietary flow years before a formal process begins.
Here are three strategies to optimize private equity proprietary deal flow using Affinity.
Build a powerful brand
One of the most powerful ways to access proprietary deal flow is to build a powerful brand. According to one study, nearly 95% of private equity firms say that their “profile” or brand strength is critical to sourcing deals. While there are numerous outlets to improve brand image, few strategies rival the effectiveness of networking and relationships. Russ Alan Prince, president of R.A. Prince & Associates, Inc and an authority figure on the private wealth industry explains, “Very often, the firm’s “brand” is built up over years of networking and successes.”
Using Affinity, private equity firms can optimize their networking powers. They can seamlessly track who team members have communicated with, what files have been exchanged, and who facilitated the introduction. Thanks to enriched Crunchbase contact data— including company stage, last funding date, and lead investors—firms can gain unprecedented context into relationships. And with smart reminders that alert them when a relationship is at risk or when an email hasn’t received a response, private equity firms are able to forge strong relationships and stay top-of-mind with key relationships.
Leverage referrals
To optimize proprietary deal flow, private equity firms need to double down on referrals. The key is to cast a wide net. The aforementioned study also revealed that more than 90% of private equity firms say that meaningful introductions are facilitated via existing portfolio companies. Yet there are many more lucrative sources. Approximately 90% of firms also said that referrals from investment bankers as well as conferences and other marketing activities are important deal flow generators.
With Affinity, private equity firms are able to intelligently scan their network for lucrative referrals. Affinity functions as a firm’s dynamic relationship Rolodex. Firms are able to ask intelligent questions on the platform such as “Which experts do my team members know in the biotech sector?” and “Which public company retail CEOs have my team been in contact with over the last year?" that can shed light on lucrative referral opportunity.
Always be searching
When it comes to accessing proprietary deal flow, a proactive approach is a recipe for success. As Hugh MacArthur, Graham Elton, Daniel Haas, and Suvir Varma of Bain & Company's Private Equity practice explain, “Rather than waiting for the offering book to arrive and then reacting at the same time as the rest of the crowd, today’s marketplace requires PE firms to put their best foot forward, actively looking to enhance the quantity and quality of deals entering their funnel.”
Using Affinity Alliances, private equity firms are able to exponentially enhance the quality of their network by tapping into their extended network to gain critical introductions to proprietary deal flow. They can immediately understand how well they know contacts at different companies outside their immediate network and gain powerful inroads. When it comes to surfacing proprietary deal flow, this can be a game-changer.
As the aforementioned members of Bain & Company’s Private Equity practice have identified, today’s private equity landscape can be likened to the gold rush. “Investors have to get smarter about where and how to dig.” Adding credence to these sentiments, a 2026 Bain Report found that the challenge of finding attractive investment opportunities has reached a new peak, with 80% of fund managers citing high valuations and intense competition as their primary headwinds. Traditional more reactive approaches are no longer sufficient. Affinity can be a transformative force in helping private equity firms stay in front of the competition and capitalize on the lucrative market.
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