News & Analysis

Private equity investors have been pouring more money into infrastructure funds in recent years, drawn by the steady cash flows and lower risk profile such assets offer. The expectation of increased opportunities in the US created by the $1 trillion infrastructure legislation passed in 2021 has also generated interest among investors.

PE infrastructure funds collected a total of $120.7 billion globally in 2021, well above 2017, when only $77.1 billion in PE capital was raised to invest in this sector, according to PitchBook data.

Fundraising for infrastructure investing is showing no signs of abating this year. A string of heavyweights and infrastructure-focused specialists including KKR, Global Infrastructure Partners, StonePeak Infrastructure Partners and Energy Capital Partners have raised or begun marketing new funds dedicated to the burgeoning sector.

A handful of deep-pocketed PE firms have been active in this sector. US asset manager BlackRock boasts the largest deal count, with 18 transactions made in infrastructure deals since 2017, according to PitchBook data. Second on the list is Blackstone, whose portfolio companies include building materials merchant Nelemans and autonomous mobile robot company iFollow.

Here are the 10 most active PE investors in the infrastructure sector by deal count since the start of 2017.
 
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