Ardian and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) have partnered to launch a direct mid-cap net asset value (NAV) financing platform.
The initiative will provide fund-level financing to mid-market buyout and infrastructure funds, helping managers access capital to support portfolio growth and optimise capital deployment.
The partnership combines SMBC’s structuring experience in the large-cap NAV financing market with Ardian’s expertise in private equity secondaries, mid-cap investments and private market data.
Ardian will draw on a database covering more than 1,700 funds, over 700 general partners and 12,000 underlying companies to assess risk and identify assets. The firm also uses 4.5 million real-time data points to support its investment approach.
The collaboration builds on Ardian’s existing scale, including its US$30 billion ASF IX secondaries platform announced in January 2025.
Both companies are already jointly evaluating potential financing opportunities in the mid-cap NAV market.
Vladimir Colas, Executive President of Ardian, said:
“By joining forces with SMBC, we are extending our reach into an asset class with compelling long-term growth potential, while reinforcing our ability to offer differentiated, cross-platform solutions at scale.”
Featured image credit: Edited by Fintech News Hong Kong, based on image by Who is Danny via Magnific
