Strategies

Our investment teams have distinct strategies and focus on investing in mid-market companies in a variety of sectors in the US and Europe.

Our investment teams have distinct strategies and focus on investing in mid-market companies in a variety of sectors in the US and Europe.

Flexible capital and strategic assistance for market-leading companies in high-growth sectors in North America and Europe

Equity capital for mid-sized companies in the DACH region and Italy

Growth capital and strategic assistance to software companies throughout Europe

Impact platform investing in climate and nature-based solutions

Equity capital for founder-owned companies in consumer and multi-unit, food and beverage, and business services.

Private equity primaries, co-investments, and secondaries across North America and Europe

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Cyber + Responsible AI 1920X1080

Responsible Investment Report 2024

Cybersecurity and AI Readiness

At Bregal, we’ve made it a priority to support our companies in adopting cyber best practices.[[1]]

We focus on assessing the risk landscape during diligence, implementing immediate improvements and defining long-term roadmaps to drive resilience.

97%
OF COMPANIES

have data privacy policies[[1]]

95%
OF COMPANIES

have conducted or plan to conduct penetration testing in Next Twelve Months[[1]]

95%
OF COMPANIES

have cyber insurance[[1]]

Istock 1408211250

One important step forward in our program is integrating tech and cyber diligence into every prospective deal evaluation.

STEP 1

Due Diligence

We work with third-party providers to assess company’s data and cyber security governance, incident response plans, and IT infrastructure where applicable.

STEP 2

Roadmap Creation

The insights enable a tailored security roadmap for each portfolio company, flagging the highest-priority actions to pursue during the holding period. To benchmark progress, Bregal engages independent experts who assess cybersecurity hygiene against essential controls mapped to industry standards such as CIS v8 and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

Threats evolve constantly, therefore the program is built for continuous improvement rather than one-time checks. When incidents do occur, we leverage our partnerships with leading cyber-insurance providers to provide best-in-class coverage, response resources, and recovery support. We also work with portfolio companies to maintain up to date business continuity and data protection plans.

STEP 3

Implementation and Monitoring

Since adopting this standardized approach, we have driven performance in our portfolio companies’ cyber resiliency via strong governance and risk mitigation processes.

AI Readiness

AI-driven products are increasingly shaping decision making in technology and services businesses.

At Bregal we are optimistic about AI-driven innovation, while also recognizing the potential risk landscape introduced from lack of transparency, data misuse, or unintentional bias. Our goal is to help companies harness AI’s advantages while minimizing any human rights and/or environmental impacts from energy usage introduced in specific product and operational use cases. 

56%
OF COMPANIES ARE IMPLEMENTING GENAI PROOF OF CONCEPTS[[1]]

46%
OF COMPANIES HAVE IMPLEMENTED AI ACCEPTABLE USE POLICIES

Across the Bregal portfolio, 56% of companies are implementing GenAI proof of concepts, and out of those companies, 62% are adopting responsible AI principles alongside product development.[[1]]

We are working closely with companies to innovate while establishing product safeguards and maintaining customer trust.

Portfolio Case study[[2]]

Operationalizing AI: From Bottlenecks to Breakthroughs

A market-leading subscription research firm introduced an AI assistant, “Luxer” to streamline two client-facing workflows:

  1. Written inquiries, which are the first touchpoint between clients and analysts
  2. Analyst calls that previously required manual scheduling

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50%
CLIENT TIME SAVINGS

on information retrieval, research, and follow-up scheduling

Before Luxer, 75% of inquiries took more than seven days to schedule and only 10% were booked within 48 hours.

After the launch, the backlog fell to 40% and 35% now scheduled in under 48 hours. In the most common user journey on the company’s member site - searching for information, consuming research, and scheduling a follow-up call, clients report roughly a 50%-time savings.

Responsible AI KPIs

Icons8 Requirements
AI Acceptable Use Policy
Icons8 Tick (1)
Implementing internal guidelines for responsible AI

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Portfolio Case study[[2]]

AI to Scale Faster, Deliver Better, and Operate Smarter

As one of the leading providers of nearshore development staff augmentation and consultancy services, talent vetting and delivery is at the core of the business.

To replace a typical week-long manual screening process, the company launched an AI-enabled, candidate-vetting engine that now underpins talent screening, delivery workflows, and client portals.

Today, 78% of interviews are graded by AI. The average cost per screening a single candidate has fallen 66% to $7.9, and monthly vetting spend has dropped from $15k–$20k in 2024 to roughly $3k. The turnaround for vetting a finalist candidate has shrunk from up to one week to less than 24 hours.

66%
REDUCTION IN AVERAGE COST

per candidate screened

Responsible AI KPIs

Icons8 Requirements
AI Acceptable Use Policy
Icons8 Batch Assign
AI oversight through a Cross Functional Steering Committee

AI at Bregal

Aside from our portfolio company engagement, at Bregal we’ve designed the following internal policies which have allowed us to establish guidelines and responsibly support technological innovations:

Icons8 Requirements

AI Acceptable Policy

Informs employees of the risks associated with AL Models and outlines guidelines for the use of AI Models at the firm.
Icons8 Security Shield

AI Risk Framework[[3]]

Identifies and mitigates potential risks related to AI ethics at every stage of the AI lifecycle. This framework aligns with emerging regulations like the EU AI Act and OECD AI Principles.
Icons8 Chain

AI Trustworthy Principles

Aims to ensure that potential AI systems developed by Bregal are used in a responsible, ethical, transparent, and accountable manner. This includes ensuring that AI systems are designed to respect human rights, prevent harm, remain compliant, and operate in a manner that is fair and non-discriminatory.

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