Raghu Velamati, senior managing director and co-head of M&A in the Americas at Macquarie Capital, on the latest Behind the Buyouts explored how dealmaking in education has grown far beyond K-12 and higher ed. Chicago-based Velamati described education as a lifelong journey — and a sector increasingly targeted by private equity due to its structural tailwinds and digital transformation.

He discussed themes such as healthcare education, workforce upskilling, for-profit institutions and school safety. Velamati also outlined how AI and shifting public funding are reshaping opportunities in this “knowledge ecosystem.”

While K-12 edtech players face slower growth after the post-Covid stimulus, Macquarie sees consolidation and IPOs ahead.

Listen to the podcast with Raghu Velamati below:

More podcasts from The Deal are available on iTunes, Spotify and on TheDeal.com.