If fund raising continues at the current rate of more than $57 billion per quarter,  2006 will end with as much as $225 billion collected in U.S. private equity funds. Leveraged-buyout firms, which buy companies with the aim of improving their operations and then selling them or taking them public for a profit, raised a total of $118.5 billion, or 69% of the capital.

Venture-capital firms, which invest in younger start-up companies, raised $21.8 billion, ahead of last year's pace but well short of the record 2000 totals of over $81 billion. 

According to National Venture Capital Association (NVCA),  51 venture capital funds raised a total of $11.2 billion in Q2 of 2006, the highest level since the Q1 of 2001. NVCA also said 35 Buyout and Mezzanine funds raised $30.8 billion during Q2 2006. New Enterprise Associates raised  its latest whopper fund: $2.5 billion in july this year, targetting life sciences in the U.S. and startups in emerging markets including India and China. 

A handful of the largest private-equity firms, like Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Texas Pacific Group, are responsible for a large portion of the money raised, as they set up giant funds containing $10- $15 billion apiece.  Of the 253 funds that have raised money this year, the six largest are responsible for $52.3 billion, or 30%, of the total.