Berlin-based Native Instruments GmbH entered preliminary insolvency proceedings at the end of January 2026, sending shockwaves through the music tech world. The Berlin-based company, which also encompasses iZotope, Plugin Alliance, and Brainworx, has since been working through a restructuring process. 

CEO Nick Williams has confirmed that an active merger-and-acquisition process is underway, with multiple parties from the audio and technology sector showing strong interest. Operations across all brands continue as normal, with products, downloads, and customer service remaining available. As part of the legal process, NI GmbH and some German entities are expected to transition from "preliminary insolvency" into formal insolvency proceedings. 

An earlier acquisition by Bridgepoint and Bain Capital Credit, approved by the European Commission in late 2025, appears to have fallen through. The outcome as to whether NI is sold whole or broken up remains unclear as at March 2026.

More at Synth Anatomy

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National Car Parks (NCP), Britain's largest private car park operator, is on the brink of administration after filing a notice of intention to appoint administrators for its UK business. The company, which operates around 300 car parks and employs approximately 700 people, submitted the notice on 16 March 2026 - a step that typically signals administration will follow within days unless a rescue deal is struck.

Owned since 2017 by Japan's Park24 and the Development Bank of Japan, NCP has struggled with a sharp drop in city-centre parking demand following the COVID-19 pandemic, from which usage has never fully recovered. Compounding this, the company has faced rising energy costs linked to the war in Ukraine, persistent inflation, and rent increases at many of its sites. After exploring financing options including asset disposals, NCP's board concluded administration was the only viable path forward.

Update 23 March - NCP has now gone into administration.

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Casino Group has issued an update on its ongoing negotiations to adapt and strengthen its financial structure. The Group confirmed that creditor consents have been extended to allow discussions to continue in a secure environment, while the extension of operational financing remains under discussion with bank creditors as part of the broader restructuring project.

Negotiation meetings were held in February, with discussions reflecting interest from both reference shareholder FRH and Term Loan B creditors in injecting a significant amount of equity into the Group, demonstrating confidence in the Renouveau 2030 plan.

The Casino Group remains committed to achieving a balanced and secure solution by the end of June 2026, providing the financial resources needed to implement its strategic recovery plan.

Read more here

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As reported earlier in February, BrewDog co-founder James Watt was organising external investors to acquire BrewDog in its entirety, with plans to plough around £10 million of his own funds into the deal - a bid that would have seen him reclaim the company he co-founded in 2007. However, this buyout never materialised and instead, BrewDog was sold to US cannabis and drinks company Tilray Brands for just £33 million after falling into administration - a fraction of its former £1 billion+ valuation. 

The deal saves 733 jobs but results in the closure of 38 bars and 484 redundancies. The outcome is a bitter one for the crowd of small backers: some 220,000 'Equity for Punks' shareholders who committed around £400 each are expected to receive nothing. Watt's attempted comeback, it seems, was not enough to save the brand he built.

More on this update at The Guardian

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Dutch hyperloop startup Hardt Hyperloop has been declared bankrupt, marking the end of an ambitious transport vision. The company was founded in 2017 by students from Delft University, following their win at a 2015 design competition organised by Elon Musk. 

The concept involved propelling passengers through vacuum tubes at speeds of up to 1,200 km/h. The project attracted significant backing, including support from NS railway, the city of Groningen, and a €15 million grant from the European Innovation Council, eventually funding a €10 million test track in Veendam. 

Despite receiving €12 million as recently as 2023, the company struggled to develop a viable business model, with vacuum tube construction proving far more costly than conventional transport alternatives. The Den Haag court issued the bankruptcy ruling on 4 March 2026. 

Read more at Dutch Review

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