Private equity is a type of investment where investors put money into private companies to help them grow and improve, rather than just buying and selling stocks like in the stock market. This type of investment is different from public stocks because it is not easy to sell quickly if the investor wants to get their money back. Private equity can involve different strategies like venture capital, growth equity, leverage buyouts, distressed investments, and mezzanine capital. In Europe, venture capital is often considered part of private equity, while in the US, private equity includes all these types of investments except for early-stage venture capital.