Blackstone Inc. is a New York City-based American investment management firm. It functions through the following segments: Private Equity, Real Estate, Hedge Fund Solutions and Credit. The company’s flagship private equity business has been one of the prolific investors in leveraged buyouts in the last 30 years, while its real estate division has been active and highly successful in acquiring commercial real estate. The company also has extensive interests in credit, hedge funds, insurance and growth equity solutions. Blackstone was founded in 1985 as a mergers and acquisitions firm by Peter G. Peterson and Stephen A. Schwarzman.