Deals
UK - Blackstone linked to M&B
Blackstone's name has been linked to a possible offer for pub operator Mitchells & Butlers (M&B). It is reported that Blackstone will team up with either CVC or KKR to table a joint bid for the owner of the Harvester and the All Bar One pub chains.
FRANCE – Sofimac and SGPE Lead OBO of APIA
Sofimac and SGPE both lead an OBO of APIA with an investment of EUR 1.05m each. Also investing were Centre Capital Development with EUR 350,000, Neoveris who invested EUR 300,000 and Centre Loire Expansion to the tune of EUR 100,000. Apia recorded a turnover...
UK - Skype-engineers ASI invest in Kindo
Ambient Sound Investments (ASI), Skype's founding engineers, have provided family network website Kindo with seed financing. ASI joins other seed investors including Saul and Robin Klein of The Accelerator Group (TAG), and Stefan Glänzer, first investor...
SPAIN - TPG backs BA's shareholding in Iberia
Texas Pacific Group and British Airways (BA) have together acquired a further 0.2% stake in Spanish air carrier Iberia for EUR 4m. The purchase increases BA's stake to 10.1%.
FINLAND - Axel Technologies attracts financing from Nexit Ventures
Axel Technologies, a developer of mobile TV technologies, has attracted a financing round from Nexit Ventures and existing investor Finnish Industry Investments Ltd.
UK - HSBC Private Equity backs the buyout of Transmission & Distribution Group
HSBC Private Equity has supported the buyout of Transmission & Distribution Group (TDG). TDG specialises in providing condition monitoring systems for electrical utilities and heavy industry. TDG is the parent company of Diagnostic Monitoring Systems...
SPAIN - Magnum acquires EUR 200m logistics firm
Magnum Industrial has signed the agreement for the acquisition of an 80% stake in infrastructures logistics firm Pretersa-Prenavisa.
UK - DFJ Esprit and BOSGE provide PacketExchange with $12m series-B funding
Existing investors DFJ Esprit and Bank of Scotland Growth Equity have invested $12m in PacketExchange as part of a series-B funding round for the wide-area internet exchange service company. In conjunction with the funding, PacketExchange also announced...
SPAIN - Talde-backed Biópolis expands its capital
Talde Gestión backed biotechnology company Biópolis will undertake a capital expansion to acquire new facilities and increase production.
FRANCE – Sofimac and CDC Entreprises invest EUR 2m in Onixxa
Sofimac Partners and CDC Entreprises have jointly invested EUR 2m in Onixxa. Founder Phillippe Andrieu retains a majority stake in the company following the deal.
UK - DFJ Esprit realises investment in buy.at through sale to AOL
DFJ Esprit has sold its interest in e-commerce marketing business buy.at through a sale of the business to AOL. buy.at will operate as a wholly-owned business unit of Advertising.com, part of AOL’s Platform-A organisation. buy.at, recently named the...
UK - LDC backs MBO of JCC Lighting
LDC has financed the management buyout of JCC Lighting, a global lighting fixtures group, for an undisclosed sum. LDC has invested a figure of less than £10m for a majority equity stake in the business. Royal Bank of Scotland provided a debt package...
NETHERLANDS - Prime Technology invests EUR 6.5m in eBuddy
Prime Technology Ventures has invested EUR 6.5m in eBuddy, a provider of web and mobile instant messaging, in second-round funding. In 2007, Lowland Capital Partners had provided a EUR 5m Series-A financing round to the company.
FRANCE – Nempartners acquires 5.1% of Proméo
Nempartners acquired 5.1% of Groupe Proméo via its Nem Invest fund. The Ganiveq family retains a majority 41% while Batipart has a 30% stake. Proméo recorded a turnover of EUR 84.3m in 2006 and achieved 20% growth in 2007 recording a turnover of EUR...
FRANCE – CIC Vizille leads EUR 1.2m financing for Protein’eXpert
CIC Vizille Capital Innovation lead Sudinnova in a EUR 1.2m financing round for Protein’eXpert which sees the partial exit of original investors Amorçage Rhône-Alpes et al, Rhône-Alpes Création and Rhône Dauphiné Développement. The two founders,...
NORWAY – 3i acquires Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients for $395m
3i has backed the buyout of Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients, an Oslo-based supplier and developer of pharmaceutical ingredients and division of NYSE-listed Alpharma Inc, for $395m.
UK - Balderton-backed LOVEFiLM acquires Amazon Europe DVD rental business
LOVEFiLM International Ltd, a DVD rental business backed by Index Ventures, Balderton Capital and DFJ Esprit, is to acquire Amazon Europe's DVD rental business in the UK and Germany. As part of this transaction, Amazon Europe will also make a cash investment...
UK - Octopus realises 2.3x from Gyro exit
Octopus Investments has sold its stake in Gyro, a B2B marketing services business. The exit has generated a return of 2.3x and an IRR of 57.7% on its investment. The exit has been facilitated by an investment of over £50m from a US private equity house....
UK - SPARK's Kobalt Music Group signs agreement with Balderton
SPARK Ventures Plc portfolio company Kobalt Music Group Ltd, an independent music publisher has signed an agreement with Balderton Capital whereby Balderton will invest new equity in Kobalt. This transaction will result in a 60% uplift in the valuation...
UK - August Equity portfolio company makes acquisition
August Equity portfolio company Lifeways Community Care Ltd, has acquired Kentwood Ltd, a provider of care and support to adults in residential, domiciliary and supported living environments, for an undisclosed price. Kentwood is a care provider operating...
GERMANY - AUCTUS Management acquires 80% of Hobatex GmbH
Funds managed by AUCTUS Management & Co. KG have acquired 80% of the shares of specialised wood applications company Hobatex GmbH for an undisclosed sum. Hobatex is an international trader and service provider for specialised wood applications. Major...
NORWAY - CapMan builds new Nordic logistics group
CapMan has acquired approximately 65% of Swedish Globex AB and Norwegian Cargo Partners and STS Group, in a move to build a new Nordic logistics group, for an undisclosed value.
FINLAND - Nokia to divest Automotive Business to Equity Partners et al.
According to reports, Nokia is in the process of negotiating the sale its automotive business to the former head of Nokia’s enhancement unit and the automotive business and Equity Partners GmbH.
UK - MMC backs PharmAssess with £500,000
MMC Ventures has invested £500,000 in PharmAssess, an independent auditor which provides audit reports to the pharmaceutical industry.