Deals
SPAIN - TA Associates ready to pay EUR 100m for eDreams
According to press reports, US private equity house TA Associates is set to pay EUR 100m for 100% of the shares in Internet-based travel agency eDreams. A majority stake of 55% is currently owned by a group of 70 investors, including the bank Santander...
SPAIN - Catalana d'Iniciatives takes 25% in biodesel business for EUR 10.5m
Private equity house Catalana d'Iniciatives has taken a participation of 25% in Bioenergética Extremeña for EUR 10.5m. The remaining stake was split between the Hinojosa-Vacas, Bigeriego and Espinosa de los Monteros families, which have diluted their...
ITALY - Sanpaolo IMI Fondi Chiusi acquires shareholding in Blumen
Fund Centro Impresa, managed by Sanpaolo IMI Fondi Chiusi, has invested EUR 3m in return for a 32% stake in Blumen, a retailer of home and garden appliances. Blumen is based in Piacenza and had returns of EUR 15m last year. The business plan includes...
SPAIN - Baring acquires stake in Boniquet-Sparchim
Baring Private Equity Partners (BPEP), has acquired a minority stake in Laboratorios Boniquet-Sparchim. The consideration of the deal, in which Invercartera (Caixa Catalunya's private equity arm) has also invested, has not been disclosed. Boniquet-Sparchim...
SPAIN - Corpfin Capital buys majority stake in Alfe for EUR 30m
Corpfin Capital has recently acquired a participation of 56% in the capital of rental equipment company Alfe Grupo Empresarial for EUR 30m. The main activity of Alfe is the rental of machinery and equipment for both civil engineering and construction...
GERMANY – Biofrontera to float eventually
Having withdrawn at the last minute from an IPO on the Prime Standard in July this year, Biofrontera is set to float on 30 October on the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange. DZ Bank has been appointed to place the previously privately placed 443,514 shares.
GERMANY – Cold reception for Liponova
Biotechnology company Liponova has floated on the Entry Standard below its issue price of EUR 30. VEM Aktienbank placed the 250,000 shares as part of a capital increase. Trading opened this morning on EUR 27.40.
GERMANY – Strong debut for Delticom
Tyre e-commerce company Delticom has floated successfully on the Frankfurt Prime Standard. With a first listing at EUR 37 per share, the 1.13m listed shares exceeded the initial issue price of EUR 36. Around three quarters of the listed shares are part...
UK - Enterprise Ventures invests in Yuuguu
Enterprise Ventures has invested £600,000 of series-A financing in Yuuguu Ltd.
NL - Lowland commits EUR 5m to eBuddy
Amsterdam-based eBuddy, a provider of web-based messaging, has raised €5m in a first round of funding from Lowland Capital Partners. eBuddy offers an internet service which enables users to chat with AOL, MSN and Yahoo accounts without having to install...
ITALY - BS Private Equity backs acquisition of Megatel and Gigatel
Mobile telephony retailer MIT Group, backed by BS Private Equity, has agreed to buy sector players Megatel and Gigatel for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition of the two companies is part of the development strategy of MIT, especially focused on growth...
UK - Mind Candy announces $7m in funding
Mind Candy, the UK based company behind the Alternative Reality Game (ARG) Perplex City, has raised $7m from Accel Partners and existing investor Index Ventures and NewMedia Spark. The funding comes in advance of a major expansion of new products to be...
POLAND – Advent International acquires the ULTIMO Group
Private equity investor Advent International has acquired the polish debt purchase and debt collection business ULTIMO Group from the company’s founders and funds managed by AIG Capital Partners Inc. The value of the transaction is undisclosed.
UK - European Capital set to acquire Whitworths
Dried fruit and nut company Whitworths is reported to be acquired by European Capital over the next week. The deal, expected to be worth around £85m, will see Gresham exit the company it has held since 2001.
UK - Primary sells Rhyme Systems to 3i-Infotech for £28m
Primary Capital has exited management software solutions company Rhyme Systems. The business has been acquired by 3i-Infotech Ltd, a global provider of IT solutions listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange, in a deal valued at £28m. The exit represents a...
GERMANY - Delticom to float tomorrow
German tyre e-commerce company Delticom is expected to raise up to EUR 38m in an IPO on the German Prime Standard on 26 October 2006. If 850,000 shares float as expected in the middle of the EUR 33 – 45 book-building range, the company will be valued...
UK - PAI and Blackstone acquire United Biscuits from Cinven and MidOcean
Cinven and MidOcean Partners have realised their investment in United Biscuits (UB). The UK's largest biscuit supplier, UB also has operations in France, the Netherlands and Belgium and has now been acquired by Blackstone and PAI Partners in a £1.6bn...
UK - Enterprise Ventures invests in Ncapsa Ltd
RisingStars Growth Fund II, the early stage technology fund managed by Enterprise Ventures, has completed its first investment in Yorkshire. Sheffield-based Ncapsa Ltd has received funding from RisingStars.
UK - SEP syndicate invests $12m in VirtenSys Ltd
A syndicate including Scottish Equity Partners (SEP), Celtic House Venture Partners (CHVP) and GIMV have provided VirtenSys Ltd with $12m of first round funding. VirtenSys is a leading developer in the emerging and fast growing PCI Express IO virtualization...
FRANCE - Cytheris raises EUR 24.3m second round
France-based Cytheris, a pharmaceutical company developing new therapies for the immune system, has raised EUR 24.3m from CDC Entreprises Innovation, ABN Amro Capital Life Sciences and its historical investors.
FRANCE - Banexi Capital Partenaires back secondary buyout of Bretèche
Banexi Capital Partenaires and Unigrains have backed the secondary buyout of Bretèche, a company which develops, manufactures and installs equipment for the food industry. The GPs took a majority stake in the business.
FRANCE - Buyout of PVC and aluminium window maker
Avenir Entreprises and Alliance Entreprendre have taken a 75% stake in Plastiferm, a manufacturer of PVC and aluminium windows, doors and shutters.
BELGIUM - Fortis Private Equity acquires Studio 100
Fortis Private Equity has announced that it has acquired a 33% stake in Studio 100, a producer of tv programmes and theatre shows for children. In addition, the Belgium-based company will receive a capital increase, understood to be in the region of EUR...
GERMANY - AXA Private Equity aquires 60% of KTP
AXA Private Equity has acquired KTP (Kunststoff Palettentechnik GmbH), a producer of plastic transport packaging solutions. The value of the transaction has not been disclosed.