Deals
FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners sells AFU to Amlin
21 Centrale has wholly exited its investment in Anglo French Underwriters (AFU), an underwriting agent for Lloyd’s of London in France, to Amlin Plc, a UK based insurance and reinsurance company.
FRANCE - Chequers Capital acquires Cenexi
Chequers Capital, formerly Charterhouse France, has backed the buyout of pharmaceutical products manufacturer Cenexi from Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche). Chequers will take a majority stake in the business, with the management and mezzanine provider Indigo...
UK - Octopus invests £220,000 in 21Net
Octopus Ventures has invested ТЃ220,000 in broadband internet access provider 21Net.
UK - IQ invests in Phonetic Arts
IQ Capital has invested an undisclosed sum in speech technology developer Phonetic Arts Ltd.
NETHERLANDS - Mentha acquires a majority stake in PBG
Mentha Capital has acquired a majority stake in PBG, a Dutch provider of diabetes and medical supplies.
FRANCE - 360º leads EUR 5m financing of E-Blink
360º Capital Partners has lnvested EUR 3.5m as part of a EUR 5m funding round for telecommunications company E-Blink, with returning investors I-Source Gestion and Alven Capital providing the balance.
UK - Private equity interest in Creston
US-based private equity firm Cartesian Capital Group is believed to have declared an interest in acquiring Creston Plc, a London-listed marketing and communications agency.
CIS - Aureos invests USD 5m into Ala TV
Aureos Central Asia Fund has invested USD 5m into Ala TV, a Kyrgyz cable TV company.
DENMARK - VIA supports mobilePeople with DKK 40m investment
Via Venture Partners has invested DKK 40m into mobile search company mobilePeople.
FRANCE - CAPE acquires Sepchat and Ludovic Le Gall
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE), through CACI 3, has completed the dual acquisition of recycling businesses Sepchat and Ludovic. The companies will be merged into a single entity, in which CAPE will hold a 60% stake.
GERMANY – Earlybird and Neuhaus invest EUR 4m into smava
Existing investor Earlybird and new backer Neuhaus Partners have invested EUR 4m investment into social lending marketplace smava GmbH in a second round of financing.
FRANCE - OSEO leads EUR 11.5m Crocus funding
OSEO has provided EUR 3m of an EUR 11.5m financing round for Crocus Technology, a developer of magnetic random access memory, with the balance being provided by existing investors AGF Private Equity, CDC Innovation, NanoDimension, Sofinnova and Ventech....
CEE - Horizon and IFC invest USD 15m into Evrotek
Horizon Capital, through Emerging Europe Growth Fund, and IFC have invested USD 15m into Ukrainian food retail chain Evrotek Group.
UK - Capital Fund leads £240,000 Essential Escapes investment
The Capital Fund has invested ТЃ200,000 as part of a ТЃ240,000 funding round for spa tour operator Essential Escapes, with existing shareholders providing the balance.
FRANCE - CAPE invests in Melkonian
Crédit Agricole Private Equity and Sofipaca have backed the buyout of Groupe Melkonian, a producer of mining materials, alongside the Melkonian family.
FRANCE - AXA PE and CDC in partial exit of Saur
AXA Private Equity and Caisse des Dépôts (CDC) have sold a portion of their interest in Hime, the holding company of water services business the Saur Group, to CUBE Infrastructure.
UK - NVM invests £7m to back buy-and-build of CloserStill
NVM Private Equity has invested ТЃ7m into CloserStill Holdings Ltd, a newly created platform company in the events and exhibitions industry.
UK - Matrix backs buyout of Metropress
Matrix Private Equity has backed the buyout of newspaper publisher Metropress Ltd.
FRANCE - Atlas and OTC make EUR 10m Inspirational investment
New investor Atlas Venture and returning backer OTC Asset Management have invested EUR 10m in a second round of funding for e-commerce specialist Inspirational Stores.
FRANCE - Argos acquires LEXSI
Argos Soditic has acquired a majority stake in security consultancy Laboratoire d’Expertise en Sécurité Informatique (LEXSI) as part of a management buyout transaction, with founder Jöel Rivière and the management retaining the balance of the equity....
CEE – Mid Europa increases its stake in Falcon Group
Mid Europa has increased its stake in telecommunication services company, Falcon Group, to 74.06%. The fund already acquired 36.76% in November 2006 and this deal has seen it acquire a further 37.3% from co-investor Lehman Brothers.
SWEDEN - Axcel takes 90% stake in John Bauer Organization
Axcel has acquired a 90% stake in Swedish education company John Bauer Organization AB (JBO) from founder Rune Tedfors. Tedfors will retain a minority stake.
PORTUGAL - Explorer closes Probos MBO
Explorer has completed the management buyout of packaging company Probos. The transaction was carried out via Explorer II fund.
FRANCE - Naxicap leads EUR 8m round in La Boucherie
Naxicap Partners has led a EUR 8m investment round in restaurateur La Boucherie alongside Perspectives et Participations Bred and BNP Paribas Développement. The Baudaire family and Christophe Mauxion will retain a majority stake in the company.