Deals
SPAIN - Basque country Sgcer backs industrial player
Basque government private equity firm Sgcer, and local savings banks BBK, Kutxa and Vital have acquired a 16.3% stake in industrial company Ramón Vizcaíno in a deal valued at EUR 4.5m. The remaining stake is retained by the company’s owners.
FRANCE – Perfectis acquires Groupe Larosa
Perfectis Private Equity has acquired Groupe Larosa in a secondary LBO. Perfectis has taken a 60% stake in Groupe Larosa in a deal which represents an exit for IRDI. The management holds the remaining 40% of Groupe Larose.
SWEDEN - Ratos completes refinancing of Camfil
Ratos has completed the refinancing of Camfil, returning SEK 450m to investors.
CEE – Penta to acquire Semya for US$ 200m
According to sources, Penta Investments is to acquire Russian supermarket chain Semya for US $200m.
SWEDEN - Northzone leads EUR 15m round in Norstel
Northzone Ventures, Eqvitec and Creandum have participated in a EUR 15m funding round in Norstel, a Swedish cleantech business. Other investors included the Sixth AP Fund.
LUXEMBOURG – GIC SI invests US$1.5bn in Sintonia SA
GIC Special Investments (GIC SI), the private equity investment arm of GIC, has acquired 3% of Sintonia SA for US$1.5bn. The vendor is Milan-based Benetton-owned company Sintonia SpA.
UK - Bestport makes futher investment in Mfuse
Bestport Ventures has invested a further ТЃ850.000 in mobile-enabling provider Mfuse as part of a ТЃ2.55 funding round. New investors include Mark Blandford, founder of Sportingbet, who will be joining Mfuse's board.
GREECE – Marfin sells 20% of OTE in a EUR 2.5bn transaction
Marfin Investment Group has sold its 20% stake in Greek telephone company OTE to Deutsche Telekom in a deal valued at approximately EUR 2.5bn.
UK - SPARK and Beringea invest $8m in insango!
SPARK Ventures and Beringea have invested $4m and $2.5m respectively in internet travel provider insango! alongside $1.5m from existing shareholders.
SWEDEN - ESML Interessenter completes Securitas Direct offer
ESML Interessenter has completed the SEK 10.1bn deal for Securitas Direct. The investor obtained 80.1% of the capital and 86% of the voting rights in the company. The acceptance period has been extended to March 28 for those shareholders who have not...
SPAIN – Caja Madrid backs fashion group
Capital Riesgo Madrid the private equity arm of Caja Madrid has acquired a 37% stake in fashion group AB Diseño y Moda as part of a deal valued at EUR 8m. The group consists of three brands: Elio Berhanyer, Miguel Palacio and Javier Larrainzar.
UK - SEB Venture invests $12m in ShoZu
SEB Venture Capital has led a $12m series C round of financing in mobile social media services provider ShoZu Inc. Previous investors Atlas Venture, Crescendo Ventures and TTP Ventures also participated.
UK - SEB Venture leads $10 B-round of Zinwave
SEB Venture Capital has led a $10 second round of funding for wireless technology development company Zinwave. Existing investors Atlas Venture and Scottish Equity partners also provided further funding.
CEE – ASI invests EUR 400,000 in Versita
Ambient Sound Investments (ASI) has invested EUR 400,000 for a 20% stake in Versita, a Polish online publisher. It is the first venture investment in Poland for ASI.
NETHERLANDS - Amadeus et al. invest EUR8m in Liquavista
In a series-B round funding, existing investors Amadeus, GIMV and New Venture Partners have injected EUR 8m in fabless display manufacturing company Liquavista. In November 2006, the company secured EUR 12m from the same group of investors.
UK - Sunstone invests EUR 2.4m in CloudeMade
Sunstone Capital has invested EUR 2.4m in a series A round of funding for CloudMade. Sunstone joins the founders as well as existing private shareholders and serial entrepreneurs.
UK - Sovereign wins auction for WCLS
Sovereign Capital has won the auction to buy educational firm World Class Learning Schools (WCLS) for approximately $75m, according to press reports.
UK - Inflexion backs buyout of Pims
Inflexion Private Equity has led the management buyout of waste water support services company Pims Group. It acquired the company from Gresham Private Equity who made a 3.4x return from the exit.
UK - Langholm sells Dorset Cereals
Langholm Capital has sold musli brand Dorset Cereals to Wellness Foods for ТЃ50m, generating a reported 4-fold return.
UK - NBGI buys T Jolly
NBGI Private Equiy has backed the management buyout of mechanical and electrical engineering services provider T Jolly Ltd. The value of deal has not been disclosed. Debt has been provided by Svenska Handelsbanken AB.
FRANCE – MBO Partenaires takes 35% stake in BFD
MBO Partenaires has taken a 35% minority stake in banking and finance information systems company BFD. The remaining stake is retained by founder Philippe Michelin. The senior debt package was provided by Société Générale and CIC.
UK - Patron invests £23m in Powerleague
Patron Capital Partners has acquired a minority stake in Powerleague, a commercial operator of 5-a-side football centres.
FINLAND - Conor Ventures invests in Eniram
Conor Ventures has invested an undisclosed amount in Eniram, a Finnish developer of instruments for the maritime industry.
SPAIN – Clave Mayor backs website Red Karaoke
Clave Mayor has taken a minority stake in website Red Karaoke in a deal valued at EUR 2m.