Funds
CEE: Activity picks up despite ongoing fundraising woes
An uptick in dealflow in the second half of last year has left local players hopeful for a more sustained recovery. Greg Gille reports
Rekindling VCs' passion for online dating
As the internet dating industry enjoys its busiest period, with singletons rushing online to prevent a lonesome Valentine’s Day, Ellie Pullen asks if European venture is ready to rekindle its romance with the sector
Elbrus hits $550m hard-cap
Russian buyout house Elbrus Capital has held a final close for Elbrus Capital Fund II on its $550m hard-cap.
Partners Group closes €1.5bn direct investment programme
Partners Group has closed its 2012 private equity direct investment programme on €1.5bn.
Siparex raises €200m for MidMarket III fund
French GP Siparex has held a final close for its MidMarket III vehicle on €200m, exceeding its €150m target. Greg Gille reports
German PE tempted by allure of Luxembourg LPs
With a government promising to keep industry regulation fine-tuned to the benefit of its denizens, Luxembourg has become a hotspot for GPs in post-AIFMD Europe. Ellie Pullen reports
Italian GPs cash in as valuation gap narrows
Last year was challenging for Italian private equity; fundraising remained low and exits were few and far between – though stuttering deal volume was punctuated by a handful of large buyouts, boosting deal value. But it wasn’t all bad. Amy King reports
BaltCap Fund II reaches first close
BaltCap has held a first close for its latest fund BaltCap Private Equity Fund II (BPEF II) on €50.6m, with subscribed commitments of €63m.
Video: Dunedin’s Middleton on UK mid-market challenges
Managing partner talks to Kimberly Romaine in video Q&A
BPI launches €133m nuclear energy-focused fund
BPI France has officially launched its new fund, Fonds de Développement des Enterprises Nucléaires (FDEN), with €133m in capital.
Fundraises to flotations: a promising year for the UK
The UK market witnessed swathes of fund closes and a surprising number of IPOs last year. But will this positive trend continue in 2014? Alice Murray reports
United Ventures holds second close on €50m
Italian venture capital firm United Ventures has held a second close on more than €50m with the support of the European Investment Fund (EIF).
SwanCap closes first fund on $1.2bn
Alternative asset manager SwanCap Partners has held a final close for its first fund, SwanCap Opportunities Fund, on $1.2bn after less than a year on the road.
Marson-Smith leaves Gresham
Gresham Private Equity chairman Paul Marson-Smith has confirmed his decision to retire.
42matters secures funding
Swiss mobile app discovery business 42matters has completed a series-A funding round, supported by Project A Ventures.
Auda closes Secondary Fund III on $332m
Private equity-focused investment manager Auda International has held the final close of its Auda Secondary Fund III (ASF III) vehicle with commitments totalling $332m.
Pantheon wins BVK mandate
Funds-of-funds manager Pantheon has established a new global private equity programme alongside Bayerische Versorgungskammer (BVK), Germany’s largest public pension group.
Braveheart and Crowdcube set up crowdfunding co-investment fund
Braveheart Investment Group and crowdfunding platform Crowdcube Ventures have established the Crowdcube Venture Fund (CVF), a co-investment vehicle for crowdfunded businesses.
NPRF offloads €800m PE portfolio to Lexington
The National Pensions Reserve Fund of Ireland (NPRF) has sold around €800m of global private equity fund interests to secondaries firm Lexington Partners.
Sintef launches fourth seed fund
Trondheim-based Sintef has launched Sintef Venture IV, a NOK 209m seed fund aimed at technology-driven SMEs.
Earlybird holds first close for new CEE fund
Earlybird Venture Capital has held the first close of its CEE-focused early-stage fund, Earlybird Digital East Fund (EDEF), on $110m.
EQT closes €1.1bn mid-market fund
After more than a decade of swelling fund sizes, EQT has returned to its roots by closing a mid-market fund on €1.1bn.
Summit Bridge to manage $100m China-Ireland Fund
Atlantic Bridge Capital and WestSummit Capital have launched the $100m China Ireland Technology Growth Capital Fund.