Benelux
EUROPE - Cognetas hires adviser
Pan-European buyout house Cognetas has hired David Pusinelli as senior adviser specialising in financial services.
HOLLAND - Aescap leads EUR 18m Avanium investment
Aescap Ventures has led an EUR 18m investment round for biofuels and bioplastics developer Avantium Technologies BV, alongside existing backers Capricorn Cleantech Fund, ING Corporate Investments and Navitas Capital.
EUROPE - Bridgepoint closes fourth fund EUR 800m above target
Bridgepoint has closed its fourth fund, Bridgepoint Europe IV Fund, on more than EUR €4.8bn - well above its original target of €4bn.
EUROPE - Private equity investment drops to four year low
Figures published today in the unquote" Private Equity Barometer, produced in association with Candover, reveal that the total value of private equity-backed investments fell to less than EUR 20m between July and September - a 35% drop on the previous...
EUROPE - EVCA appoints new chairman of Tax and Legal Committee
The European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association (EVCA) has appointed Fabio Brunelli as the new chairman of its Tax and Legal Committee.
LUXEMBOURG - EFA recruits FrontInvest
European Fund Administration (EFA) has chosen business software provider FrontInvest to support its private equity arm, EFA Private Equity.
NETHERLANDS - PPM Oost invests in BAT II
PPM Oost has commited an undisclosed sum to Business Angels Technostarters II (BAT II), a new vehicle seeking investments in Eastern Netherlands.
NETHERLANDS - Intel Capital leads USD 7m Silicon Hive funding
Intel Capital has led a USD 7m financing round for IT business Silicon Hive, alongside existing investors New Venture Partners and TVM Capital.
The last resort?
With the ongoing turmoil in the banking sector continuing to limit the availability of debt financing, buyout houses seem to be increasingly turning to asset based lenders to fill the liquidity void. By Ashley Wassall
Performance data: using returns to predict returns
Gaining access to reliable performance data has become something of a holy grail for private equity professionals seeking to stay one step ahead of the market, but it has historically be difficult to find. Is this set to change?
EUROPE - Beechbrook launches maiden fund with USD 75m
Beechbrook Capital has launched its first fund, Beechbrook Mezzanine I LP, with an initial commitment of up to USD 75m.
EUROPE - smac partners closes new secondaries fund
Munich-based venture capital firm smac partners has closed its new secondaries vehicle, smac partners fund III, which will be advised by UK-based Headway Capital Partners.
UK/GERMANY - Electra Partners invests EUR 45m into Steadfast fund
Electra Partners has purchased a significant interest in Steadfast Capital Fund I, managed by Steadfast Capital GmbH, for EUR 45m.
NETHERLANDS - PTV completes spinout of five technology ventures
Prime Technology Ventures (PTV), together with Philips Corporate Technologies, has completed the spin-out of five technology ventures from the Philips Corporate Technology incubator venturing program.
GLOBAL - CIC to increase stake in Blackstone
According to reports, China’s sovereign wealth fund, China Investment Corp (CIC), is planning to increase its stake in Blackstone Group from 9.9 per cent to 12.5 per cent.
NETHERLANDS/GERMANY - Wadinko and PPM Oost support IBL
Wadinko and PPM Oost have invested an undisclosed sum into IBL International, a specialist developer of in-vitro diagnostic tests.
BELGIUM - KBC et al invest EUR 6.5m in PharmaNeuroBoost
KBC Private Equity, Saffelberg Investments and Biovest have invested EUR 6.5m in PharmaNeuroBoost. Saffelberg invested EUR 2.5m, while KBC and Biovest provided EUR 2m each.
BELGIUM - N+1 abandons Access deal
Spanish banking group N+1 has announced its intention to call off an agreement to acquire the 35% stake in fund-of-funds Access Capital Partners held by Finnish private equity firm CapMan, blaming the current general financial crisis.
EUROPE - EVCA study reveals little improvement in tax and legal environment
The European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA) has published its fourth Benchmarking study of European tax and legal environments, with the results revealing that there has been little overall improvement in conditions since the previous...
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.
GLOBAL - Nextech Venture holds final close on USD 65m
Switzerland-based Nextech Venture has held a fourth and final close of its oncology-focused fund on USD 65m.