Benelux
European PE in 2017: fundraising tailwinds and growing leverage
Industry professionals look back on a resilient year for private equity during a period of turbulent geopolitics
Riverside invests in Alter Pharma
GP is currently investing from its fifth fund, which targets businesses with EBITDA of €5-15m
Deal in Focus: IK buys Optimum from Mentha
IK Investment Partners makes its first acquisition in the Benelux region since the opening of its new office in Amsterdam in April
Benelux funds specialise to compete with strategic buyers
Record level of commitments were secured by Benelux funds during 2017, with GPs increasingly turning to sector specialisation
Egeria closes Fund V on €800m
Egeria V closes six weeks after announcement and expects to make its first investments in mid-2018
H2 Equity sells Brink Group to trade for €169m
GP makes the divestment from its 2010-vintage €300m buyout fund, H2 Equity Partners Fund IV
Main Capital closes fifth fund on €236.5m
Main Capital Partners holds a final close for Main Capital V on €236.5m, exceeding target
Forbion, BGV lead €25m series-A for NorthSea Therapeutics
Fresh capital will be used to conduct a phase IIb clinical study in preparation for phase III
BlackFin leads €15m series-A for Friss
Fresh capital will be used to expand globally and facilitate cross-carrier collaboration
LSP closes €280m healthcare fund
Fund is the largest in Europe dedicated purely to medical technology investments
Cottonwood in €2.6m series-B for Clear Flight Solutions
Clear Flight targets an expansion of the funding round up to a total of €6m
HCapital Partners backs Hoooked
Portuguese GP buys 55% of the Dutch cotton yarns and DIY kits producer
Main Capital's Roxit bolts-on Brein
Main Capital-backed Roxit wholly acquires Haaksbergen-based software developer Brein
HPE leads $19m series-C for NG Data
Other backers include Idinvest, Pamica, SmartFin, Capricorn and Nausicaa Ventures
Fortino holds €125m first close for second fund
New vehicle will expand the investment remit of the GP into more traditional market verticals
Capnamic backs iWelcome
Existing shareholders also take part in the round, including Filsa and Newion Investments
Main Capital backs GoConnectIT
Main Capital acquires a majority stake in Dutch cable and pipeline specialist GoConnectIT
Gimv sells Brakel via trade sale
Gimv sells natural climate control and fire safety specialist Brakel to Kingspan
Emeram buys Meona and E.care
Newly created company will be jointly led by the management teams of Meona and E.care
LPs remove Varova as manager of funds, write down €100m
Varova funds have experienced a reduction of unrealised net asset value close to €100m
CD&R to buy 40% stake in Belron group
Clayton Dubilier & Rice plans to acquire 40% of vehicle glass repair provider Belron
IK Investment Partners appoints Vreumingen as partner
Sander van Vreumingen leaves Gimv after more than a decade with the Benelux PE house
EQT Infrastructure to acquire CAIW
Deal is expected to close in Q4 2017, pending approval after a consultation period
Permira's Alter Domus bolts on Cortland
Permira-backed Alter Domus acquires US-based Cortland for an undisclosed sum