Benelux
Deal in focus: VC-backed Okapi sold to US biopharma Aratana
The sale of venture-backed Belgian biopharmaceutical company Okapi Sciences to listed US biopharma Aratana Therapeutics highlights the benefits that come from maintaining relationships with former fellow investors.
Seventure raises €62m towards new life sciences fund
French GP Seventure Partners has held a first close on €62m for Health for Life Capital, a new vehicle with a €120m target.
Gilde acquires Viroclinics
Gilde Healthcare Services has acquired a majority stake in Viroclinics Biosciences, a Netherlands-based virology contact research organisation (CRO).
Batman invests $1m in Robin
Orbys Ventures and Dutch entrepreneur Jan-Willem Tusveld have invested $1m in Robin Software, a Netherlands-based provider of e-commerce customer service software for SMEs, via the newly formed holding company Batman BV.
VC-backed Okapi acquired by US biopharma Aratana
Belgian biopharmaceutical company Okapi Sciences, backed by several venture capital firms, has been acquired by listed US biopharma Aratana Therapeutics for a total consideration of up to €33.3m.
Mutual understanding: Private equity and the UK government
PE and the State
VC-backed uniQure files $75m IPO
Dutch gene therapy company uniQure, backed by several venture capital firms, plans on raising up to $75m in its IPO on the Nasdaq.
Main Capital buys stake in Chainfood
Main Capital has acquired a stake in Dutch software firm Chainfood.
AAC backs Lubbers MBO
AAC Capital Benelux has acquired a majority stake in Lubbers Transport Group, a Dutch transport and logistics company for the oil and gas industry, as part of a management buyout.
Karmijn backs Tuvalu MBO
Karmijn Kapitaal has acquired a minority stake in Tuvalu Media, a Dutch television and film production company, as part of a management buyout that saw Sony Pictures Television exit the business.
Gimv and Cube to acquire VTB
Gimv and the Cube Infrastructure Fund are to wholly acquire Veolia Transport Belgium (VTB), the Belgian operations of France-headquartered Transdev Group.
IK’s Vistra buys HVK
IK Investment Partners-backed Vistra Group has acquired the HVK Family Office Services (HVK FOS) division of Netherlands-based consultancy firm HVK.
Freenom raises $3m
Kima Ventures has led a $3m series-A round for Freenom, a Netherlands-based free domain name provider.
Deutsche Private Equity buys Zellbios from Ergon
Deutsche Private Equity (DPE) has acquired Luxembourg-based pharmaceuticals firm Zellbios from Ergon Capital Partners.
Ardian acquires NHV Group
Ardian has acquired a majority stake in Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV) Group, a Belgium-based provider of helicopter transport services.
Are European GPs ready to embrace the robotics revolution?
As robotic solutions creep into our everyday lives, Kim Richters looks at private equity’s relationship with the increasingly important sub-sector.
Gimv partially exits Punch Powertrain
Gimv has divested 30% of its stake in Punch Powertrain, a Belgian manufacturer of auto parts, to Chinese private equity house New Horizon Capital.
Palamon’s Wilson appointed by Silverfleet
Annette Wilson, Silverfleet Capital
CVC fully exits bpost
CVC Capital Partners has sold the remainder of its shares in Belgian postal service bpost, which listed on the NYSE Euronext Brussels earlier this year, for €580m.
Video: DFJ's Sage on Europe's next big tech trends
Video: DFJ Esprit
LPs expect net returns of at least 11%
The majority of LPs anticipate annual net returns in excess of 11% over the next three to five years, according to the latest Coller Capital Global Barometer.
NoorderHuys exits Paylogic
NoorderHuys Participaties has sold Netherlands-based ticketing company Paylogic to trade player SFX Entertainment, in a deal valuing the company at $22m.
Direct secondaries: breathing new life
An industry-wide impetus is needed to resuscitate an ailing sector. Kimberly Romaine reports
Vitruvian collects £1bn for second fund
Vitruvian Partners has closed its second fund on £1bn, well above its initial £800m target.