France
EUROPE - Return expectations of private equity investors reach record levels
The return expectations of private equity investors have strengthened significantly over the last 12 months т almost half of LPs are now forecasting medium-term returns of 16%+, according to Coller Capitalтs latest Global Private Equity Barometer, compared...
FRANCE - Financière Agache wins Go Voyages auction for EUR 281m
Bernard Arnault's holding company, Financière Agache has won the auction for the acquisition of travel agent Go Voyages. The deal values the business at EUR 281m, representing a capital gain of EUR 200m for its vendor, Accor.
FRANCE - Launch of Axonia Partners
Financial advisory boutique Axonia Partners has announced its launch. Axonia Partners is already working on several transactions, split equally between private equity clients and corporate clients.
FRANCE - TCR Capital backs secondary buyout of Locatel
Via its fund TCR Capital Partners III, the private equity firm has backed the secondary buyout of hotel and hospital multimedia services provider Locatel.
FRANCE - Auriga leads EUR 8.4m second round for Theraptosis
Auriga Partners, Seventure, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, CDC Entreprises and industrial company Blue Medical have committed over EUR 8m in the series-B financing of pharma company Theraptosis.
FRANCE - CDC Capital Investissement backs buyout of Plastiques Gosselin
CDC Capital Investissment (CDC CI) and Participex have backed the buyout of medical equipment maker Plastiques Gosselin. Following the deal, which stemmed from a UBS-run auction aimed at both private equity and industrial buyers, CDC CI took a majority...
FRANCE - Innoven injects EUR 3m in NavX
Innoven Partenaires has invested EUR 3m in NavX, a website offering services to satellite navigation device users.
FRANCE - Online news website Wikio gathers EUR 4m
US-based Lightspeed Venture Partners and Israeli venture investor Gemini have committed EUR 4m in the first round of institutional funding in French news website Wikio.
FRANCE - Siparex and Carvest back home builder Batilor
Sigefi Private Equity (group Siparex) and Carvest have backed the owner buyout of home builder Batilor. The sponsors invested EUR 4.4m and EUR 0.6m in equity, respectively.
FRANCE - ACE Management leads Recaero's series-B funding
In this round ACE Management, IRDI/ICSO Private Equity and Multicroissance have invested a total of EUR 5m in Toulouse-based Recaero, a former spin-off from Aérospatiale.
FRANCE - Iwedia raises additional EUR 4m
Software developer Iwedia has raised an additional EUR 4m in its fourth round of funding from its historical investors. CDC Entrprises Innovation, the company’s largest shareholder, was accompanied by I-Source Gestion, iXCore and Thales Corporate Venture....
EUROPE - Advent International announces global promotions
Advent International has announced the promotion of 13 members of its global investment team.
FRANCE - Ciclad injects EUR 6m in real-estate manager
Ciclad has invested EUR 6m in two tranches in Maisons de Biarritz, a multi-activity real-estate management business.
FRANCE - Sasa's take-private blocked by speculative fund
Investment managaer Jousse Morillon Investissement has taken just over 5% of Sasa Industrie, blocking Weinberg Capital Partners' attempt to reach the 95% needed to delist the bakery equipment manufacturer.
FRANCE - MBO Partenaires acquires 35% of Degetel
MBO Partenaires has backed the management buyout of IT services company Degetel. The private equity firm took a 35% stake, with the balance being retained by management. Banque Palatine led the pool of banks which underwrote the debt package.
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity backs European expansion of rich contents producer
AXA Private Equity has announced it has invested in Brainsonic, a Paris-based rich media contents producer.
FRANCE - XAnge and Aurinvest pair up to back business search engine developer
XAnge and Aurinvest have injected EUR 4m in software developer Sinequa. XAnge invested three quarters of this series-A funding through XAnge and Capital and two of its FCPI funds.
EUROPE - European Buyout Review shows 2006 record year for private equity
2006 was a record year for European buyouts with the total value of deals topping over EUR 160bn for the first time ever, according to the latest European Buyout Review due to be published in March 2007 by Incisive Media in association with Bridgepoint....
FRANCE - Platina LP takes two thirds of industrial engineer Cira Concept
In a EUR 13m deal, Platina Finance has acquired two thirds of Cira Concept via its fund Platina LP. The transaction was leveraged with a EUR 7m debt underwritten by Société Générale.
FRANCE - City Star Private Equity leads its third deal
City Star Private Equity has led its third buyout since its creation in 2005. The private equity firm has invested in real estate construction management business Habiva, alongside Paluel Marmont Capital and Maceinvest.
FRANCE - Erytech Pharma raises EUR 12m
AGF Private Equity, Auriga Partners and AXA Private Equity have invested joined seed investors Cap décisif and Rhône-Alpes Amorçage in the EUR 12m second round of funding for Erytech Pharma.
FRANCE - Activa Capital hires Cinven investor and appoints new partner
French mid-cap buyout house Activa Capital has announced the recruitement of Thierry Celestin, who joins the team from Cinven France, and the promotion of Christophe Parier to the position of partner.
FRANCE - SG Capital Europe takes 88% of business advice call-centre SVP
SG Capital Europe has backed the management buyout of Paris-based SVP Group.
FRANCE - XAnge and Auriga invest EUR 5m in marketing software developer Neolane
XAnge has led the EUR 5m second round of venture funding in marketing and communications software developer Neolane. Auriga Partners, which invested EUR 2m alongside the company's CEO and management in 2002, re-invested on this occasion.