France
OpenGate carves out SMAC from Colas
US-based OpenGate also carved out the silicon carbide division of Saint-Gobain last month
Idinvest holds €340m final close for second growth fund
Fund was launched with a €300m target and held a first close on €250m in November 2016
CM-CIC, BPI France back Hardis Group MBO
Up to 30 managers, led by Nicolas Odet and Yvan Coutaz, acquire stakes in Hardis
BluGem sells DMC Group to Lion Capital
Sale ends a three-year holding period for BlueGem, which bought the company via its тЌ370m second fund
Ardian sells Citoxlab to trade in €448m deal
Sale price implies a 13.8x pro forma EBITDA multiple, based on Citoxlab’s latest results
BMO holds fourth close for co-investment fund on €95m
Fund was announced in February 2017 and is expected to hold a final close by the end of March
GP Profile: Astorg
Managing partner Thierry Timsit discusses investment strategy, competition, ESG and political instability
Sofinnova et al. invest €20m in Afyren
France-based biotech business Afyren plans to commercialise its products in 2020
Tikehau IM holds €2.1bn close across funds
Tikehau IM's four vehicles, focusing on direct lending, were launched around a year ago
Iris leads €20m series-B for Virtuo
Balderton and Raise also take part in the round, which will fund the car rental firm's UK expansion
Hi Inov leads $6.2m series-A for Deepomatic
Previous investor Alven Capital and entrepreneur Bertrand Diard also take part in the round
Azulis buys Helios Group in SBO
GP invests in Helios, a construction and road marking specialist, via Middle Market Fund V
Unquote Private Equity Podcast: Dual speed ahead
Listen to the latest episode of the Unquote Private Equity Podcast, in which the team navigates the bifurcation in private equity fundraising
UI Gestion closes Cap 6 on €105m
Mid-market focused Cap 6 is larger than its predecessor, M.I5, closed on €93.5m in 2011
US investors eye European first-time funds
Maiden fundraises are maintaining momentum, with US institutional investors increasingly drawn to such vehicles
Ardian, BPI France sell Ouvêo
Ardian had owned the France-based manufacturer of windows and other joinery since 2012
Experienced Capital to launch second fund in 2019
Experienced Capital's maiden fund held a final close on €78m in 2016 and is now fully deployed
Experienced Capital backs NV Gallery
NV Gallery founders Natalie Hanczewski and Thibaut Saguet retain a majority stake
Q4 Barometer: European deal volume sets new annual record
Despite a slowdown in the final quarter of the year, private equity activity reached an all-time high over the course of the year
Index Ventures leads €30m series-B for Lunchr
Daphni and Idinvest previously invested €11m in the France-based startup in Q2 2018
Alven, Blackfin lead €8m series-A for Pretto
Pretto previously raised €1.3m in a seed round led by angel investor Pierre Kosciusko-Morizet
Keensight inks first Spanish deal with Asti Mobile Robotics
French GP Keensight enters the Spanish market with a growth capital investment
Cathay backs Finance Active
Finance Active’s founders and managers also acquire stakes in the digital finance business
Eurazeo holds first close on €500m for Capital IV
Asset managers, sovereign wealth funds, insurance companies and family offices back the fund