UK / Ireland
CVC to scrap infrastructure fund
Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners has cancelled plans to raise a €2bn infrastructure fund as part of change in its infrastructure investment strategy.
Finance Wales-backed Orthos enters administration
Medical devices company Orthos, backed by Finance Wales, has gone into administration.
BBVA joins SumUp extended series-B
BBVA Ventures, the venture capital arm of Spanish bank BBVA Group, has invested in Dublin-based SumUp in an extension of the company’s previous series-B round.
Key to UK mid-market growth is overseas
According to new research, the UK mid-market is more than weathering the storm. This key segment, which has been touted as vital for putting the economy back on track, is one of the biggest contributors to UK GDP through its drive to sell into new geographical...
Encore Capital exits Pure360, reaping 4x and 47% IRR
Encore Capital has sold digital marketing software company Pure360 for £10m, reaping a 4x return on the original investment and an IRR of 47%.
Corsair’s Davies eyes Lloyds
Former trade minister Lord Mervyn Davies, vice-chairman of US-based private equity firm Corsair Capital, is in the midst of assembling a group of investors to acquire a £10bn stake in Lloyds Banking Group, according to reports.
Sovereign supports Eden’s HASS acquisition
Eden Supported Living, backed by buy-and-build specialist Sovereign Capital, has acquired Housing & Support Solutions (HASS).
VC-backed Shazam raises $40m from America Movil
Music discovery company Shazam has received a $40m capital injection from wireless carrier America Movil.
Leaf leads €1m round for BlikBook
Leaf Investments has led a €1m funding round for BlikBook, a university online interaction platform, alongside Delta Partners, Forward Investment Partners and Enterprise Ireland.
BGF backs Better Bathrooms with £10m
Business Growth Fund (BGF) has injected £10m into UK-based bathroom retailer Better Bathrooms in exchange for a minority stake.
Lebus replaces Armitage as LPEQ chairman
Andrew Lebus, LPEQ
Isis picks up 35% stake in Nigel Frank
Isis Equity Partners has acquired a 35% stake in recruitment agency Nigel Frank International alongside HSBC Bank in a £22m investment.
Isis backs BathEmpire with £8.5m
Isis Equity Partners has injected £8.5m into BathEmpire.com, an online bathroom products retailer.
French PE still outperforms rest of continental Europe
French private equity funds have returned 8.6% since inception, according to the latest performance figures published by local trade body AFIC.
Synova-backed Clearwater in bolt-on
Specialist care provider Clearwater Care, a portfolio company of Synova Capital, has acquired TL Care, a UK-based supported-living provider.
ECI sells CliniSys to Montagu, reaps 2.5x return
ECI Partners has sold CliniSys, a provider of IT systems to the healthcare sector, to Montagu Private Equity, reaping a 2.5x money multiple on its investment.
Northzone backs £9.5m Ocapo series-A round
Northzone Ventures has led a £9.5m series-A funding round for online performance marketing and technology company Ocapo.
Dwell bought back by founder
Dwell, a UK-based furniture chain backed by Key Capital Partners that went into administration at the end of June, has been bought back by founder Aamir Ahmad.
ECI eyes £150m sale of CarTrawler
ECI Partners is preparing its Dublin-based portfolio company CarTrawler for a possible auction that could value the business at £150m, according to reports.
Private equity firms circle Card Factory
UK greetings card retail chain Card Factory, backed by Charterhouse Capital Partners, has attracted interest from Advent International, KKR and Clayton Dubilier & Rice.
Enterprise Ventures fund backs Centaur
The North West Fund for Venture Capital, managed by Enterprise Ventures, has backed a £750,000 funding round for Centaur Technologies alongside the Lancashire Rosebud Fund.
Kelso's Nicole Farhi goes under
High-end fashion company Nicole Farhi, backed by Kelso Place, has gone into administration.
Carlyle picks up Oaktree’s Chesapeake
Carlyle has acquired packaging company Chesapeake from Irving Place Capital and Oaktree Capital Management.