UK / Ireland
UK - SPARK sells Identum
SPARK Ventures has realised its investment in email encryption technology developer Identum. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
UK - Smedvig acquires Barefruit
Smedvig Capital has bought juice bar chain Barefruit Juice through its investee company Lovejuice.
UK - GLG in $100m funding round for SpinVox
GLG Partners, Blue Mountain Capital and Toscafund Asset Management have invested $100m alongside Goldman Sachs in SpinVox, a speech recognition technology group.
UK - Matrix takes reins at Income & Growth VCT
Matrix Private Equity has taken on sole-manager status at The Income & Growth VCT after Foresight Group stepped down as co-manager.
Europe - 3i abandons early-stage investments
3i Group is abandoning early-stage investments in start-up companies.
UK - Sovereign acquires Lord Group
Sovereign Capital, through its portfolio company Kinetics Group, has acquired fabric maintenance provider The Lord Group Ltd.
Public markets private equity
Conditions in the public markets present an opportunity on the acquisition front, but restrict exit options
TUPE opposition discredits the industry
The Chancellor's Budget contained few surprises. There was good news for VCTs which it was announced will be exempt from VAT on management fees from 1 October 2008. It is estimated that this will free up to £10m a year to be invested in smaller companies....
UK - Quilvest acquires Yo! Sushi from Primary Capital
Quilvest Private Equity has bought sushi bar chain Yo! Sushi from Primary Capital in a reported £51m deal.
UK - ECI makes £60m offer for Premier Research Group
ECI Partners has made an offer to acquire clinical services provider Premier Research Group (PRG). The enterprise value of the deal is £100m.
UK - Creative Capital invests in mydish.co.uk
The Creative Capital Fund has invested £105,000 in social networking site mydish.co.uk.
UK - Graphite acquires more holiday parks
Graphite Capital has led a £15m funding round for Park Holiday's acquisition of the Golden Sands and Peppermint holiday parks in Devon.
UK - Endless exits Neville Johnson for £12.5m
Endless LLP has sold furniture designer and manufacturer Neville Johnson Group to Key Capital Partners for £12.5m.
UK - Fidelity acquiries minority stake in Complinet for £18.5m
Fidelity Equity Partners has invested £18.5m in Complinet Group, an online regulatory solutions provider for the financial services industry. Sebastian McKinlay and Stephen Findlay will join Complinet's board.
UK - Emap gets new chief executive
Apax and Guardian Media Group have appointed David Gilbertson as the new chief executive of recently acquired Emap.
UK - Addleshaw beefs up funds practice
Law firm Addleshaw Goddard has made two appointments to its London funds team.
UK - David Ward joins South Yorkshire Investment Fund
David Ward has been appointed as investment manager at South Yorkshire Investment Fund (SYIF).
EUROPE - Bain Capital closes EUR 3.5bn buyout fund
Bain Capital has closed its third European buyout fund with a total of EUR 3.5bn in commitments.