UK / Ireland
UK - Terra Firma eyes Novera Energy
Terra Firma backed landfill-gas company Infinis has made an offer for Novera Energy. 3i infrastructure made an approach for the company last month.
UK - Bestport makes futher investment in Mfuse
Bestport Ventures has invested a further £850.000 in mobile-enabling provider Mfuse as part of a £2.55 funding round. New investors include Mark Blandford, founder of Sportingbet, who will be joining Mfuse's board.
UK - SPARK and Beringea invest $8m in insango!
SPARK Ventures and Beringea have invested $4m and $2.5m respectively in internet travel provider insango! alongside $1.5m from existing shareholders.
UK - SEB Venture invests $12m in ShoZu
SEB Venture Capital has led a $12m series C round of financing in mobile social media services provider ShoZu Inc. Previous investors Atlas Venture, Crescendo Ventures and TTP Ventures also participated.
UK - SEB Venture leads $10 B-round of Zinwave
SEB Venture Capital has led a $10 second round of funding for wireless technology development company Zinwave. Existing investors Atlas Venture and Scottish Equity partners also provided further funding.
UK - Sunstone invests EUR 2.4m in CloudeMade
Sunstone Capital has invested EUR 2.4m in a series A round of funding for CloudMade. Sunstone joins the founders as well as existing private shareholders and serial entrepreneurs.
UK - Sovereign wins auction for WCLS
Sovereign Capital has won the auction to buy educational firm World Class Learning Schools (WCLS) for approximately $75m, according to press reports.
UK - Inflexion backs buyout of Pims
Inflexion Private Equity has led the management buyout of waste water support services company Pims Group. It acquired the company from Gresham Private Equity who made a 3.4x return from the exit.
UK - Langholm sells Dorset Cereals
Langholm Capital has sold musli brand Dorset Cereals to Wellness Foods for £50m, generating a reported 4-fold return.
UK - NBGI buys T Jolly
NBGI Private Equiy has backed the management buyout of mechanical and electrical engineering services provider T Jolly Ltd. The value of deal has not been disclosed. Debt has been provided by Svenska Handelsbanken AB.
EUROPE - EVCA data shows increased returns in 07
Private equity delivered increased returns for investors in 2007, with buyout funds the best performers, according to data from the European Venture Capital Association.
UK - Patron invests £23m in Powerleague
Patron Capital Partners has acquired a minority stake in Powerleague, a commercial operator of 5-a-side football centres.
UK - Glover to chair SME advisory committee
The UK government has established a committee, chaired by Anne Glover, chief executive of Amadeus Capital Partners, to advise policy makers on how to reduce the barriers for SMEs competing for public sector contracts. A tentative target has been set which...
UK - Partnership Investment and YFM invest £1m in REM Probe
Partnership Investment Finance and YFM Venture Finance have invested £1m in software company REM Probe. YFM invested through its Yorkshire and Humber Equity Fund.
Ireland - Delta Partners and Enterprise Ireland exit Xiam
Delta Partners and Enterprise Ireland have sold their stakes in software company Xiam to Nasdaq listed Qualcomm. Qualcomm has acquired Xiam for $32m.
UK - Bestport aquires Healthcall for £2m
Bestport Ventures portfolio company Rose Optical Services Group has acquired optical services provider Healthcall Optical.
UK - Barclays Ventures acquires building contractor
Barclays Ventures has acquired Strategic Team Group, a building contractor to the public and private sector, in a deal valued at approximately £11m. Barclays Ventures has invested for a minority stake.
UK - New Enterprise Associates leads £2m round in advertising company
New Enterprise Associates has led a £2m funding round in mobile advertising company Rapid Mobile Media. Edinburgh-based Rapid Mobile Media was founded in February 2004 and has launched a white-label platform for mobile advertising.
UK - Balderton invests in online reservations system
London-based online restaurant reservation systems Livebookings has raised £6.5 million in a funding round led by Balderton Capital.
UK - NVM invests £1.5m in Paladin
NVM private equity has provided a further £1.5m to fund Paladin Group's acquisition of Phoenix Precision Electric.
UK - Cognetas and Englefield acquire Morrison Utility Services
Cognetas and Englefield Capital have jointly acquired Morrison Utility Sevices, part of Anglican Water Group, for £135m in a management buyout.
UK - Third Financial changes name
Third Financial, launched last year by Stewart Foster and Roger Foster to take controlling stakes in companies operating in the financial software and services sector, has changed its name to Third Financial Ventures.
UK - Bridges invests in vocational training business
Bridges Ventures has invested in New Career Skills, the firm's first dedicated educational investment.
UK - Zeus appoints new investment director
Zeus Private Equity has appointed Jonny Allatt as investment director in its southern team.