UK / Ireland
UK - Aberdeen backs the £6m BIMBO of MSIS
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has backed the BIMBO of industrial cleaning company MS Industrial Services Ltd. Aberdeen has invested £2.5m as part of the £6m deal. Aberdeen intends to grow the company from an industrial cleaning and waste disposal...
UK - Matrix sells Maven to Munro Global
Matrix has realised its investment in market research agency Maven through a sale of the business to Munro Global. The value of the deal was not disclosed, although Matrix reported that it was "a very satisfactory and profitable exit".
UK - 3i sees 3x return from Smart & Cook exit
3i has sold its stake in commercial brokers Smart & Cook via a sale of the company to AXA UK Plc. The deal has generated 3x returns for the investor which backed the company in a £57m buyout in 2004.
UK - Risk Capital Partners makes invesment in listed Public Recruitment Group
Risk Capital Partners has invested £5m for a 28% stake in AIM-listed Public Recruitment Group Plc (PRG). PRG is a leading public sector staffing and services provider, with a special focus on the Education and Social Work sectors.
UK - Bryan Garnier strengthens corporate finance division in London
Bryan, Garnier & Co has strengthened its corporate finance operation in the UK with the move of Bruno Tourne, head of the firm's technology group, to London. Tourne is planning several new hires to bring even more local market knowledge to the firm.
UK - Dundas & Wilson promotes Nadim Meer to partner
Dundas & Wilson has announced the promotion of private equity specialist Nadim Meer to partner. Meer is a corporate lawyer who also advises on M&A deals. Meer, who recently advised on the secondary buyout of ADP Dental Company will focus on developing...
UK - 3i and Doughty Hanson provide Garlik with £6m series-B funding
Online identity experts Garlik have secured £6m in series-B funding from 3i and Doughty Hanson. This equity injection builds on an initial £3m investment from the two firms in January 2006, bringing the total raised to date to just over £9m. It follows...
UK - Exponent reaches second round of bidding for Trinity Mirror's Midlands titles
Exponent Private Equity is one of three private equity bidders known to have reached the second round of an auction for Trinity Mirror's newspaper titles in the Midlands. The Birmingham Post and Coventry Evening Telegraph are amongst those being sold...
UK - MSIF provides blood testing technology company with £100,000 investment
Merseyside Special Investment Fund has backed PalindromX, a blood testing technology company, with £100,000 of seed funding through its Liverpool Seed Fund. PalindromX is a spinout from the University of Liverpool. It has developed a patented technology...
UK - KKR secures Boots in Europe's largest ever buyout worth £12.2bn
KKR has won the takeover battle for Alliance Boots. The £11.39 per share offer gives Boots an enterprise value of £12.2bn and was enough to see off a rival bid by a consortium led by Terra Firma.
US/UK - SEP leads $17m investment in Heartscape Technologies
Scottish Equity Partners has led a $17m investment in healthcare pioneer Heartscape Technologies, which has launched an innovative device for the early and accurate diagnosis of heart attacks in patients in casualty. SEP led second round funding as part...
UK - Mezzanine Management acquires minority stake in Regard from Bowmark
Bowmark Capital has sold Regard, a UK residential care provider for people with learning difficulties. The exit yielded returns of 3.4x and an IRR of 77%. Mezzanine Management has invested £18m in the newco to take a minority stake in a deal which is...
UK - Aberdeen exits ABZ Group returning 3x money
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has sold its interest in air conditioning company ABZ Group to Sovereign Oilfield Group Plc for £6m. The deal has generated returns of 3x its money for Aberdeen and an IRR of over 80%. Aberdeen invested £550,000...
UK - NorthStar Equity leads £2m investment in Femeda
NorthStar Equity Investors with Stargate Capital Management and Acceleris Corporate Ventures have led a £2m investment to Femeda, a female health product company. Existing investor Enterprise Ventures is also taking part in the round, via the RisingStars...
UK - Advent to acquire Lloyds TSB Registrars
It is understood that Advent International is to acquire share registration company Lloyds TSB Registrars in a £550m deal. Advent is thought to have beaten competition from Australian company Link Market Services, backed by Bain Capital, and Doughty...
UK - Accel leads $12m investment in VoIP company
Accel Partners and Venrock Associates have led a $12m series-A investment in VoIP company XConnect Global Networks Ltd. Grazia Equity of Germany and Bridge Capital Fund of Japan (an affiliate of Nikko Antfactory) also participated in the funding round....
UK - Blackstone to float Cineworld
Blackstone is to float Cineworld. The investor had originally planned an IPO of the 72-strong cinema chain eleven months ago but shelved plans due to stock market volatility. The indicative price range has been set at 155-185p which will value the company...
UK - KKR consortium controls quarter of Boots shares
KKR looks to be a step closer to securing the Boots deal today. After recent share purchases the KKR consortium now controls around a quarter of the share capital of Alliance Boots, the FTSE 100 chemist and retailer. Previously KKR's bid was supported...
UK - Barclays Ventures reaps 8x returns from Bifold Fluid exit
Barclays Ventures has reaped returns of 8x and an IRR in excess of 60% on its investment in Bifold Fluid Power. The hydraulic pump valve manufacturer has been sold to Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance in a £35m secondary buyout.
UK - Femeda completes £2m funding round led by NorthStar
NorthStar Equity Investors has led a £2m funding round for Femeda, a female health products developer. Stargate Capital Management, Acceleris Corporate Ventures and existing investor Enterprise Ventures also took part. The funding will assist the development...
UK - Further backing for e-Therapeutics led by Katalyst Ventures
Biology drug discovery company e-Therapeutics has announced a seven-figure investment from a consortium of investors comprising Katalyst Ventures, Novotech Investment and NorthStar Equity Investors. The new investors join RAB Capital in backing the company.
UK- ECI sells Anix IT
ECI Partners has sold Anix IT, a reseller of storage hardware and software solutions to Xploite plc for £10.45m.
UK- NVM grows Reading office
Richard Gibson has moved from the Edinburgh office of NVM Private Equity to its Reading office.
IRELAND - Edgestone Capital Partners leads extra $5m funding round for RedMere
Edgestone Capital Partners has led a $5m top-up funding round for fabless semiconductor company RedMere Technology. Existing investor Celtic House Venture also participated in the round which brings the amount invested in under six months to $13.5m.