Media
CIS - EBRD may back Dragon’s Virgin Fund
The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD), the largest investor in Central & Eastern Europe, may invest up to $30m in the Europe Virgin Fund, a vehicle sponsored by Dragon Capital to invest in FMCG, retail, industrials, telecom, media,...
NETHERLANDS - Cyrte acquires Bol.com
According to reports, pan-European investment firm Cyrte, has acquired online book retailer Bol.com from German media group Holtzbrinck Networks Verlag Welt and Bild in an auction organised by Goetz.
DACH – Target Partners II holds final close on EUR 113m
Venture firm Target Partners has conducted the final close of Target Partners Fund II on EUR 113m.
GLOBAL - KKR delays merger with European fund, again
Reports suggest that KKR has again delayed plans to merge with its Amsterdam-listed fund KKR Private Equity Investors (KPE).
GERMANY - Buyout groups circle Candover and Cinven's Springer
According to press reports, Candover and Cinven, the owners of Springer Science and Business Media, are making progress on divesting a minority stake in the business for about EUR 400m, with several major buyout houses said to be interested in a possible...
Night of the living debt
How the recession caught the private equity industry by surprise. Rikke Lilla Eckhoff speaks to professor Tim Jenkinson, contributing author to the European Economic Advisory Group report of the European Economy 2009
BELGIUM - Gimv leads EUR 3m Eclipse investment
Gimv has invested EUR 2m as part of a EUR 3m series-A funding round for software business Eclipse International NV, alongside the Vlaamse Innovatiefonds Vinnof (Flemish Innovation Fund) and management.
UK - NSEI invests further in Quick.tv
NorthStar Equity Investors (NSEI), alongside new and existing investors, has led a £335,000 funding round for online video company Quick.tv.
FRANCE - Clipperton Finance hires new partner
Corporate financier Clipperton Finance has hired Thibaut Revel as a new partner.
FRANCE/US - Elaia et al. invest EUR 11m into GOOM Radio
Elaia Partners, Partech International, Wellington Partners and 123 Venture have invested EUR 11m into Go On Media, the owner of digital radio station GOOM Radio.
FINLAND - Nexit-backed Limbo to merge with Brightkite
Nexit Venture-backed mobile social networking site Limbo has merged with fellow social networking platform Brightkite. The two communities will operate under the brand name Brightkite.
The Dutch downturn in numbers
Francinia Protti-Alvarez explores the decline of the Dutch private equity market in search of some glimmers of optimism
CEE - CapMan Russia fund closes at EUR 118m
Capman has closed its latest fund, the Capman Russia fund, at EUR 118m, missing its EUR 150m target.
GLOBAL - Kamil Salame joins CVC Capital
International private equity firm CVC Capital Partners has appointed Kamil Salame as partner and US head of its financial institutions group.
SPAIN - Kennet leads EUR 14.9m BuyVIP funding
Kennet Partners has led a EUR 14.9m financing round for online retailer BuyVIP, alongside existing investors Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), 3i Group and Active Capital Partners.
GERMANY - Lemper leaves Aurelia Private Equity
Stefan Lemper, a partner at venture firm Aurelia Private Equity, has left the firm to join 3D chat world messengers club cooee GmbH as CEO.
UK - BPE to buy Kaboose's UK operations in £54m deal
Barclays Private Equity has agreed to acquire Canadian family-focused online media company Kaboose's UK business, Bounty Group Ltd, in a deal valued at £54m.
UK/US - GTCR- backed Boomerang buys Entertainment Rights
Boomerang Media, a media solutions company backed by chicago-based private equity firm GTCR, has acquired the US and UK operations of Entertainment Rights, the company that owns the licensing rights to children characters such as Postman Pat and George...
GERMANY - bmp backs second mando funding round
A consortium of investors led by incumbent backer bmp and including existing investor VC Fonds Technologie and new investor ERP-Startfonds has supported Mando, a mobile television service provider, with an undisclosed a second round of funding.
UK - Foursome becomes Frog; increases funds under management
UK-based early-stage and growth investor Foursome Investments has re-branded as Frog Capital and increased the size of its fund from EUR 60m to EUR 100m - a move almost unheard of in this economic climate.
GERMANY - Candover and Cinven to divest Springer
According to reports, Candover and Cinven have appointed UBS and Goldman Sachs to approach potential buyers for publisher Springer Science and Business Media, in a deal that could fetch up to £2bn.