Sector
UK - Esprit appoints new partner
European technology venture firm Esprit Capital Partners has appointed Peter Keen as partner. A chartered accountant, Keen will assume responsibility for Esprit’s financial and fund raising activity as well as providing investment support, with a focus...
GERMANY – ubitexx GmbH receives funding
BayBG has invested EUR 400,000 in Munich-based ubitexx GmbH, a specialist company for professional PDA and Smartphone solutions. The funding will be used for software development and expansion of existing distribution channels.
ITALY - Blackstone to scoop Italian telecom firms
After Blackstone's frontman Tony James confirmed the firm's interest in bidding for Telecom Italia, it is reported that the US buyout house is eyeing other Italian companies in the communications sector.
GERMANY – vertico software raises EUR 2m
FirstVentury Equity GmbH has invested EUR 2m in Karlsruhe-based VoIP manufacturer vertico software GmbH in a first financing round. The funding was made via the venture capitalist’s aeris Technology Fund.
UK - Ingenious Music VCTs invest £2.6m
Ingenious Ventures, part of Ingenious Media, the specialist media investment and advisory group, has invested a total of £2.6m through its two Music VCTs. The money will support debut albums of up-and-coming bands Passenger and Apartment, and solo-artist...
UK – Esprit backs WAYN
Esprit Capital Partners has led a $11m series A round of funding for UK travel and lifestyle social network business Where Are You Now? (WAYN).
FRANCE - Chevrillon and IDI buy insurer from Barclays PE and AXA
Chevrillon & Associés and IDI have each acquired 40% of insurer Albingia, while management retained a 20% stake. The vendors, Baclays Private Equity (Barclays PE) and insurance group AXA, have sold their entire stake after a Rothschild-run auction which...
FRANCE - OTC AM invests in picture certification software CodaSystem
OTC Asset Management has contributed EUR 1.7m in a EUR 2m second round of funding for digital photography certification company CodaSystem. The additional EUR 300,000 was invested by Cap Décisif, which had already injected EUR 500,000 in 2005.
PORTUGAL - Portugal Telecom's saga continues
Portuguese news reports suggest that telecoms regulatory body Anacom does still not approve the revised recommendations from the antitrust authority on Soneacom's EUR 13.9bn takeover bid for Portugal Telecom.
UK - North West Equity and NWBIS invest in SnG Technologies
Cheshire-based technology company SnG Technologies has received total funding of £250,000 from North West Equity Fund and NWBIS. The deal includes a further potential investment of £750,000 in aggregate based on progress within the business. SnG Technologies...
GERMANY - HC Starck sells for EUR 1.2bn
Financial investors Advent International and Carlyle Group have acquired H C Starck from German chemicals and pharmaceuticals group Bayer for EUR 1.2bn. Swiss bank UBS ran the limited auction process, which had attracted trade as well as financial buyers....
ITALY - Blackstone eyes Italian industrial giants
Reports in the Italian press suggest that US firm Blackstone is ready to invest in Telecom Italia and its TIM mobile unit, as well as assets belonging to electricity provider Enel SpA. Rumour has it that Blackstone's president Tony James will partner...
FRANCE - EdRIP invests EUR 10m in Groupe Sibille
Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) has invested EUR 10m in industrial group Sibille, a manufacturer of electrical and automobile renovation equipment.
UK - New recruit joins MSIF’s venture fund
Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF)has appointed Jon Wormald as investment manager for its £40m venture fund. Wormald joins the fund from PricewaterhouseCoopers where he spent six years working in audit and transaction services in the entertainment,...
GERMANY – ProSiebenSat1 bidders down to three
Reports suggest that only three bidders remain in the race to acquire Germany’s largest commercial broadcaster ProSiebenSat1 after CVC is said to have dropped out. Remaining known bidders are the two consortiums comprising financial investors Permira...
FRANCE - Doughty Hanson acquires French concrete specialist
In its second deal in France, Doughty Hanson has backed the secondary buyout of KP1, an Avignon-based manufacturer of concrete products for the construction industry.
UK - Vision Capital proposes to acquire four businesses from Northern Foods
Vision Capital has exchanged contracts for the proposed acquisition of four businesses from Northern Foods plc for a total consideration of £160m. Completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of Northern Foods' shareholders.
FINLAND - CapMan appoints new advisers
CapMan has announced that Erik Prydz Mathisen, Terje Thon, Barbara Thoralfsen and Rune Thoralfsen from Norway and Jari Pasanen from Finland have been invited to join CapMan as industrial advisers as of November 2006. The new industrial advisers will complement...
FRANCE - EdRIP appoints life science partner and recruits three staff
Paris-based Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) has recruited three additional staff and secured a new venture partnership. Olivier Litzka has been appointed as co-director of the life science team, while Laurent Toutois and Sophie Nordmann...
UK - Close Growth Capital appoints Justin Slabbert as associate
Close Growth Capital (CGC) has appointed Justin Slabbert as an associate. Slabbert joins CGC from Bearing Power, a multi-national industrial distribution company where he was director for business development. He previously worked in the private equity...
UK - ISIS joins Crew Clothing Co.
ISIS Equity Partners has acquired a 25% stake in Crew Clothing Co., the English brand for customers who enjoy an active and outdoor lifestyle, in a £7.75m fundraising. Crew was founded as a single retail site in Salcombe in 1993. The brand has since...
GERMANY – nugg.ad receives growth capital
Bmp AG and IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH have invested in Berlin-based media company nugg.ad. The financial investors each take a 17.5% stake, with nugg.ad founders holding the balance.
FRANCE - Royal Dutch Shell considers French disposals
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is said to be considering selling its French refineries.
BELGIUM - GIMV appoints new Investment Directors
GIMV has announced that it has appointed Bart Diels and Alain Keppens as Investment Directors with immediate effect. Both Diels and Keppens have worked for GIMV as Investment Managers for more than 10 and 15 years within GIMV ICT and GIMV Corporate Investment...