Sector
UK - Close Ventures invests £1.4m in healthcare business
Close Ventures has backed Prime Care Holdings Limited, a domiciliary care agency, with funding of ТЃ1.4m.
Greasing the wheels
Fund administration providers offer a compelling service but their low penetration of the market suggests they still have much work to do to convince private equity firms of their benefits. By Nathan Williams
SWITZERLAND - Capvis and HgCapital join forces on KVT
Capvis and HgCapital have agreed a co-investment in industrial parts company Koenig Verbindungstechnik AG (KVT).
GERMANY – Munich Venture Partners leads Communology investment
Munich Venture Partners has led a second round of funding for software company Communology, alongside existing investors S-VC and Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau and the company's founders.
SPAIN - Scope invests EUR 6.5m in Artificial Solutions
According to reports, Swedish fund Scope has invested EUR 6.5m in a series A financing round for software developer Artificial Solutions, taking a 24% stake in the business.
DENMARK - Vækstfonden injects DKK 10m into SHARK
Government-backed Vækstfonden has invested DKK 10m into SHARK Solutions A/S, a windshield cleansing business.
GERMANY - TVM Capital sells DIREVO Biotech
TVM Capital has sold portfolio company DIREVO Biotech AG to Bayer HealthCare in an all cash deal valued at EUR 210m. DIREVO Industrial Biotechnology GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of DIREVO Biotech AG, is not subject to this transaction and has been...
GERMANY - HgCapital generates 3.7x return from Addison sale
HgCapital has sold Addison Software, a provider of solutions to accountancy practices and SMEs, to international multimedia company Wolters Kluwer, reaping a 3.7x return on the capital invested and a 55% IRR.
SPAIN - Close Brothers acquires Atlas Capital
Corporate finance firm Close Brothers has acquired the remaining 55% stake in Atlas Capital Investment Bankers from the management for an undisclosed sum. The business will be re-branded Atlas Capital Close Brothers.
UK - Enterprise Equity invests EUR 1.7m into Kelsius
Enterprise Equity has completed a EUR 1.7m investment into Kelsius, a provider of remote temperature monitoring solutions.
UK - RJD-backed Comtec makes third acquisition
RJD Partners-backed Comtec Group Ltd has acquired Pro EQ Ltd, a developer of iSys CRM software.
UK - Lyceum buys Carewatch for £37m
Lyceum Capital has agreed to acquire social health care provider Carewatch Care Services from its current owner Nestor Healthcare Group Plc in a ТЃ37m deal.
ITALY - Cape and Helio launch EUR 70m renewables fund
Cape Natixis and Helio Partners have launched Cape Helio, a EUR 70m vehicle designed to invest in solar energy plants in Italy.
FRANCE - Seventure leads EUR 3m investment into CodaSystem
Seventure Partners has led a EUR 3m third financing round for software company CodaSystem, alongside existing investors OTC Asset Management and CapDécisif Management.
GERMANY – GCI portfolio company files for insolvency
GCI Management portfolio industrial machinery company PFAFF Industrie Maschinen AG has officially filed for insolvency.
FRANCE – AtriA invests in Groupe Phythéa
AtriA Capital Partenaires, through AtriA Private Equity Fund III, have taken a significant minority stake in food supplements company Phythéa. AtriA invested via their fund.
UK/GERMANY – Wellington Partners hires Daniel Waterhouse
Wellington Partners has strengthened its presence in London with the appointment of the former Yahoo! manager and 3i sector partner Daniel Waterhouse.
FRANCE – Advent International in talks regarding Experian division
Advent International is in exclusive negotiations to acquire Experian’s electronic payments activities.
UK - Pentech closes second fund on £45m
Scottish venture capital firm Pentech has reached the final closing of its second fund, Pentech Fund II, on ТЃ45m, subtantially exceding the ТЃ25m target.
Trouble brewing
Although there are signs that France is navigating the credit crunch, with the major French lenders still active, there is pain to come as portfolio companies struggle to avoid defaults, writes Nathan Williams
UK - Spark leads investment in Gemini
Spark Ventures has led a ТЃ1.4m series-B round of funding for Gemini Biomedical Ltd, a specialist healthcare company, alongside Alliance Fund Managers (AFM).
UK - Sovereign promotes partners
Sovereign Capital has promoted Dominic Dalli, David Myers and Kevin Whittle to partner.
SPAIN - MCH sells Qualytel to Bertelsmann
According to reports, MCH Private Equity has sold call centre business Qualytel Teleservices to German media group Bertelsmann's Arvato unit for an undisclosed sum.
SPAIN - Hudson acquires Helium Energy
According to reports, US fund Hudson Clean Energy is on the verge of closing the acquisition of Helium Energy, the renewable energy division of industrial and services group Hemeretik.