Sector
UK - August Equity supports £40.9m take-private of Planit
August Equity has invested ТЃ14.2m in Planit Holdings Plc, to support the ТЃ40.9m management buyout of the AIM-listed company which will herald the first public-to-private deal in August Equityтs portfolio. The public-to-private scheme is expected to...
UK - The Carlyle Group to acquire Bigmouthmedia to merge with Global Media
The Carlyle Group has acquired Bigmouthmedia, the digital marketing agency headquartered in Edinburgh and will merge the company with its existing portfolio company, Global Media GmbH, the web marketing company headquartered in Munich. As a result, Carlyle...
UK - Gresham generates 2.6x return on exit from Blue Group
Gresham Private Equity has exited Blue Group International through the sale of the business to HCL Plc (formerly Healthcare Locums Plc) in a deal worth ТЃ12m. Gresham made a return of 2.6x its investment.
UK - London Technology Fund invests in interactive 3G video platform company
Intellistream, the developer of a new turnkey solution for 3G video content delivery, has attracted funding of ТЃ355,000 from London Technology Fund and several business angels. Following the investment an experienced software executive will join the...
UK - 3i announces team to address quoted market opportunity
3i Group Plc has created a new team to address opportunities for creating value in the European quoted markets, which may not be suited to an all cash take private transaction. This dedicated team will draw on 3iтs experience of both private equity and...
UK - Core Capital invests £5m replacement capital in Kelway
Core Capital has completed a ТЃ5m replacement capital investment in Kelway, a fast growing IT hardware and software reseller based in the UK, which focuses on supplying to companies in the SME market. Kelway is one of the UKтs leading resellers of computing...
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 Espritтs 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 ТЃ2.6m 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 ТЃ250,000 from North West Equity Fund and NWBIS. The deal includes a further potential investment of ТЃ750,000 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 ТЃ40m 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 ТЃ160m. 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...