Sector
Some old, some new
Italy and Spain both reported record-breaking figures for private equity transactions during 2007. News might not be so rosy this time next year however; across Europe, sector reports underline the considerable slowdown following the credit crisis. Yet...
The end of the golden age?
People in the industry talk about 2005, 2006 and 2007 as years of splendorous wonders that brought fantastic investment opportunities with amazing returns, essentially due to easy access to debt. The credit crunch last summer has seriously cooled down...
FRANCE – Avenir Finance leads EUR 700,000 investment into Pole Star
Avenir Finance Gestion has led a EUR 700,000 early-stage investment into software company Pole Star. Avenir provided EUR 500,000, with the balance being contributed by a number of business angels.
DENMARK – OpenView injects $4.2m into Zmags
Zmags, a Danish online publications specialist, has closed a series-B funding round of $4.2m with commitments from OpenView Venture Partners, bringing total investments in the company to $7m.
FINLAND – Creandum leads EUR 3.5m funding for Xtract
Creandum has led a EUR 3.5m investment, alongside existing investor Eqvitec, into Xtract, a social advertising intelligence company.
FRANCE - 2 Minutes raises EUR 1m funding
Alliance Entreprendre and Galia Gestion have invested EUR 1.05m in a first round of financing for animation studio 2 Minutes.
FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners divests Averys
21 Centrale Partners has sold storage systems company Averys to LBO France in a secondary buyout transaction for an undisclosed sum.
ITALY – Apax and TA Associates to acquire minority stake in Weather Holding
Market rumour suggests that Apax and TA Associates could be ready to pay EUR 900m for a 10%-15% stake in Egyptian magnate Naguib Sawiris' Weather Investments Holding.
CEE - Innova Capital promotes partner
Innova Capital has promoted Arkadiusz Podziewski to partner.
UK - IMAC invets £2.3m in QobliQ
Inegnious Media Active Capital Ltd (IMAC) has invested £2.3m in QobliQ Ltd, an international marketing services group.
DENMARK - Enex Group injects EUR 4.2m into Vopium
Enex Group has invested EUR 4.2m into Vopium, a Copenhagen-based developer of software for mobile telephones that is designed to make international calls less expensive.