Sector
ITALY - ICON invests in AriaDSL
A consortium led by Russian group ICON Private Equity and Goldman Sachs has acquired a majority stake in telecommunications company AriaDSL, in a deal valued at EUR 100m.
CEE - East Capital launches real estate fund
East Capital Private Equity has launched the East Capital Russian Property Fund, a EUR 200m real estate fund designed to invest in commercial and residential properties in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
UK - Balderton appoints new partner
Balderton Capital has appointed Dharmash Mistry as a new partner.
GERMANY – JC Flowers launches public tender offer for Hypo Real Estate
JC Flowers has launched a EUR 1.1bn public tender offer for German Hypo Real Estate, representing 24.9% of the company’s capital, which will remain open until 23 June.
SPAIN – Quercus to sell video communications specialist
According to sources, Quercus Equity is preparing the sale of video communications specialist Imago (formerly Odeco), a group that has been created from the merger of four companies acquired by Quercus over the last two years. The price tag could range...
UK - Sovereign portfolio company acquires Intercity Group
Sovereign Capital portfolio company LPM Group, a provider of contract cleaning, security and maintenance services, has acquired InterCity Group Ltd, a supplier of office and industrial cleaning and manned guarding services.
ITALY – Cape acquires 65% stake in ITM
Cape Natixis has acquired a 65% stake in pipe manufacturer International Trading Manufacturing (ITM) through its fund Cape Natixis Due.
TURKEY – Turkven invests in Tekin Acar
Turkven has invested in Turkish cosmetics retailer Tekin Acar.
RUSSIA – Renaissance and Da Vinci lead USD 50m round for EPAM
Renaissance Capital and Da Vinci Capital have co-led a USD 50m funding round for EPAM Systems, a provider of software development outsourcing in Eastern Europe and Russia. Euroventures Capital also participated in the financing.
ITALY – Arca Imprese acquires 70% stake in clothing retailer
Arca Imprese has acquired a 70% stake in clothing retailer Finalba Store, with the remaining stake being held by the company’s founder Giancarlo Bassi, who will remain the company’s CEO.
SWEDEN - EQT acquires Valeo Engine Cooling
EQT Opportunity has acquired the heavy duty engine cooling division of Valeo, a French automotive group, for an undisclosed value.
CEE – Private equity houses withdraw from Euromedic auction
Five of the nine private equity houses that had shown interest in Warburg Pincus-owned Hungarian healthcare group Euromedic have reportedly declined raising first round bids in the auction process, which is being led by Rothschild.
FRANCE - XAnge Capital completes first exit
XAnge Capital has exited its 28% stake in software company A2iA, which it originally backed in March 2006 alongside Développement & Partenariat.
UK - Bridgepoint buys back £10m of Fat Face debt
Bridgepoint has bought back £10m of the debt it used to leverage the buyout of clothes retailer Fat Face in 2007 from several creditors. This is the first deal of this kind known to be completed in the UK.
ITALY - Permira appoints new senior adviser
Permira has announced the appointment of Riccardo Ruggiero, former CEO of Telecom Italia, as its new senior adviser.
GERMANY – Target Partners and BayTech lead USD 4.5m ChipVision funding
Target Partners and BayTech Venture Capital have led an internal USD 4.5m Series-B funding round for ChipVision Design Systems, a provider of low-power electronic design automation solutions.
ITALY – Stirling Square and Sirius to acquire sportswear firm
Stirling Square Capital Partners and Sirius Equity have announced the acquisition of sportswear company Jeckerson from Blue Fashion Group in a management buyout valued at EUR 140m.
SPAIN – Amadeus and GIMV back USD 12m Openbravo investment
Amadeus Capital Partners and Belgian venture capital firm GIMV have invested in a USD 12m funding round for software company Openbravo, alongside Spanish firm Adara Venture Partners.
Changing times
Mid-market players have weathered the storm better than most but a post-CGT slowdown threatens to throw things into sharper relief
SWEDEN - Eqvitec acquires Mantacore
Eqvitec Technology Fund III has acquired a majority stake in Mantacore AB, a supplier of complete policy management systems for insurance companies and brokers, for an undisclosed value, with the management retaining a minority shareholding in the business.
FRANCE - Candover recapitalises Qioptiq Group
Candover has completed a recapitalisation of portfolio optical solutions company Qioptiq Group. Financial terms were not disclosed, other than that European Capital and parent company American Capital collectively invested USD 85m in a mezzanine tranche.
FRANCE – Elaia leads EUR 10m investment into Wyplay
Elaia Partners has led a EUR 10m second round investment into audiovisual equipment manufacturer Wyplay. Elaia was joined by A Plus Finance and existing investor Sofinnova Partners, which contributed EUR 4m to Wyplay's first round of financing in October...