Technology
SPAIN - TPI Yellow Pages up for grabs
Spanish telecoms giant Telefonica has announced plans to sell off its 60% stake in its TPI Yellow Pages subsidiary. BNP Paribas has been selected to manage the sale process.
GERMANY - 3i looks to IPO Magix?
According to press reports, 3i is preparing to list Magix, a German software firm in which the firm acquired a 21% stake in 2000.
UK - 3i invests in Israeli technology fund
3i has invested $20m in Giza Venture Capitalтs fourth fund. This investment extends 3iтs global venture capital activities to Israel, where it will invest primarily alongside Giza, in Israeli companies with highly disruptive technologies.
UK - BancBoston makes 15x money on Aquila exit
BancBoston Capital has notched up a 15.2x net return on the sale of its shares in the UK-based Aquila Group Holdings Ltd. This tops a stellar run of exits for the firm. Returns on BancBoston Capitalтs recent transactions include 6.5x on the sale of Pompe...
UK - Is BT a £20bn private equity target?
According to press reports, BT is being examined as a potential bid target by a number of global private equity firms in a move that could value the telecoms group at a minimum of ТЃ20bn.
FRANCE - Kayentis raises EUR 2m from XAnge
XAnge has led at EUR 2m first round of funding in the software start-up Kayentis, via its XAnge Capital and XAnge Private Equity funds. Company founder and CEO Philippe Berna, business angels Jean-Louis Moses and Pierre Casse and an industrial player...
UK - BOSIF backs secondary buyout of Mono Global
Bank of Scotland Corporate has announced that through its integrated finance team, it has backed the management of Glasgow-based Mono Global Ltd in the secondary buyout of the company. The deal sees 3i Group Plc achieve a successful exit from the company...
SWEDEN - Eqvitec invests $4m in Movimento
Eqvitec has made a $4m investment in Movimento AB, a fast growing automotive electronics and software company based in Gothenburg.
UK - 2005 sees Archangel portfolio bear fruit
Archangel Informal Investment Ltd's annual review, released over the weekend, reveals its continuing confidence in the Scottish market for young technology companies with the investment of a further ТЃ4m in 14 of its existing portfolio businesses during...
UK - Bestport Ventures invests in Mfuse Ltd
London-based Bestport Ventures has invested ТЃ650,000 in Mfuse Ltd, a leading provider of mobile gambling and gaming software platforms.
ESTONIA - MartinsonTrigon launches TVCorp for international TV projects
MartinsonTrigon, the Baltic venture capital fund, has agreed to invest EUR 1.4m into OÜ TVCorp, a holding company which will be involved in various international TV projects.
UK - LDC recruits in the Midlands
LDC has strengthened its team in the Midlands with the appointment of Tim Newman as business development director.
SWEDEN - Oracle buys VC-backed HotSip
Oracle Corporation has entered into an agreement to acquire Swedish HotSip AB, which is backed by 3i, Argnor Wireless Ventures, GO Capital and Ledstiernan.
UK - AdEPT Telecom floats on AIM
AdEPT Telecom has acheived an IPO on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. Overall a total of 5.8 m common shares at a price of 140 pence were placed to institutional and other investors in the UK and Europe. The net proceeds...
LITHUANIA - MartinsonTrigon acquires 100% of shares in MicroLink Lietuva
AS Martinson Trigon, a Tallinn-based investment fund, has acquired 100% of MicroLink Lietuva and IT training company Baltijos Kompiuteriu Akademija (BKA) from Lietuvos Telekomas.
FRANCE - Telisma receives further EUR 3m funding
Telisma has completed a EUR 3m fourth round of funding, via its existing investors. Ventech and Innovacom have each invested EUR 1m in the company, while 3i and AGF Private Equity have take equal stakes in the balance. As a result of this third round...
UK - Kennet Venture Partners hires new director
Kennet Venture Partners has announced that it has appointed Eileen Tanghal as director. She will be based in the companyтs London office.
UK - Owner Venture Managers backs IT MBI
Owner Venture Managers has originated and backed the MBI of Elcon Information Technology Ltd. The value of the deal is undisclosed.
UK - Mobile media solutions company Kodime backed by The Capital Fund
Kodime Ltd, an award-winning provider of mobile media software and services to property marketers, the music business and marketing agencies, has received an undisclosed amount of funding from The Capital Fund.
NORWAY - Ferd Venture's Mohive launches new e-learning system
Mohive, backed by Ferd Venture, has launched a new version of its e-learning publishing system, Mohive Toolbox.
UK - South West Ventures Fund invests £250,000 in Covalent Software
Taunton-based Covalent Software has secured ТЃ250,000 from the South West Ventures Fund, managed by YFM Venture Finance.
UK - NewMedia Spark invests in Skinkers
NewMedia Spark has invested ТЃ2m in Skinkers, an e-mail software developer, according to reports.
SWEDEN - Northzone's Appear Networks brings next generation wireless solutions to Dutch rail staff
Appear Networks and Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS), the National Dutch Rail Authority, announced today the roll-out of wireless context-aware services accessed via the Appear IQ platform, to the entire NS mobile workforce.
INDIA - KKR nears first Asian deal
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is nearing its first deal in Asia, according to the FT. KKR has reportedly entered exclusive talks to buy a stake of around 40% in Flextronics Sotware Systems, India's largest maker of telecommunication software.