France unquote
EDF sponsors new cleantech VC fund
French energy company EDF has partnered with private equity house Idinvest Partners to launch cleantech venture capital fund Electranova Capital.
Omnes et al. inject €12m into EXOSUN
Omnes Capital (formerly Crédit Agricole Private Equity) has taken part in a €12m funding round for French renewable energy business EXOSUN.
Omnes and Demeter exit Methaneo
Omnes Capital (formerly Crédit Agricole Private Equity) and Demeter Partners have sold their joint 60% stake in Methaneo, a French developer of bio-methanisation solutions, to trade player Séchilienne Sidec.
Emertec and CDC Climat in €3m round for HPC-SA
Emertec and CDC Climat have invested €3m in French energy measurement software developer HPC-SA.
Argos Expansion backs Vectis group MBI
Argos Expansion has taken a 33.3% stake in the buyout of French industrial equipment rental company Vectis.
EADS CEO Louis Gallois to join FSI board
Louis Gallois, the CEO of European aerospace and defense corporation EADS, is due to join the board of French sovereign wealth fund Fonds Stratégique d'Investissement (FSI), according to French daily newspaper Les Echos.
Arkeon backs NOVACYT
French investor Arkeon Gestion has participated in a €1.5m funding round for Vélizy-based cytology company NOVACYT.
123Venture launches €100m mezzanine fund
123Venture has launched a new mezzanine fund, Trocadero Capital & Transmission II, with a €100m target.
FSI Régions injects €700,000 into Bourdoncle
FSI Régions has invested €700,000 in French diversified industrials group Bourdoncle.
Sagard buys Stokomani from Advent
Sagard Private Equity has acquired French discount wholesaler Stokomani from Advent International, a transaction valued at €200-210m.
Serena and Partech back Lafourchette
Serena Capital and Partech International have contributed to an €8m funding round for French online restaurant reservation service Lafourchette.
Montefiore targets €180m for third fund
French mid-cap player Montefiore Investment has launched its third fund, Montefiore Investment III, and is looking to raise €180m.
Milestone reaps 6x money on Cadum trade sale
Milestone Capital has reaped around 6x its money on the sale of French soap and baby products company Cadum to L’Oreal.
Lion Capital buys Alain Afflelou
Lion Capital has entered exclusive talks to acquire French eyewear retailer Alain Afflelou from Bridgepoint, Apax France and Altamir Amboise in a deal believed to be valued at nearly €800m.
French turnarounds suffer from narrow GP base
As in most European countries, one could have thought that the morose economic environment would be a boon for French turnaround specialists.
Idinvest launches mezzanine fund
Mid-market European private equity firm Idinvest Partners has launched the Idinvest Private Value Europe fund.
Idinvest-backed Altema acquires Bagnères Industries
Aeronautical systems producer Altema France SAS, an Idinvest Partners portfolio company, has wholly acquired Bagnères Industries, an assembly company for the aerospace industry.
FSI backs Forsitec
FSI Régions (formerly Avenir Entreprises) has invested €300,000 in French IT services provider Forsitec.
TA takes minority stake in Zadig & Voltaire
TA Associates has taken a 30% stake in French clothing and accessories retailer Zadig & Voltaire.
Alven leads SoCloz funding round
Alven Capital, Fa Dièse and a consortium of business angels have provided French pre-shopping platform SoCloz with a first round of financing.
Consortium acquires Delta Recyclage
A consortium of investors has acquired French industrial and domestic recycling company Delta Recyclage.
CM-CIC LBO Partners backs Nerim MBO
CM-CIC LBO Partners has backed the MBO of French telecoms operator Nerim.
Innovacom seed fund Technocom 2 closes on €30m
Seed fund Technocom 2 has held a final close on €30m, after receiving a €18.7m commitment from Fonds National d'Amorçage (FNA).
Auriga and Omnes inject €7m into Eptica
Auriga Partners has joined existing investor Omnes Capital (formerly Crédit Agricole Private Equity) in a €7m round for French CRM software editor Eptica.