Benelux Unquote
Benelux unquote" April 2010
If there is one rule that prevails over private equity commentary nowadays, it is that determining any long term trend remains extremely difficult; such is the volatility in the market. The effect on the retail sector is particularly evident. KKR-backed...
The beauty of small things
If there is one rule that prevails over private equity commentary nowadays, it is that determining any long term trend remains extremely difficult, such is the volatility in the market.
Ziggo issues bonds to repay debts
Ziggo, the Dutch cable television operator owned by private equity investors Warburg Pincus and Cinven, plans to sell €1.2bn of high-yield bonds to finance the repayment of existing debts.
HenQ Invest leads round for Libersy
Dutch VC, HenQ Invest has led a round of financing for software company Libersy, alongside a group of existing shareholders.
Deutsche Bank loses spot in NXP IPO
According to reports, KKR is said to have taken Deutsche Bank off the list of underwriters for its impending IPO of Dutch semiconductor business NPX .
Amadeus et al. in €7m D-round for Liquiavista
Returning investors Amadeus Capital Partners, GIMV, Prime Technology Ventures and Applied Ventures have participated in a €7m series-D round for Dutch display manufacturing company Liquiavista BV.
AXA PE to bid for KBC's private equity division
According to reports, AXA Private Equity, alongside Belgian investment group Sofina, is in the bidding process for the acquisition of KBC Private Equity.
Gimv and Capricorn invest €24m in Punch Powertrain
Gimv and Capricorn have jointly invested €24m in automotive component manufacturer Punch Powertrain.
3i takes minority stake in Refresco in €84m deal
3i has taken a 20% stake in Dutch beverage manufacturer Refresco in an expansion deal valued at €84m.
GEM Benelux holds first and final €200m close of second fund
Gilde Equity Management (GEM) Benelux has reached the first and final close of its new fund, GEM Benelux II, at its hard cap of €200m.
Gimv-XL closes on €609m
European investment company Gimv has announced the final closing of its latest vehicle Gimv-XL fund at €609m.
Venture away
Let’s face it, European venture has not got the best standing with global LPs – a result of the tech bubble bursting a decade ago. Although the market should be defined as maturing by now, such generalisations are not easily applicable to a continent...
Fundraising set for 2010 uptick after defiant year
According to figures to be published in the upcoming European Fundraising Review 2010, fundraising in the Benelux region has remained resilient in 2009 in spite of the downturn.
Alvarez & Marsal expand services across Benelux
International bankruptcy advisory firm Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), appoints two to its Benelux practice as it broadens its service offering across the region.
Gimv divests L&C to Nasdaq-listed Nuance
Gimv has sold its stake in technology business Language & Computing (L&C) to Nasdaq-listed Nuance Communications, a provider of speech and imaging solutions for businesses and consumers around the world.
Rabo Capital sells stake in Itho Group BV
Rabo Capital, part of Rabo Private Equity (the captive private equity division of Rabobank Group), has sold its majority stake in Itho Group BV to Bencis Capital Partners.
Q&A: Fundraising in 2010 and beyond
Charlie Jolly principal at Matrix talks to Francinia Protti-Alvarez about recent fundraising trends and implications for the future.
Q&A: Early-stage evolution
Bart Diels, partner at Belgian investor Gimv, speaks to Francinia Protti-Alvarez about how the venture market in the Benelux region has adapted to the changing economic climate.
Salans opens office in Brussels
International law firm Salans has opened an office in Brussels which will commence operating as of 1 March.
KBC and ARKimedes invest in Concrete Systems
KBC Private Equity and ARKimedes through their joint subsidiary KBC Arkiv, have invested an undisclosed sum in shuttering solutions manufacturer Concrete System.
PTV and Sunstone invest €2.5m in Layar
Prime Technology Ventures (PTV) has together with Sunstone Capital, led a €2.5m series A round for Dutch augmented reality (AR) platform provider Layar.
KBC to sell private equity wing
As previously reported in unquote, KBC Groupe NV, a Belgian bank, is set to sell its private equity arm by the end of 2010 having received a number of offers for the division.
Aescap-backed Biocartis acquires Philips Technology Platform
Aescap-backed molecular diagnostics company Biocartis has acquired Philips’ technology platform for rapid fully-automated DNA/RNA molecular diagnostic testing.