Southern Europe unquote
Invercaria and la Caixa back nLife
Invercaria and la Caixa have invested €5m in Granada-based nanomedicine company nLife Therapeutics in exchange for a minority stake.
Alto Partners acquires Trevisanalat
Alto Partners has acquired Italian mozzarella producer Trevisanalat. The acquisition was completed through the formation of a newco, in which Alto holds a 77.2% stake.
Montezemolo acquires Bellco
Montezemolo & Partners SGR has acquired biomedical company Bellco from Argos Soditic and MPVenture.
Venture-backed Groupalia sells Latin American subsidiaries
Daily deals company Groupalia, owned by Nauta Capital, Caixa Capital Risc, General Atlantic, Index Ventures and Insight Venture Partners has sold its Latin American subsidiaries to local Brazilian daily deals site Pez Urbano.
Denham Capital leads $190m FRV deal
Energy-focused private equity firm Denham Capital has led a funding round of more than $190m for Madrid-based solar company Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV).
Private equity set to take centre stage in Italy
The current lack of bank lending for family-run SMEs spells good news for Italian private equity. But a growing focus on innovation might also give venture a much-needed boost. Amy King reports
Arcano closes secondaries fund on $700m
Madrid-based Arcano Capital has closed its third fund on $700m.
Equinox to acquire stake in Italy’s third largest bank
Equinox Investment is looking to buy a significant part of the 15% stake in Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena being sold by its core shareholder, according to reports.
Arle Capital's Parques Reunidos buys Noah's Ark
Arle Capital portfolio company Parques Reunidos has acquired Noah's Ark, the US's largest water park.
Gamesa backs N2S
Gamesa Venture Capital has acquired a 20% stake in Spanish energy services management firm N2S.
HgCapital backs Hidrodata
HgCapital has acquired a 29.25% stake in Catalan renewable energy firm Hidrodata for €14m from Invercartera Capital SCR.
Premafin offer stalls for Sator and Palladio
The offer made by private equity funds Palladio Finanziaria and Sator to invest up to €450m in Premafin, parent company of troubled Italian insurer Fondiaria-SAI, has run aground due to penalty clauses in an earlier bid from insurance company Unipol...
Mercapital, Nmás1 and Explorer to exit Holmes Place
Mercapital, Nmás1 Private Equity and Explorer Investments are to exit troubled European gym chain Holmes Place at a loss of €40m, according to reports in the Spanish press.
Sator and Palladio launch Premafin offer to challenge Unipol
Private equity funds Palladio Finanziaria and Sator have made a binding offer to invest up to €450m in Premafin, parent company of troubled Italian insurer Fondiaria-SAI.
Could venture capital cure youth unemployment crisis?
Unemployment is rife in Southern Europe. Particularly afflicted are the younger members of society, unable to enter the impenetrable job market. But could venture capital play a part in lightening the heavy burden of youth unemployment in the Mediterranean?...
CCMP, Axis and Corpfin back Volotea
CCMP Capital, Axis Participaciones Empresariales and Corpfin Capital have contributed to a €50m funding round to support the launch of Barcelona-based low-cost airline Volotea.
Ambienta acquires Tower Light
Italian private equity house Ambienta SGR has invested €13.5m in Italian lighting tower producer Tower Light, in exchange for an 82% stake, as part of a leveraged buyout.
Investindustrial to sell Ducati
Italian private equity firm Investindustrial is to sell producer of top-end motorcycles Ducati in the coming months in a deal that could be worth up to €1bn, according to reports.
Gala Capital cornerstone investors pull out
Cornerstone investors in Spanish private equity firm Gala Capital have pulled out of further commitments, according to reports in the Spanish press.
Doughty Hanson acquires USP Hospitales for €355m
Doughty Hanson has acquired Spanish hospitals operator USP Hospitales from Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland for €355m, 9x the firm's forecast EBITDA for 2012.
Southern Europe unquote" February 2012
Spain calls them mileuristas, temporary workers earning at most €1,000 per month. In Italy they are the precari, so-called due to the precarious nature of their temporary work contracts, and in Portugal they are the geração nem-nem, the “neither...
H.I.G. Capital opens Madrid Office
H.I.G. Capital has opened a Madrid office and appointed Jaime Bergel as managing director to lead its operations in Spain.
Private equity firms prepare to take over USP Hospitales
Spanish hospital chain USP Hospitales has received bids from a number of private equity funds.
Trident Capital leads $8m investment round for AlienVault
Trident Capital has led an $8m series-B investment round for Spanish security information and event management service provider AlienVault. Coinvestment was provided by previous investors in the company Adara Venture Partners and Neotec Capital Riesgo.