News/Deals
PORTUGAL - Explorer makes 90% IRR on Editora Oficina do Livro
Explorer Investments has sold publishing house Editora Oficina do Livro to Grupo Leya, achieving an IRR of 90% on the 75% stake it acquired 18 months ago from Grupo JRP. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
GERMANY - ECM supports merger of IN tIME and RS Logistik
ECM Equity Capital Management has supported the acquisition by portfolio courier company IN tIME Direkt-Kuriere Transport GmbH of sector rival RS Logistik AG.
GERMANY – VC Fonds Kreativwirtschaft Berlin invests in DFW
Fonds Kreativwirtschaft Berlin GmbH, managed by IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, has invested an undisclosed amount in niche broadcaster DFW Deutsche Fernsehwerke GmbH, alongside strategic investors Madsack GmbH & Co KG and south&browse GmbH.
NORWAY - Norvestor completes recapitalisation of BecoTek
Norvestor has completed a NOK 320m refinancing of BecoTek Metal Group, a supplier of brass cages for the ball and roller bearing industry, fully returning the original investment after 18 months.
NORWAY - HiTecVision sells three portfolio companies to Cubera
HiTecVision has completed the sale of RigNet Inc, SPT Group AS, and Norse Cutting & Abandonment AS to Cubera for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Apax and Barclays generate 2x returns from Somerfield sale
The £1.6bn acquisition of supermarket chain Somerfield by the Co-operative Group has generated a 2x return for backers Apax Partners, Barclays Capital and Robert Tchenguiz.
UK - Barclays Ventures exits Insight Medical Ventures in £22m deal
Barclays Ventures has sold its stake in Insight Medical Ventures Ltd, an operator of integrated healthcare facilities, to UME Diagnostics Ltd in a £22m deal.
SWEDEN - Nordic Venture Partners et al exit Operax
NetSockets Inc has acquired Stockholm-based software company Operax for an undisclosed sum from Nordic Venture Partners, Emano, Innovacom and Nomura, and the founders.
CEE - Jordan Company-backed WCT acquires Mediquest
The Jordan Company-backed Worldwide Clinical Trials (WCT) has acquired Eastern European contract research organisation Mediquest.
RUSSIA - East Capital acquires 16.43% of Kamchatprombank for EUR 2.85m
East Capital has acquired a 16.43% stake in Russian retail and corporate bank Kamchatprombank for EUR 2.85m.
FRANCE – AXA take 57.1% of the Altares Group
AXA Private Equity has acquired a 57.1 % stake in B2B information provider Altares Group.
UK - GfK in talks with Cinven over TNS bid
German market research group GfK is reportedly in talks with Cinven in relation to a potential joint bid for UK research group TNS.
FRANCE - CDC Innovation and Innovacom invest EUR 750,000 in Maeglin
CDC Innovation and Innovacom have invested EUR 750,000 in Maeglin Software in a first round of financing.
GERMANY – PAI Partners and Goldman Sachs acquire Xella for EUR 1.9bn
PAI partners and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners have acquired building material company Xella International GmbH from Haniel Group for EUR 1.9bn.
GERMANY - T-Online Venture Fund invests EUR 2m in swoodoo
T-Online Venture Fund has invested EUR 2m in travel comparison company swoodoo GmbH.
FRANCE - Arts Alliance et al invest EUR 4.5m in Monte Cristo Games
Arts Alliance, 360° Capital Partners and Innoven Partenaires have invested EUR 4.5m in Paris-based online games company Monte Cristo Games.
ITALY - Advent sells Venere to Expedia
Advent International has has agreed to sell travel and accomodation operator venere.com to online travel company Expedia Inc for an undisclosed sum.
GERMANY - Blackstone funds offshore wind farm with more than EUR 1bn
Blackstone has confirmed its partnership with Windland Energieerzeugungs GmbH, which is developing and building "Meerwind", an offshore wind farm in the North Sea. Meerwind will be established 80 kilometres from the coast and is projected to cost more...
GERMANY - SHS and KfW invest in Biontis
Funds managed by Tübingen-based growth investor SHS Gesellschaft für Beteiligungsmanagement have invested in laboratory equipment manufacturerBiontis GmbH alongside KfW Mittelstandsbank's ERP Start-up Fund.
UK - Close Ventures leads £2.6m funding round for Dexela
Close Ventures has invested £1.4m as part of a £2.6m funding round for Dexela Ltd, a developer of 3D imaging technology, alongside London Technology Fund and existing shareholders.
UK - YFM supports holiday company
YFM Venture Finance, through its Finance South West Growth Fund, has invested an undisclosed sum into holiday company Sunisle.
CEE – Austrian firms support Herkulane’s buy-in
Erste Bank and its Romanian subsidiary Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) have provided senior debt for the buy-in of Romanian water manufacturer Herkulane by a Romanian investors group, while Mezzanine Management GmbH has provided the mezzanine debt for the...
RUSSIA - East Capital acquires 33.3% of Morgan & Stout for EUR 1.02m
East Capital Financials Fund has acquired 33.33% of Russian debt collection agency Morgan & Stout for EUR 1.02m.
DENMARK - Index Ventures invests USD 27m in Milestone
Index Ventures has invested USD 27m in Milestone, a Copenhagen-based developer of open platform IP video management software for surveillance systems.