News/Deals
UK - HgCapital acquires stake in RidgeWind
HgCapital has acquired a substantial equity stake in Oxfordshire-based wind developer, RidgeWind Ltd. HgCapital’s investment includes the acquisition of a majority stake in the company, expansion capital and long-term equity for RidgeWind’s wind development...
UK - ABN AMRO portfolio company Volution acquires Manrose
ABN AMRO Capital portfolio company Volution has acquired Manrose Holdings Ltd from its private owner. This represents the first step of a buy-and-build strategy for Volution, the ventilation and heating company ABN AMRO acquired in a secondary management...
UK - Enterprise Ventures completes further investment in H20 Networks
Enterprise Ventures has completed a further investment in H2O Networks Ltd through its Coalfields Enterprise Fund. Enterprise Ventures first invested in the company during late 2006 to finance the company’s growth plans and this follow-on round of funding...
NORWAY - Ferd Ventures invest EUR 2m in Kvaleberg
Ferd Ventures has invested EUR 2m in Kvaleberg, a mobile software company located in Oslo. The investment will be used to accelerate international growth.
FRANCE - AXA Private Equity backs buyout of payment software business
In a management buyout, AXA Private Equity has acquired the majority of the shares of Welcome Real-time, a provider of payment software for financial institutions and payment networks.
NL - Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics launches IPO
VC-backed human gene therapy specialist Amsterdam Molecular Therapeutics (AMT) has launched an offering of up to 5 million new shares, for a price range of EUR 8-10.
UK - Close Ventures backs Point 35 Microstructures with £1.95m investment
Close Ventures has invested £1.95m in Point 35 Microstructures, a supplier of refurbished semiconductor wafer processing equipment. The funding round totalled £2.1m.
UK - YFM provides sign manufacturer with £250,000
YFM Group has invested £250,000 in sign manufacturer D&H Sign Manufacturing Ltd through its Yorkshire and Humber Equity Fund.
UK - Enterprise Ventures invests in Chromatide Ltd
Enterprise Ventures has invested in chemical services company Chromatide Ltd through its RisingStars Growth Fund II.
FRANCE - European Capital invests EUR 55m in Go Voyages
European Capital has invested EUR 55m in senior and junior mezzanine bonds and preferred and common equity in travel agent Go Voyages. The company was the subject of a buyout supported by Financière Agache Private Equity earlier this year.
UK - European Capital acquires Hillarys Blinds for EUR 337m
European Capital has announced the EUR 337m secondary buyout of Hillarys Blinds, a provider of made-to-measure blinds, from Change Capital Partners. The firm provided equity, loan notes, mezzanine debt and senior term loans, to complete the one stop...
UK - Apax and Permira will recap New Look if sale doesn't go through
The sale of Apax and Permira-portfolio company New Look is still on track, according to reports. Merrill Lynch is running an auction to facilitate the disposal with TPG and Warburg Pincus bidding together against BC Partners. A price tag of approximately...
UK - Mangrove Capital leads $8m series-B funding for Seatwave
Mangrove Capital Partners has led an $8m series-B funding round for Seatwave, a fan-to-fan ticket exchange. Mangrove joins existing investor Atlas Venture which provided $3m of series-A funding for the company in May 2006.
UK - Aberdeen invests £1.4m in Cyclotech
Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital has provided oil and gas services company Cyclotech with £1.4m of equity funding. The new capital will be used for product development, additional management appointments and new offices in Singapore and Houston.
UK - Graphite Capital backs MBO of Dominion Technology Gases
Graphite Capital has backed the management buyout of Aberdeen-based Dominion Technology Gases from its founder. Dominion is a supplier of specialist gases used for diving, welding and testing by offshore oil and gas customers. Royal Bank of Scotland provided...
CEE - Warburg Pincus in $100m financing round for IMB
Warburg Pincus has participated in a $100m equity financing round for IMB Group Public Ltd, the Ukraine's leading consumer lender. Warburg Pincus contributed $43.8m, with the balance of the investment committed by existing investors Horizon Capital, East...
NL - Lion Capital acquires HEMA
Lion Capital has acquired Dutch retailer HEMA from Maxeda. The deal is subject to regulatory approval, expected before the end of July 2007.
UK - RBS to sell Southern Water for £4bn
Royal Bank of Scotland is to sell Southern Water for £4bn. RBS has appointed Deutsche Bank to run a process to facilitate the sale of the water company which supplies homes in Kent, Sussex and Hampshire.
FRANCE - Avenir Tourisme invests in 5-a-side football
Urban Football, a company running 5-a-side football centres has received EUR 1m in equity and convertible bonds from Avenir Tourisme, its managers and other existing stakeholders.
UK - Terra Firma exits Thresher and pension assets of Thorn TV rental business
Terra Firma has sold the 2000-strong off-licence chain Thresher to a team of investors led by Edmund Truell. The deal includes the sale of another of Terra Firma's assets from its first fund, the pension assets of Thorn, the television rental company....
GERMANY - Henderson sells Homann to IFR Capital
Henderson Private Equity has exited food manufacturer Homann through a sale to AIM-listed investment company IFR Capital. IFR has acquired 100% of the share capital of Homann, continuing its strategy of consolidation in the European retail food sector....
NL - Lehman considers fund-of-funds IPO
Lehman Brother Private Equity has announced it is considering a Euronext Amsterdam listing for a fund-of-funds. Should the launch go ahead, Lehman will invest a substantial portion of its own funds in the vehicle, commit all capital raised through the...
ITALY - Alto Partners exit fashion business Gruppo Arcte
Fund Alto Capital II - managed by private equity firm Alto Partners - has announced the sale of its 90% stake in Gruppo Arcte to the Mariella Burani Group. The buyer is one of the largest Italian luxury groups, with a market capitalisation on the Italian...
FINLAND - 3i acquires 25% of DNA for EUR 140m
3i has acquired 25% of the shares in Finnet OY, a Finish mobile operator, for EUR 140m. Following the deal Finnet OY is to be renamed DNA. 3i's stake will be reduced to 13% after the anticipated merger of five local operators and DNA. The 25% stake has...