News/Nordics
DENMARK - Sunstone and Creandum lead $10m investment in IPtronics
Sunstone Capital and Creandum have together led a $10.25m series-B round in IPtronics, a Danish semiconductor business.
FINLAND - Borenius & Kemppinen announces three promotions
Borenius & Kemppinen has announced three promotions in its tax division.
SWEDEN - EQT’s bid for Securitas Direct extended again
The acceptance period of ESML’s, jointly owned by EQT (c64%), Säkl (c8%), Melker Schörling AB (MSAB) and Investment AB Latour (c17%), bid for Securitas Direct has been extended until 14 March 2008 at 16:00 CET.
SWEDEN - Nomura Phase4, TVM and Scottish Widows invest $27m in AstraZeneca spin-out
Nomura Phase4 Ventures has led a $27m round in Albiero, a Swedish biotechnology company spun-out from AstraZeneca. TVM Capital and Scottish Widows have also invested in the business.
DENMARK - Sunstone and Creandum back IPtronics with $10.25m series B-funding
Sunstone Capital and Creandum have invested $10.25m in IPtroincs, a supplier of silicon for parallel optical applications, in a series B-round. The investment will be used to accelerate global sales and product development.
SWEDEN - SVCA releases 2007 Swedish portfolio companies’ statistics
The Swedish Venture Capital Association has released annual statistics on Swedish venture capital and private equity backed portfolio companies’ performance. The research comprises 803 private equity and venture capital portfolio companies from 2001-2006....
GLOBAL - Bear Stearns acquires Macquarie arm
LSE-listed fund-of-funds Bear Stearns Private Equity (BSPEL) has offered A$115.5 for Macquarie Private Capital Group (MPCG), an ASX-listed private equity fund-of-funds.
SWEDEN – EQT alone in the fight for Securitas Direct
Melker Schörling AB (MSAB), Investment Latour and SäkI AB have left the EMSL Interessenter consortium led by EQT, and announced that they will no longer be part of the SEK 10.1bn offer for Securitas Direct. In a letter to the Independent Committee,...
SWEDEN - STING Capital closes new seed fund on SEK85m
STING Capital (Stockholm Innovation & Growth) has held a second and final close on SEK 85m for a new seed fund.
SWEDEN - Verdane acquires stake in Saab’s portfolio companies
Verdane Capital has acquired a partial interest in Saab AB’s ownership of a portfolio of five unlisted companies for an undisclosed value.
SWEDEN - Eqvitec hires Hadar Cars
Eqvitec Partners has strengthened its Swedish operations by hiring Hardar Cars as an investment director. He joins the firm from Teknoinvest where he has worked since 2004.
SWEDEN/GERMANY - EQT to pay EUR 20.6m in fines to German Competition Authorities
EQT has been forced to pay EUR 20.6m in fines for its portfolio company Munksjö Paper GmbH by German competition authorities, Bundeskartellamt.
FINLAND - Axel Technologies attracts financing from Nexit Ventures
Axel Technologies, a developer of mobile TV technologies, has attracted a financing round from Nexit Ventures and existing investor Finnish Industry Investments Ltd.
DENMARK - KKR et al. backed-TDC enters strategic partnership with Ericsson
Danish telecommunications business TDC, jointly owned by Apax Partners, The Blackstone Group, KKR, Permira Advisors and Providence Equity Partners, has entered a strategic partnership with Ericsson.
NORWAY – 3i acquires Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients for $395m
3i has backed the buyout of Active Pharmaceuticals Ingredients, an Oslo-based supplier and developer of pharmaceutical ingredients and division of NYSE-listed Alpharma Inc, for $395m.
NORWAY - CapMan builds new Nordic logistics group
CapMan has acquired approximately 65% of Swedish Globex AB and Norwegian Cargo Partners and STS Group, in a move to build a new Nordic logistics group, for an undisclosed value.
SWEDEN – EQT increases bid for Securitas Direct
ESML Intressenter AB, jointly owned by EQT (c64%), Säkl (c8%), Melker Schörling AB (MSAB) and Investment AB Latour (c17%), have increased their bid for Securitas Direct from SEK 26 to SEK 27.5 per share, increasing the total value of the bid to SEK...
FINLAND - Nokia to divest Automotive Business to Equity Partners et al.
According to reports, Nokia is in the process of negotiating the sale its automotive business to the former head of Nokia’s enhancement unit and the automotive business and Equity Partners GmbH.
NORWAY - Energy Ventures closes new fund on NOK 1.3bn
Energy Ventures has closed its third fund, Energy Ventures III, on NOK 1.34bn. ($243m). The new vehicle will invest in petroleum-related technology companies.
FINLAND - Inventure holds first close on EUR 35m for new early-stage fund
Inventure Fund KY, a venture fund focusing on early-stage technology deals, investing in the Nordic countries and primarily in Finland, has held a first close on EUR 35m.
DENMARK - Polaris acquires Tøjeksperten for DKK 900m
Polaris Private Equity has acquired Tøjeksperten, a Danish mens clothing retailer for DKK 900m.
FINLAND - Pohjola Private Equity holds second close on EUR 119m
Finnish Pohjola Private Equity has held a second close on its first fund-of-funds on EUR 119m, exceeding its target of EUR 100m.
FINLAND - EQT sells Finn-Power Oy to Prima Industries S.p.a
EQT III has sold Finn-Power Oy, a Finnish supplier of flexible and automated sheet metal working machines and manufacturing systems, for an enterprise value of EUR 170m to Prima Industries S.p.a in Italy.
SWEDEN - EQT's Securitas Direct bid approved by competition authorities
ESML Intressenter AB, jointly owned by EQT (c64%), Säkl (c8%), Melker Schörling AB (MSAB) and Investment AB Latour (c17%), has received approval from the relevant competition authorities regarding the SEK 9.6bn ($1.5bn) offer to the shareholders of...