News/Region
BELGIUM - N+1 abandons Access deal
Spanish banking group N+1 has announced its intention to call off an agreement to acquire the 35% stake in fund-of-funds Access Capital Partners held by Finnish private equity firm CapMan, blaming the current general financial crisis.
SWEDEN - Initium et al invest SEK 4.5m into Medfield
A syndicate of investors, comprising Initium, K-Svets Ventures, Salhgrenska Science Park, Innovationsbron and business angels, has completed an investment of SEK 4.5m into Medfield Diagnostics, a medical device company.
FRANCE - 21 Centrale Partners sells AFU to Amlin
21 Centrale has wholly exited its investment in Anglo French Underwriters (AFU), an underwriting agent for Lloyd’s of London in France, to Amlin Plc, a UK based insurance and reinsurance company.
EUROPE - EVCA study reveals little improvement in tax and legal environment
The European Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (EVCA) has published its fourth Benchmarking study of European tax and legal environments, with the results revealing that there has been little overall improvement in conditions since the previous...
FRANCE - Chequers Capital acquires Cenexi
Chequers Capital, formerly Charterhouse France, has backed the buyout of pharmaceutical products manufacturer Cenexi from Hoffmann-La Roche (Roche). Chequers will take a majority stake in the business, with the management and mezzanine provider Indigo...
UK - Foresight hires two
Foresight Group has hired Mike Rand and Tom Thorp to its environmental team.
UK - Octopus invests £220,000 in 21Net
Octopus Ventures has invested £220,000 in broadband internet access provider 21Net.
UK - IQ invests in Phonetic Arts
IQ Capital has invested an undisclosed sum in speech technology developer Phonetic Arts Ltd.
UK - Taylor Wessing hires Jonathan Rogers
Taylor Wessing has appointed Jonathan Rogers as partner.
NETHERLANDS - Mentha acquires a majority stake in PBG
Mentha Capital has acquired a majority stake in PBG, a Dutch provider of diabetes and medical supplies.
FRANCE - 360º leads EUR 5m financing of E-Blink
360º Capital Partners has lnvested EUR 3.5m as part of a EUR 5m funding round for telecommunications company E-Blink, with returning investors I-Source Gestion and Alven Capital providing the balance.
FRANCE - Apax seeking to divest Morgan
Apax Partners is reportedly seeking to exit its investment in Prêt-a-Porter fashion brand Morgan, with Emerisque, the investment company belonging to Lee Cooper owner Ajay Khaitan, believed to have shown interest in acquiring the business.
UK - British Private Equity Awards Shortlist
unquote" is delighted to announce the Shortlist for the British Private Equity Awards 2008 . The winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony being held on 27 November at ‘The Room’ by the River in London’s Waterloo.
UK - Private equity interest in Creston
US-based private equity firm Cartesian Capital Group is believed to have declared an interest in acquiring Creston Plc, a London-listed marketing and communications agency.
CIS - Aureos invests USD 5m into Ala TV
Aureos Central Asia Fund has invested USD 5m into Ala TV, a Kyrgyz cable TV company.
DENMARK - VIA supports mobilePeople with DKK 40m investment
Via Venture Partners has invested DKK 40m into mobile search company mobilePeople.
FRANCE - CAPE acquires Sepchat and Ludovic Le Gall
Crédit Agricole Private Equity (CAPE), through CACI 3, has completed the dual acquisition of recycling businesses Sepchat and Ludovic. The companies will be merged into a single entity, in which CAPE will hold a 60% stake.
GERMANY – Earlybird and Neuhaus invest EUR 4m into smava
Existing investor Earlybird and new backer Neuhaus Partners have invested EUR 4m investment into social lending marketplace smava GmbH in a second round of financing.
FRANCE - OSEO leads EUR 11.5m Crocus funding
OSEO has provided EUR 3m of an EUR 11.5m financing round for Crocus Technology, a developer of magnetic random access memory, with the balance being provided by existing investors AGF Private Equity, CDC Innovation, NanoDimension, Sofinnova and Ventech.
CEE - Horizon and IFC invest USD 15m into Evrotek
Horizon Capital, through Emerging Europe Growth Fund, and IFC have invested USD 15m into Ukrainian food retail chain Evrotek Group.
UK - Capital Fund leads £240,000 Essential Escapes investment
The Capital Fund has invested £200,000 as part of a £240,000 funding round for spa tour operator Essential Escapes, with existing shareholders providing the balance.
FRANCE - CAPE invests in Melkonian
Crédit Agricole Private Equity and Sofipaca have backed the buyout of Groupe Melkonian, a producer of mining materials, alongside the Melkonian family.
CEE – Linklaters becomes Kinstellar
Linklaters has announced that its CEE spin-off will operate under the name Kinstellar from 1 November 2008.
FRANCE - Alven Capital strengthen team
Alven Capital has hired Jérémy Uzan as investment manager.