News/Region
GERMANY - High-Tech Gründerfonds invests in Contros Systems & Solutions GmbH
Seed investors High-Tech Gründerfonds, MAZ level one and business angel Paal Nordby from Norway have provided funding for CONTROS Systems & Solutions GmbH, a Kiel-based developer, producer and distributor of underwater sensor systems to detect hydrocarbons,...
UK - Impax invests £4m in New Earth
Impax Asset Management has invested £4m in biological waste treatment and resource recovery company New Earth Solutions.
UK - Matrix appoints new MD
Matrix Group has appointed Mark MacLean as managing director of Matrix Private Funds Group. He joins the existing team of Ray Coole, Edward Holdsworth and Charles Lemon.
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,...
CEE - VCP increases its stake in FHB
Vienna Capital Partners has signed a forward agreement for 300,000 more shares of mortgage bank FHB, bringing its stake to 13.07%. The fund currently owns 6.5m FHB shares, equuivalent to a 9.86% stake. The transaction is conditional upon the approval...
AUSTRIA – Apollo rumoured to be interested in Constantia
US private equity player Apollo is rumoured to be interested in acquiring Constantia Privatbank Aktiengesellschaft, based in Vienna. Other bidders are said to include Credit Suisse, OTP, and Vienna Insurance Group. Signing for the deal is expected in...
CEE - BC Partners et al take a 51% stake in Migros
A consortium led by BC Partners has acquired 50.83% of Migros Turk, a supermarket chain listed on the Istanbul stock market. Koç Holding provided the debt for the transaction.
GERMANY - SKAPITAL invests 1.5m EUR in Gründerfonds Bielefeld-Ostwestfalen
SKAPITAL Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft, a subsidiary of Sparkasse Bielefeld, Sparkasse Detmold and Sparkasse Herford, has invested EUR 1.5m in Gründerfonds Bielefeld-Ostwestfalen, a fund advised by eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG, based in...
UK - BVCA publishes economic impact study
The BVCA this morning released its annual economic impact report which confirmed private equity as a significant driver of the UK economy. The report, research for which was undertaken by IE Consulting, revealed that private equity-backed firms generated...
UK - BVCA announces membership of monitoring group
The BVCA has announced the membership of the new monitoring body set up in response to Sir David Walker’s recommendations on increasing transparency and disclosure by the private equity industry. Alan Thomson, former group finance director of Smiths...
UK - South West venture funds back Atlas Genetics with £2.1m
South West Ventures Fund and Finance South West Growth Fund have led a £2.1m further funding round in Bath-based company, Atlas Genetics.This latest round sees further funding being provided by existing investors, South West Ventures Fund, GEIF and private...
FRANCE – 21 Centrale Partners takes control of La City
21 Centrale Partners has acquired a majority stake in La City following a buyout of the company. The founders will continue to manage the company.
GERMANY - Mezzanine Management invests EUR 18.6m in W.I.S
Mezzanine Management has invested EUR 18.6m in German security services provider W.I.S Group. The investment was led by Cologne-based private equity firm Argantis.
UK - NESTA invests £100,000 in start-up gaming business
The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA) is investing £100,000 to help develop ‘Six to Start’, an innovative entertainment start-up company that creates immersive Alternate Reality Games.
UK - Infinity appoints John Hunt from BDO
Manchester-based Infinity Asset Management has bolstered its investment team with the appointment of John Hunt. Hunt joins Infinity from BDO Stoy Hayward, as a partner. He will be involved in generating and managing investment opportunities.
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.
UK - Seatwave raises $25m series-C led by Fideity Ventures
Fidelity Ventures has joined existing investors Atlas Venture, Mangrove Capital and Adinvest in a $25m series-C funding round for Seatwave, a ticket exchange website. The new capital brings the total raised by the company since it was founded in 2006,...
UK - London Seed Capital backs Magpie with £500,000
London Seed Capital has provided Magpie Ltd, the company behind social media analytics tool Brandwatch, with funding totalling £500,000. Led by London Seed Capital, the round includes a select group of business angels.
UK - Blackstone reported to be courting FKI again
Blackstone is believed to be taking a second look at London-listed engineering group FKI less than nine months after abandoning plans to launch an offer for the business. The news follows reports that heavily-indebted FKI last week received an approach...
UK - MSIF leads £360,000 investment in concrete mixing business
Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF) has led a £360,000 investment in Nurock, a company which has developed an innovative hyrdraulic concrete mixing system.
CEE - GIMV and KBC invest together in Russia
GIMV and KBC have entered a partnership agreement for private equity investments in Russia. They will set up a new company, Eagle Capital Partners, in which both partners will have an equal shareholding. They expect to invest around EUR 30m each over...
SPAIN - 3i prepares IPO of Global Energy Services
3i has reportedly retained consulting firm 360 Corporate to prepare the flotation of Global Energy Services.
ITALY/CEE - Private Equity Partners launches in Poland
Italy-based Private Equity Partners (PEP) will begin operating in Poland with Private Equity Partners Polska, in co-operation with Miszerak & Associates.