News/Region
UK - Accel leads $12m investment in VoIP company
Accel Partners and Venrock Associates have led a $12m series-A investment in VoIP company XConnect Global Networks Ltd. Grazia Equity of Germany and Bridge Capital Fund of Japan (an affiliate of Nikko Antfactory) also participated in the funding round....
UK - Blackstone to float Cineworld
Blackstone is to float Cineworld. The investor had originally planned an IPO of the 72-strong cinema chain eleven months ago but shelved plans due to stock market volatility. The indicative price range has been set at 155-185p which will value the company...
UK - KKR consortium controls quarter of Boots shares
KKR looks to be a step closer to securing the Boots deal today. After recent share purchases the KKR consortium now controls around a quarter of the share capital of Alliance Boots, the FTSE 100 chemist and retailer. Previously KKR's bid was supported...
SPAIN - Investindustrial and Gala Capital buy Panda Software
After over a year of negotiations, buyout firms Investindustrial and Gala Capital have purchased a majority stake of 75% in antivirus developer Panda Software. The remaining stake will be held by founder Mikel Urizarbarrena.
UK - Barclays Ventures reaps 8x returns from Bifold Fluid exit
Barclays Ventures has reaped returns of 8x and an IRR in excess of 60% on its investment in Bifold Fluid Power. The hydraulic pump valve manufacturer has been sold to Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance in a £35m secondary buyout.
GERMANY - bmp invests in Brand New World
bmp has acquired a 10% stake in interactive mobile gaming provider Brand New World, after participating in a EUR 3.15m financing round. Other investors committing to the round are KfW, Creathor Venture, TiBi, Mountain Partners, as well as Business Angels,...
AUSTRIA - BAWAG looking to serve Cuban customers
Cerberus Capital Management portfolio company BAWAG PSK is said to be exploring the possibility of obtaining the permission from US authorities to serve Cuban customers.
GERMANY - Blackstone under fire from unions
According to German press, the umbrella trade union UNI Global Union is threatening to stop investing in the Blackstone Group’s funds, in case the financial investor continues to support the plans of Deutsche Telekom to outsource 50,000 jobs. According...
NORWAY - Eqvitec Technology Fund III invests in TraceTracker Innovation ASA
Eqvitec Technology Fund II has invested in TraceTracker Innovation, a Norwegian software provider of electronic traceability solutions for the food industry.
SPAIN - ACS to receive offers for Continental today
Five prospective buyers for Continental Auto are understood to be presenting their offers for the transport group today.
GERMANY - DZ Equity Partner exits KUMAgroup
DZ Equity Partner has sold its stake in German IT solutions provider KUMAgroup to WaBeKu GmbH. The transaction value has not been disclosed. The financial investor had acquired the stake at the end of 1998 from the company’s founders.
UK - Femeda completes £2m funding round led by NorthStar
NorthStar Equity Investors has led a £2m funding round for Femeda, a female health products developer. Stargate Capital Management, Acceleris Corporate Ventures and existing investor Enterprise Ventures also took part. The funding will assist the development...
UK - Further backing for e-Therapeutics led by Katalyst Ventures
Biology drug discovery company e-Therapeutics has announced a seven-figure investment from a consortium of investors comprising Katalyst Ventures, Novotech Investment and NorthStar Equity Investors. The new investors join RAB Capital in backing the company.
NL - Aletra to acquire DA Retailgroep
Aletra Capital Partners has reportedly agreed to acquire DA, a retailer of cosmetics and beauty products.
UK- ECI sells Anix IT
ECI Partners has sold Anix IT, a reseller of storage hardware and software solutions to Xploite plc for £10.45m.
UK- NVM grows Reading office
Richard Gibson has moved from the Edinburgh office of NVM Private Equity to its Reading office.
FRANCE - Apax-led syndicate sells Cartesis to Business Objects
Apax Partners, Advent Ventures Partners, Caisse des Dépots et Placements du Québec and Partech International have sold their interests in finance and performance management software developer Cartesis, to business intelligence solutions provider Business...
NORWAY - Cubera sells Marratech to Google
Cubera Secondary has sold Marratech to Google for an undisclosed sum, but the IRR is claimed to be "very satisfactory". Marratech is one of the 11 companies that Cubera has had in their portfolio since acquiring the Aumar portfolio form Sjätte AP Fonden.
FRANCE - Turenne backs online lottery business Mediastay
Turenne Capital Partenaires has invested in the owner buyout of Mediastay via its listed fund Turenne Investissement and its FIP Hexagone Croissance I.
NORWAY - HitecVision aquires 49% of Sørco
HitecVision Private Equity has agreed to acquire 49% of the Sørco Group, a major provider of systems and services to the Norwegian and international oil and gas industry. HitecVision Private Equity specialises in investing in growth companies in the...
FINLAND - CapMan exits Synerco
CapMan has exited from Synerco, the Swedish provider of integrated facility, security and office services. Capman will sell its stake to Service Management company Addici Holding AB, supported by its major private equity investor Argan Capital.
IRELAND - Edgestone Capital Partners leads extra $5m funding round for RedMere
Edgestone Capital Partners has led a $5m top-up funding round for fabless semiconductor company RedMere Technology. Existing investor Celtic House Venture also participated in the round which brings the amount invested in under six months to $13.5m.
SPAIN/PORTUGAL- Private equity crowd hits the audiovisual arena
The Iberian audiovisual sector has experienced a noteworthy level of private equity activity this week.
UK - Advent Venture backs new home moving web services
Advent Venture Partners and seed investors, The Accelerator Group, have provided new home moving web service Moveme.com with early-stage funding. Moveme.com is a online service which will enable millions of people moving home to save significant time;...