News/UK / Ireland
UK - PROfounders Capital holds first close of new venture fund
London-based PROfounders Capital has held a first close of its inaugural VC fund. No financial details were disclosed.
UK - MMC Ventures leads £1.4m follow-on investment for The Practice
MMC Ventures has led a follow-on investment in healthcare company The Practice, alongside existing angel investors. MMC invested £1.1m of the £1.4m round, bringing its total investment in the company to £3.4m.
EUROPE - Hall to retain 12% stake in Cinven
Robin Hall, who stepped down as managing partner of buyout giant Cinven this week, will reportedly retain a 12% stake in the private equity firm, assuming the role of executive chairman.
GLOBAL - Pomona Capital surpasses $1bn target for secondaries fund
Global private equity firm Pomona Capital has held a final close of its seventh secondaries fund, Pomona Capital VII, at $1.3bn, surpassing its original $1bn target.
UK- Rainbow Seed Fund sells Orbital Optics
The Rainbow Seed Fund has wholly exited its investment in space camera developer Orbital Optics via a trade sale to the company's majority shareholder MDA, an international space and information solutions business, for a share in Orbital's future revenues.
UK - Amadeus et al-backed Aeopona acquires Valista
Venture capital-backed telecom software provider Aeopona Limited has acquired Dublin-based Valista, a provider of payment, settlement and service solutions to mobile and broadband operators, for an undisclosed sum. Aeopona's backers include Amadeus Capital...
UK- 3i's Graeme Sword resigns
Head of 3i's oil, gas and power team, Graeme Sword, has left after 14 years with the firm.
GLOBAL - Cipio promotes Meyel
Global secondary direct specialist Cipio Partners has promoted Diana Meyel to the position of partner.
UK - LEF invests £1m into Rapid Action Packaging
Ludgate Environmental Fund (LEF) has provided environmental packaging company Rapid Action Packaging (RAP) with a £1m working capital facility, structured as a loan with warrents.
UK - EV further invests in Plant Impact
Enterprise Ventures (EV), via its RisingStars Growth Fund, has made a follow-on investment into publicly listed agriculture company Plant Impact of £1.5m. The deal forms part of a placing of 4,850,000 new ordinary shares.
UK - MMC Ventures further invests £1.3m into Clash-Media
MMC Ventures has completed a follow on investment worth more than £1m into digital media company Clash-Media.
EUROPE - 3i appoints two new non-executive directors; halves debt
Private equity group 3i has appointed John Allan and Alistair Cox as non-executive directors on its board, effective 1 September and 1 October respectively.
UK - Walker argues against Commission Directive
The House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs today took evidence from alternative investment bodies on the merits of the EU Commission's proposed Alternative Investment Fund Managers directive, with BVCA chief Simon Walker taking...
UK - Osmosis Capital expands investment team
Low-carbon focused investor Osmosis Capital has hired Monica Pradhan as investment manager.
EUROPE - Palamon appoints new adviser
London-based mid-market investor Palamon Capital Partners has appointment Dr Richard Wolman to its board of advisers.
EUROPE - Cinven’s Hall steps down
Buyout giant Cinven has elected Hugh Langmuir to managing partner, replacing Robin Hall, a veteran of the firm who will take on the role of executive chairman.
UK - Silver Lake-backed i2 acquires KCC
Intelligence and investigation management software provider i2, a portfolio company of Silver Lake Partners, has agreed to acquire Arizona-based Knowledge Computing Corporation (KCC).
UK/GERMANY - WHEB Ventures reaches £90m third close
WHEB Ventures has achieved a third closing of its second clean technology fund, WHEB Ventures Private Equity 2 LP, at £90m (EUR 105m).
UK - The Port Fund hires principal in London
Infrastructure investor The Port Fund has hired Tanya d'Albis as principal in its London office.
UK - Index Ventures appoints partner in London
Index Ventures has hired Mike Volpi as a partner in the firm's London office.
UK - Celtic Pharma backs £13m Novacta funding
Biotechnology-focused investor Celtic Pharma has participated in a £13m funding round for drug discovery company Novacta Biosystems, alongside existing investors. The capital will be payable against pre-agreed milestones.
EUROPE - AXA PE signs UN responsible investment principles
French mid-market buyout house AXA Private Equity has signed the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) initiative, issued by the United Nations.
UK - BC Partners backs EUR 1.7bn Baxi merger
BC Partners-backed boiler maker Baxi has agreed to a EUR 1.7bn merger with Dutch rival De Dietrich Remeha Group, with the private equity house investing EUR 100m to support the transaction.