News
AUSTRIA - GEP exits Greentube
Global Equity Partners has sold its stake in online games company Greentube to Astra Games. Global Equity Partners held the stake via HTA III Venture Beteiligungs-Invest AG.
FRANCE - Sofinnova Partners leads EUR 3.3m investment in Celsius
Sofinnova Partners has backed Paris-based specialised mobile phone producer Celsius with EUR 2.2m, in funding round raisinig a total of EUR 3.3m. AGF Private Equity provided EUR 500,000 while a number of private investors completed the funding with a...
GERMANY – Hasso Plattner Ventures co-invests in RIB Software
Venture firm Hasso Plattner Ventures and listed software company SAP AG have invested in software provider RIB Software AG.
UK - DFJ Esprit-backed PacketExchange acquires Mzima
DFJ Esprit- and Bank of Scotland Growth Equity-backed PacketExchange, the internet exchange services provider, has acquired network services provider Mzima Networks for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Blackstone applies for British banking license
Blackstone has reportedly applied for a British banking license as part of its plans to open a new bank called The Home and Savings Bank.
UK - Gala's junior lenders could sell off debt
Junior lenders of Permira-, Cinven- and Candover-backed Gala Coral, the British gaming company, are reportedly considering selling off their debt rather than pursuing a debt for equity swap that would see them gain a considerable stake in the beleaguered...
NORDIC - CapMan promotes in Oslo and Stockholm
Nordic private equity group CapMan has appointed Espen Stenumgård partner in the group's buyout team, while Mikael Moll in the public markets team has been promoted to investment manager.
EUROPE - EVCA appoints Roberts to chief commercial officer
EVCA has appointed Mark Roberts to the newly created position of chief commercial officer.
SWEDEN - Ratos appoints Johansson deputy CEO and COO
Swedish listed private equity firm Ratos has promoted investment director Leif Johansson to deputy CEO and COO, replacing Thomas Mossberg, who has reached his contractual retirement age and will be transferred to the position of senior adviser.
EUROPE - Law firms Buse Heberer Fromm and Spitzweg to merge
European law firms Die Buse Heberer Fromm and Spitzweg have agreed to merge, effective 1 April 2010.
GERMANY - HTGF and Life Science Fonds Esslingen invest in Amedrix
High-Tech Gruenderfonds and Life Science Fonds Esslingen have jointly invested a total of EUR 700,000 in the medical implants developer Amedrix GmbH.
UK - CBPE Capital meets revised target; closes eighth fund on £405m
CBPE Capital has now confirmed that it has closed its latest fund, CBPE Capital Fund VIII, on ТЃ405m, below its initial ТЃ500m target, but still greater than its predecessor vehicle which closed on ТЃ360m in 2004.
UK - Balderton-backed Codemasters to undergo restructuring
Computer games developer Codemasters, owned by UK venture investor Balderton Capital, is reportedly close to agreeing a restructuring that will see its private equity owners inject fresh equity into the business, while seeing its stake diluted.
SWEDEN - Sunstone in EUR 12.5m FlatFrog funding
Financial investor Invus and strategic backer Promethan have co-led a financing round for technology business FlatFrog Labratories, in which existing investor Sunstone Capital also participated, worth EUR 12.5m.
UK - NESTA makes two new hires
NESTA, the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts, has appointed Dr Mike Lynch as chair of its investment committee and Matthew Mead as managing director of investments.
GLOBAL - Hermes creates PE advisory service for responsible investing
Institutional investor Hermes has established a service designed to advise private equity firms on implementing responsible investment principles and good corporate governance, hiring Tom Rotherham as associate director of the new business.
US/EUROPE - Atlas Venture to consolidate in Boston
Atlas Venture has announced that during 2010, the firm will streamline all of its operations from a new office in Boston.
EUROPE - Exciting times for venture
Venture's simple business model of providing equity without relying on cheap finance or financial chicanery stands it in good stead for the future, argues Index Ventures' Ben Holmes in a recent video with unquote's Rikke Eckhoff.
GERMANY - Triangle and ERP invest EUR 2.5m in TakWak
Triangle Venture Capital and ERP Startfonds have invested in TakWak, a spinout from FG Microtec, in a funding round worth EUR 2.5m.
GERMANY - Odewald-backed walter services makes acquisition
walter services Holding, which is backed by Odewald & cie and caption, has agreed to acquire SEB Card Service from Swedish banking group SEB.
UK - CBPE nears £400m close for eighth buyout fund
Close Brothers Private Equity is reportedly near a ТЃ400m close for its maiden fund, below its initial ТЃ500m target.
UK - YFM invests £120,000 into New Net Technologies
YFM, alongside management, has invested ТЃ120,000 into software company New Net Technologies in a second round of financing for the business.
UK - Finance Wales invests £315,000 into Ocelus
Finance Wales has invested ТЃ315,000 in drug company Ocelus as part of a second funding round worth close to ТЃ500,000.
UK - Moulton appointed non-exec chairman of finnCap
Private equity veteran Jon Moulton has been appointed non-executive chaiman of finnCap, the specialist growth company adviser and broker.