News
BELGIUM - KBC in EUR 2.2m capital increase for Cellumat
KBC Private Equity has, alongside management, participated in a capital increase for portfolio company Cellumat, raising EUR 2.2m
GREECE - TPG drops out of Wind Hellas restructure bid
TPG has dropped out of the process to restructure mobile telecom operator Wind Hellas. Reports suggest that current owner Weather Investments and Aladdin Capital which co-ordinates holders of subordinated bonds worth around EUR 500m, are the only two...
FRANCE - Avenir and Oséo support Dalsouple
Avenir Entreprises, Oséo and Anjou Initative have supported Pascale le Saëc in the MBI of Dalsouple, a producer of rubber floors and walls. The Motoire family has ceded their entire holding in the company.
GERMANY - HTGF and BBAF invest EUR 550,000 into Autoaid
High-Tech Gründerfonds and BBAF Business Angels Fondsgesellschaft mbH have invested EUR 550,000 into car diagnostics software startup Autoaid GmbH.
FRANCE - Natixis to restructure private equity activity
According to reports, Natixis has mandated Oddo Corproate Finances to help reorganise its private equity division. The bank will not look to sell is private division.
UK - Scale and Balderton- backed ScanSafe sold to Cisco
Web security firm ScanSafe, backed by Scale Venture Partners and Balderton Capital Partners, has been sold to IT giant Cisco for approximately USD 183m in cash and retention-based incentives.
Global - Sofinnova Partners sign three biotech deals
French venture investor Sofinnova Partners has participated in funding rounds for three early-stage biotech companies, committing a total of GBP 30m. In the UK, Crescendo raised GBP 4.5m, while US-based Flexion Therapeutics and DNP Green Technology received...
FRANCE - Ouest Ventures holds EUR 21m first close of Fund II
Ouest Ventures has held a first close on EUR 21m of its second FCPR fund, Ouest Ventures II.
GERMANY – BC Partners and Apollo plan EUR 300m IPO for Unitymedia
According to press reports, BC Partners and Apollo Management are looking to float cable company Unitymedia GmbH. Reports suggest the investors are targeting a market capitalisation of at least EUR 300m.
EUROPE – Ogier appoints five
Ogier Group, a provider of offshore legal and fiduciary services, has appointed five new members to its partnership. Jane Pearce, Paul Perris, Nicholas Plowman, Sally Edwards and Edward Mackereth will all join on 1 February 2010.
NORWAY - InnKap et al in NOK 30m share issue for SantoSolve
Existing backers Nordic venture funds InnovationsKapital and Teknoinvest have participated in a NOK 30m share issue for pharmaceutical company SantoSolve AS. New investor, the Norwegian governement-owned venture fund Investinor, contributed NOK 15m for...
FRANCE - EPF Partners supports BRF
EPF Partners has taken a stake in paper services company Groupe BRF. Management, led by Hervé Vandenkerckhove and Thierry Jean-Babtiste, also participated in the buyout deal and retains a stake in the company.
DENMARK - EQT Expansion backs Skykon
Swedish private equity firm EQT has through its Expansion Capital II fund taken a minority stake in Skykon, a supplier to the wind energy industry.
SWEDEN - Karnell takes majority stake in Struktur Svenska Kontor
Swedish small-cap buyout house Karnell has acquired a majority stake in office space service company Struktur Svenska Kontor, from founders and management who retain a minority stake.
UK - Octopus' latest investment is Monkey Bizness
Octopus Investments has completed an investment of £2m from its £30m Capital for Enterprise Fund into Monkey Bizness, the UK's largest independent operator of family entertainment centres.
UK - Hellman seeks Gartmore listing
Global buyout house Hellman & Friedman has added its name to the growing list of investors planning a listing of a strong performing portfolio company, with sources close to the firm suggesting that fund management business Gartmore, in which Hellman...
UK - Ropes & Gray opens London office; appoints Bloom
International law firm Ropes & Gray is to open a new office in London this January, which will be headed up by finance lawyers Maurice Allen and Michael Goetz.
UK - Hellman seeks Gartmore listing
Global buyout house Hellman & Friedman has added its name to the growing list of investors planning a listing of a strong performing portfolio company, with sources close to the firm suggesting that fund management business Gartmore, in which Hellman...
GERMANY - CBR acquires Alvo Metalltechnik out of insolvency
CBR Management, through its EquiVest II fund, has acquired metal parts producer Alvo Metalltechnik from insolvency for an undisclosed sum.
FRANCE - Cognetas backs Tokheim acquisition of Rohé subsidiaries
Cognetas has provided more than EUR 5m to back portfolio company Tokheim, a producer of fuel dispensers for service stations, in its acquisition of several Central and Eastern European subsidiaries of sector rival Rohé, which was recently put into liquidation.
SWITZERLAND - Investors fund Evolva with CHF 28m
Current investor Aravis, alongside new backers Auriga Partners, Vinci Capital and Wellington Partners, have invested CHF 28m in biotechnology business Evolva in a first closing of the company's Series B financing round.
UK - MTI makes two investments in two days
MTI Partners has recently completed two transactions from its UMIP Premier Fund, the University of Manchester's technology transfer company, comprising a £1m co-investment in optical technology specialist Lein Applied Diagnostics and a £500,000 investment...
UK - Duke Street’s may fetch £250m for Simple sale
Reports suggest that Duke Street Capital is looking to sell skincare brand Simple for around £250m, with Goldman Sachs leading the process.
UK - CVC could bid for £1.5bn Matalan
UK discount retailer Matalan is formally on the block, with CVC Capital Partners rumoured to be interested in making a bid for the business, which could have an asking price of around £1.5bn.