News
NETHERLANDS - 3i divests Dockwise stake
3i has sold approximately 26% of its interest in Oslo-listed marine contractor Dockwise, as part of a wider placement of shares by the company that could raise between $220-250m.
FRANCE - Naxicap et al. invest EUR 4m into EcoEnergy
Naxicap Partners, Agregator Capital and Vatel Capital have provided Eco Energy, a turnkey solar company, with EUR 4m in funding.
GERMANY - LEF further invests in agri
Cleantech investor Ludgate Environmental Fund (LEF) has made a follow-on investment of more than £2m into renewable energy company agri capital, in the form of 10% preferred stock and detachable warrants.
ITALY - Alto Partners acquires Diquigiovanni
Alto Partners has acquired an 80% stake in PVC window manufacturer Diquigiovanni in a deal valued at approximately EUR 10m.
UK - Midven exits Autochair; achieves 15% IRR
The HSBC UK Enterprise Fund for the Midlands, managed by Midven, has wholly exited its investment in driving aids provider Autochair Limited, generating a 2x return and an IRR of 15%.
POLAND - EQT looks to Poland for EUR 211m take private
EQT has launched a public tender offer to wholly acquire Polish healthcare business HTL-Strefa SA.
GERMANY - High-Tech Gründerfonds invests in C2Call
High-Tech Gründerfonds has invested in VoIP company C2Call GmbH, alongside two angel investors.
UK - 3i non-exec Smith to retire
3i non-executive director Robert Smith is retiring from his role to focus on his position as chairman of the 2014 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee.
GERMANY - IBB backs MyBrands
IBB Beteiligungsgesellschaft, alongside Grey Corporate Investments and two business angels sourced through the European Founders Fund, have provided a first round of financing for online designer outlet MyBrands.
GERMANY - Demeter settles in Berlin
French cleantech investor Demeter Partners has opened an office in Berlin, which will be managed by investment directors Detlef Steinmann and Michel Leistenschneider.
AUSTRIA – Tecnet equity leads EUR 2m round for nxtControl
Tecnet Equity Technologiebeteiligungs-Invest AG, the investment fund of the federal state of Lower Austria, has led a EUR 2m investment round for software company nxtControl GmbH, taking a 38% stake in the company.
AUSTRIA – Buy_Out Central Europe’s takeover of UIAG cancelled
Austrian buyout group Buy_Out Central Europe Managementgesellschaft's has cancelled the planned take-over of investment firm Unternehmen Invest AG.
BULGARIA/HUNGARY – Mid Europa acquires ITV; buys back Invitel’s debt
Mid Europa Partners is defying the credit crunch odds to go on a shopping spree: this week it has completed the acquisition of Bulgarian TV operator Interactivni Tehnologii. It is the latest in a number of Balkan TV businesses Mid Europa has backed, already...
CEE – CVC acquires AB InBev CEE operations for USD 2.23bn
CVC Capital Partners has acquired the Central and Eastern European operations of brewery Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) in a deal valuing the CEE division at USD 2.23bn.
FRANCE - CDC and CapDecisif provide Caiman with EUR 2.5m
CDC Entreprises and CapDecisif have participated in an investment round for media support company Groupe Caiman, raising EUR 2.5m.
CZECH REPUBLIC – PPF backs Czech energy group
Emerging Europe private equity investor PPF Partners has acquired a 40% stake in Energy and Industrial Holding (EP), a spin-off from Czech investment firm J&T Group.
EUROPE - EVCA calls for new RCAP for 2020
The EVCA has today called for an updated Risk Capital Action Plan (RCAP) for 2020, an agreement originally launched in 1998, in an effort to offset the potentially disastrous consequences of the European Commission's AIFM directive on the finance industry.
FRANCE - Nestadio backs MBO of Buffard Logistique
Nestadio Capital, part of the Fonds d'Investissment de Bretage, has taken a 28% stake in transportation company Buffard Logistique to support the MBO by CEO Daniel Bénard and his son.
UK - Nauta Capital leads £1.6m financing for Fizzback
Nauta Capital has led a series B funding round for customer feedback service provider Fizzback worth almost £2m, alongside Advent Venture Partners.
SWITZERLAND – Consortium funds Biocartis SA with EUR 10m
Aescap Venture led a EUR 10m Series-A round in diagnostics company Biocartis SA. Other members of the syndicate are Biovest, KBC Private Equity, Advent Venture Partners and existing shareholder Benaruca.
EUROPE - 3i partner McCallum leaves for KPMG
Advisory and accountancy company KPMG has hired 3i partner Blair McCallum to its firm.
UK - KPCB in D-round for Shazam
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers (KPCB) has invested an undisclosed value into Shazam Entertainment, a mobile music discovery application. Existing Shazam backers include DN Capital and founding investor Acacia Capital Partners.
BELGIUM - Capital-E in EUR 2.5m B-round for PharmaDiagnostics
Capital-E has participated in a series-B round for PharmaDiagnostics NV, alongside an undisclosed group of investors, raising EUR 2.5m.
FRANCE - Gimv and UFG PE pay EUR 31.6m for 46% stake in Easyvoyage
Gimv and UFG Private Equity have acquired a 46% stake in travel website Easyvoyage for EUR 31.6m of debt and equity. The deal also saw company management and initial shareholders invest, with founder Jean-Pierre Nadir retaining a 40% stakes.