News
UK - Livingstone boosts UK team
Boutique investment bank Livingstone Partners has made three promotions and one new hire in its London office.
FRANCE - Serena and A Plus invest EUR 6.47m into RSI
Serena Capital and A Plus Finance, alongside previous investors Galileo Partners, CDC Innovation and Techfund Europe Management, have backed video security company RSI Video Technologies with an investment of EUR 6.47m.
PORTUGAL - Explorer acquires Gascan
Private equity firm Explorer Investments has wholly acquired gas business Gasses Combustiveis (Gascan) SA for an undisclosed sum.
UK - Alliance Boots buys £400m of distressed debt
Alliance Boots, the retailer that was taken private by executive chairman Stefano Pessina and KKR almost two years ago, has reportedly bought back more than £400m of the debt used to acquire the business.
FRANCE - I-source and OTC invest further EUR 3.5m into Rhapso
I-Source Gestion and OTC Asset Management have invested EUR 3.5m into Rhapso, a software company, in a third funding round.
UK - AFM and EV invest further in TPS
Alliance Fund Managers (AFM) and Enterprise Ventures (EV) have made a further instalment of £275,000 in foreign exchange and payment services specialist TransGlobal Payment Solutions (TPS), as part of a £1m first round funding package agreed last November.
UK - Cambridge Discovery Fund raises £1m
The new University of Cambridge Discovery Fund, designed to provide researchers with pre-licence, pre-seed or seed funding for high-tech ventures, has raised £1m of its £5m target.
UK - BVCA research recommends policy initiatives for UK venture
New research published in association with the BVCA suggests a series of policy initiatives to improve the environment for smaller businesses in the UK, including the establishment of a Government sponsored fund-of-funds.
FRANCE - Linklaters names new counsel
Linklaters has promoted Kathryn Merryfield to the role of counsel.
FRANCE - Argos Soditic names new associate
Argos Soditic has promoted Frédéric Quéru to the role of associate.
FRANCE - Sofinnova and Ventech complete $2.7m MXP4 investment
Sofinnova Partners and Ventech Capital have returned for a $2.7m second round of funding for digital music company MXP4.
UK - Business angels to reap returns
Business angels stand to make an average IRR of 22% over four years from early-stage investments in the UK, according to new research published today by The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), in collaboration with the British...
FRANCE - Innovacom leads EUR 5.5m investment into Mixcommerce
Innovacom has invested EUR 3m into e-commerce company Mixcommerce as part of a EUR 5.5m financing round, with XAnge Private Equity providing the balance.
POLAND - Enterprise invests EUR 3m into R&C
Enterprise Investors, through the Enterprise Venture Fund, has pumped EUR 3m into Polish restaurant chain R&C Union, taking a 48% stake in the business.
UK - GE Capital makes six senior hires in the UK
Following the reorganisation of GE's global operations under the GE Capital brand, the company has made six senior level appointments to head up its asset-based lending, fleet and equipment financing operations in the UK.
UK - BPE-backed ATP acquires Instone from 3i in £37m deal
Barclays Private Equity-backed ATP International Group has acquired marine travel company Instone International from 3i, in a deal valued at £37m. Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets' acquistion finance team provided working capital facilities to support the...
UK - Charlemagne appoints Russell
Emerging markets investment management group Charlemagne Capital has hired Michael Russell as head of private equity - property.
UK - Hotbed backs buy-in of Sabel Cosmetics
Private investor network Hotbed has backed the management buy-in of UK-based hair care products manufacturer Sabel Cosmetics with an investment of £1.6m. Founder and vendor John Abel also participated in the deal.
GERMANY – EMBL Ventures leads EUR 4.5m vasopharm funding
EMBL Ventures, alongside HeidelbergCapital, Entrepreneurs Fund and KfW, has backed biotechnology company vasopharm GmbH with an investment of EUR 4.5m.
EUROPE - Close Brothers Corporate Finance acquired by Daiwa for £75m
Daiwa Securities SMBC Europe, the European subsidiary of Japanese investment bank Daiwa Securities SMBC Co, has agreed to acquire Close Brothers Corporate Finance from Close Brothers Group plc for £75m.