News
UK - MVM provides further seed funding for Heptares
MVM Life Science Partners has provided drug discovery company Heptares Therapuetics with a further round of seed funding. MVM backed the establishment of Heptares, a spinout from the Medical Research Council, in 2007.
UK - 3i acquires Ultralase in £174.5m buyout
3i has signed an agreement to acquire Ultralase, a company which offers laser correction for vision, for £174.5m from Corporación Dermoestética, a Spain-based medical aesthetic business.
SPAIN - Miura appoints Juan Rosell as its president
Miura Private Equity has announced the arrival of Juan Rosell as its new president.
RUSSIA - Great Europe Deep Value invests in Nord Timber
Great Europe Deep Value Fund together with a co-investor acquired, in a MBO/MBI, Nord Timber, a company consisting of two sawmills and the right to harvest forest land of 1m hectares. This investment was structured through a newco in Cyprus.
PORTUGAL - Inter-Risco reaps 7.7x multiple on TvTel exit
Inter-Risco has reaped a 7.7x multiple and 30% IRR on its sale of broadcasting company TvTel to Portugal Telecom Media in a deal valued at approximately EUR 120m.
ITALY - TTVenture fund launched by banking foundations
TTVenture a new closed fund dedicated to the transfer of technological research to companies has been launched by banking institutions. The vehicle is reported to have so far raised EUR 60m.
NETHERLANDS - Emerald leads EUR 15m investment in EWT
A consortium led by Emerald Technology Ventures has acquired an equity position in privately-held Emergya Wind Technologies, a Dutch wind turbine manufacturer. In December 2007, Ludgate Environmental had invested EUR 1.43m in the company. According to...
UK - NESTA leads £1.2m funding round in Camrivox
Camirox Ltd, a Cambridge-based developer of computer telephony integration, has raised £1.2m from a consortium of investors led by NESTA Investments.
GERMANY - Paine & Partners to acquire Stabilus from Montagu Private Equity
Montagu Private Equity plans to divest Stabilus, a manufacturer of gas springs, to funds managed by Paine & Partners, LLC. The transaction is expected to close in April 2008. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
SPAIN - Intel Capital acquires Lighthouse Global Technologies
Intel Capital-backed Atempo has acquired IT company Lighthouse Global Technologies.
FRANCE - Hellman & Friedman acquire 30% of GTT for EUR 330m
Hellman & Friedman has acquired Saipem’s 30% stake in Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) for EUR 330m. Gaz de France and Total retain their respective 40% and 30% stakes.
FRANCE – Avenir backed Filuxat acquires Pare Gabia
Avenir backed groupe Filuxat has purchased Pare Gabia,, another Basque-based espadrille producer to add to the Luxat and Bayona brands already under its control.
FRANCE - Ventech and Neuf Cegetel inject EUR 6m in Wengo
Ventech and Neuf Cegetel have invested EUR 6m in a second round of financing of Wengo.
GERMANY - High-Tech Gründerfonds invests in Contros Systems & Solutions GmbH
Seed investors High-Tech Gründerfonds, MAZ level one and business angel Paal Nordby from Norway have provided funding for CONTROS Systems & Solutions GmbH, a Kiel-based developer, producer and distributor of underwater sensor systems to detect hydrocarbons,...
UK - Impax invests £4m in New Earth
Impax Asset Management has invested £4m in biological waste treatment and resource recovery company New Earth Solutions.
UK - Matrix appoints new MD
Matrix Group has appointed Mark MacLean as managing director of Matrix Private Funds Group. He joins the existing team of Ray Coole, Edward Holdsworth and Charles Lemon.
SWEDEN – EQT alone in the fight for Securitas Direct
Melker Schörling AB (MSAB), Investment Latour and SäkI AB have left the EMSL Interessenter consortium led by EQT, and announced that they will no longer be part of the SEK 10.1bn offer for Securitas Direct. In a letter to the Independent Committee,...
CEE - VCP increases its stake in FHB
Vienna Capital Partners has signed a forward agreement for 300,000 more shares of mortgage bank FHB, bringing its stake to 13.07%. The fund currently owns 6.5m FHB shares, equuivalent to a 9.86% stake. The transaction is conditional upon the approval...
AUSTRIA – Apollo rumoured to be interested in Constantia
US private equity player Apollo is rumoured to be interested in acquiring Constantia Privatbank Aktiengesellschaft, based in Vienna. Other bidders are said to include Credit Suisse, OTP, and Vienna Insurance Group. Signing for the deal is expected in...
CEE - BC Partners et al take a 51% stake in Migros
A consortium led by BC Partners has acquired 50.83% of Migros Turk, a supermarket chain listed on the Istanbul stock market. Koç Holding provided the debt for the transaction.
GERMANY - SKAPITAL invests 1.5m EUR in Gründerfonds Bielefeld-Ostwestfalen
SKAPITAL Unternehmensbeteiligungsgesellschaft, a subsidiary of Sparkasse Bielefeld, Sparkasse Detmold and Sparkasse Herford, has invested EUR 1.5m in Gründerfonds Bielefeld-Ostwestfalen, a fund advised by eCAPITAL entrepreneurial Partners AG, based in...
UK - BVCA publishes economic impact study
The BVCA this morning released its annual economic impact report which confirmed private equity as a significant driver of the UK economy. The report, research for which was undertaken by IE Consulting, revealed that private equity-backed firms generated...
UK - BVCA announces membership of monitoring group
The BVCA has announced the membership of the new monitoring body set up in response to Sir David Walker’s recommendations on increasing transparency and disclosure by the private equity industry. Alan Thomson, former group finance director of Smiths...
UK - South West venture funds back Atlas Genetics with £2.1m
South West Ventures Fund and Finance South West Growth Fund have led a £2.1m further funding round in Bath-based company, Atlas Genetics.This latest round sees further funding being provided by existing investors, South West Ventures Fund, GEIF and private...