News
DENMARK - iMotions Emotion Technology attracts $2.7m
iMotion Emotion Technology has attracted $2.7m from a number of business angels and previous investors, such as InVenture Capital and MIT Entrepreneurship Center.
FRANCE - New food-oriented firm emerges
Céréa Capital, a new investment firm which backs agricultural or food-related businesses, has already completed two buyouts and is currently negotiating its third.
UK - Graphite exits PIFC Group
Graphite Capital has realised its investment in PIFC Group, an employee benefits consultancy. The business has been acquired by Thinc Group Holdings Ltd, part of the AXA Group for an undisclosed sum. At the time of the sale, PIFC had reduced its pre-tax...
GERMANY - The Carlyle Group sells Personal & Informatik AG
The Carlyle Group has sold its 66.54% stake in Personal Informatik AG (P&I), a German human resources & software and service vendor provider, to 35 institutional investors in Europe and United States in a book-building process managed by Berenberg Bank....
FRANCE - Computer services business RBS receives EUR 3m
OTC Asset Management, CM-CIC Capital Privé and Sigma Gestion have invested EUR 3m in RBS, a Strasbourg-based information systems consultancy and solution provider.
SWEDEN - Nordic Capital takes Nefab private for SEK 1.184bn
NPNC Interessenter, a company jointly owned by Nordic Capital and the Nordgren/Pihl family, has made a public cash offer for the shares in Nefab AB. The bid to delist the company values it SEK 1.184bn. Nefab delivers complete packaging solutions to international...
FRANCE - Opinion poll specialist sold in secondary buyout
Ixen (formerly known as Natixis Industrie) has backed the secondary buyout of opinion polls specialist BVA from Edmond de Rothschild Invetsment Partners and Equity Vision.
FRANCE - Acto and fund-of-fund Quilvest back buyout of Ubiqus
Unquote" can exclusively reveal that Acto (Finama Private Equity) has backed the leveraged buyout of professional conference organiser Ubiqus, alongside its LP Quilvest, which made a direct co-investment.
SWEDEN - Protego opens Swedish office
Protego Real Estate Investors has opened an office in Stockholm to further expand its European operations. The opening of the office follows the launch of its EUR 1.65bn Nordic Retail Fund in June. The vehicle will invest in a diversified portfolio of...
UK - Beringea invests £2m in MBO of The Vending Corporation
Beringea has completed the management buyout of The Vending Corporation, a distributor of chilled beverage and snack vending machines. Beringea invested ТЃ2m through ProVen VCT and ProVen Growth & Income VCT, for a significant minority equity stake. The...
SPAIN - Panrico sells 50% its shares in Dunkin Donuts
Dunkin Brands has purchased 50% of the Spanish operations of Dunkin Donuts, held until now by Apax-owned industrial baker Panrico.
UK - Lord Browne resigns from Apax
Lord Browne has resigned from his position as chairman of the Apax Partners Advisory Board to take a position with US private equity firm Riverstone Holdings. Browne, former BP chief executive, has joined Riverstone as managing director and managing partner...
SWEDEN - Accent Equity sells Wernersson Ost to Tine
Accent Equity has sold Wernersson Ost, a Swedish cheese supplier, together with its management to TINE, a Norwegian dairy producer for an undisclosed sum. Wernersson Ost was founded in 1930 and is Sweden's largest independent importer of specialty cheese....
SWEDEN - Industrifonden makes new appointments
Inudtrsifonden, the Swedish venture investor, has made two new appointments. Magnus Fransson has been hired as an ny investment manager for ICT investments. Fransson has an engineering background and has held leading positions in Ericsson corporate venture...
ITALY - DeA Capital joins Palamon to expand Sigla
DeA Capital, the investment vehicle of industrial player De Agostini, has purchased a minority stake of 26.75% in financial services provider Sigla from its co-founder for a total of EUR 38m. Upon completion of the deal, Palamon will remain holding its...
FRANCE - ABN Amro and Astorg to refinance OFIC in the autumn
Following the recent disposal of non-core business Cellulose de la Loire to Cerea Capital, private equity-backed roof covering specialist OFIC is expected to undergo a 'mini-recap' in the autumn.
UK - TPG strengthens bid for Jaguar and Land Rover
Texas Pacific Group has strengthened its bid in the auction for Ford's UK assets Jaguar and Land Rover by appointing Bob Dover as an adviser. Dover was former chief executive of Jaguar and Land Rover. Other bidders, One Equity Partners and Ripplewood...
FINLAND - Conor Ventures invests in Aito Technologies
Aito Technologies, a Finnish software company, has raised series-A funding from Conor Ventures. The new investment will be used for further product development and market expansion.
SWITZERLAND - Molecular Partners receives EUR 11.3m funding
Swiss biotechnology company Molecular Partners has received EUR 11.3m financing from Index Ventures, BB Biotech Ventures, Endeavour Vision and Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation. The new funds are intended to allow the company to advance its portfolio...
SWITZERLAND - Pevion Biotech raises EUR 22m
BZ Bank, BB Biotech Ventures, Bachem and CC Private Equity Partners have participated in a EUR 22m series-A financing round of Swiss bio-pharmaceutical company Pevion Biotech. The investment will be used to advance vaccines in clinical development and...
UK - Bestport backs £6m buyout of Hotelscene
Bestport Ventures has backed the ТЃ6m buyout of corporate travel booking company Hotelscene Group Ltd. Bestport invested ТЃ1.75m in the deal alongside debt provided by HSBC.
UK - Amadeus supports $12.5m series-C round for Enigmatec
Existing investors Amadeus Capital Partners and Pentech Ventures have led a $12.5m series-C funding round for IT process automation company Enigmatec Corporation Ltd. New investor Herald Ventures and Kevin Lomax, formerly chairman of Misys have also invested...
UK - Close Ventures exits Bold Pub Company
Close Ventures has realised its investment in Bold Pub Company. The exit has generated a IRR in excess of 20% over Close Ventures' three year holding period. Calco Midlands has acquired the business.
GLOBAL - Carlyle postpones IPO
The Carlyle Group has put back plans for an IPO until 2008, David Rubenstein said in an interview with Financial Times Deutschland. He blamed the delay on the uncertainty in the debt and equity markets and also said that he expected one quarter of agreed...