UK unquote
Delta leads $6m round for Cleverbug
Irish firm Delta Partners has led a $6m funding round for Cleverbug, the Dublin-based developer of a greetings card app.
VCs sell NaturalMotion to Zynga for $527m
NYSE-listed game developer Zynga has acquired NaturalMotion, a UK-based animation technology firm backed by Balderton Capital, for $527m.
SBT makes first UK investment in Red Zebra
Fintech-focused investor SBT Venture Capital has made a capital commitment to UK-based Red Zebra Analytics, marking its first investment in the UK.
Marson-Smith leaves Gresham
Gresham Private Equity chairman Paul Marson-Smith has confirmed his decision to retire.
Should UK SMEs boost non-EU exports?
In the last two years there has been a spate of government initiatives aimed at increasing UK SME exports to non-EU markets. But is this the right strategy for economic growth and is the public sector best placed to advise? Alice Murray reports
3i toasts bumper Q4
Listed private equity firm 3i has reported a strong end to 2013, with £29m of realisations, £322m of new investments and an improved NAV per share.
PHD scores 9.2x on Liberty Services exit
PHD Equity Partners has generated a 9.2x money multiple and a 70.4% IRR on its sale of Liberty Services to Capita.
HIG provides unitranche to support Steelite MBO
HIG WhiteHorse, the credit arm of HIG Capital, has supplied tableware business Steelite with a £29m unitranche facility to allow management to secure full ownership.
BGF suits up with £8.5m ACS investment
Business Growth Fund (BGF) has invested £8.5m into formal wear rental business ACS Clothing and its software offering Xedo Software.
Palamon ups investment in QualitySolicitors
Palamon Capital Partners has provided its portfolio company QualitySolicitors, a UK-based high-street legal brand, with additional funding more than two years after its acquisition.
Inflexion deals with Succession
Inflexion has invested in Succession, a UK privately owned wealth management business.
SEP sells ControlCircle to Alternative Networks
Scottish Equity Partners (SEP) has sold hosting and cloud-based services provider ControlCircle to Alternative Networks for £39.4m.
Balderton leads $7m round for GoCardless
Balderton Capital has led a $7m series-B round for GoCardless, a London-based B2B online direct debit platform, alongside existing backers Accel Partners and Passion Capital.
Premier Foods toasts Hovis sale
Warburg Pincus-backed Premier Foods has sold its bread business, Hovis, to US private equity firm The Gores Group in a deal valuing the division at £87.5m.
Warburg Pincus hires Kukielski as new EIR
Peter Kukielski, Warburg Pincus
Carlyle indulges with Lily O’Brien’s
Carlyle’s Ireland-focused fund has invested in premium chocolate and dessert maker Lily O’Brien’s.
Braveheart and Crowdcube set up crowdfunding co-investment fund
Braveheart Investment Group and crowdfunding platform Crowdcube Ventures have established the Crowdcube Venture Fund (CVF), a co-investment vehicle for crowdfunded businesses.
Agilitas invests in Impetus Waste Management
Pan-European investor Agilitas has supported the management buyout of Impetus Waste Management.
Highland leads €23.5m investment in AMCS
Highland Capital Partners Europe has led a €23.5m capital injection into AMCS Group.
Cerea and BPI France carve out Chesapeake division
Agribusiness-focused Cerea Partenaire and French state-backed BPI France have acquired the speciality chemical packaging division of Chesapeake.
Index injects $21m into The Cambridge Satchel Company
Index Ventures has invested $21m in satchel maker The Cambridge Satchel Company.
HgCapital becomes fifth PE backer of Zenith
HgCapital has acquired car rental company Zenith Vehicle Contracts Group from Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity (MSPE).
VC-backed Egalet files $45.5m IPO
UK-based pharma company Egalet, backed by a consortium of venture capital firms, is seeking to raise up to $45.5m in its IPO on the Nasdaq.
Sovereign’s Cordium picks up HedgeStart
Sovereign Capital has backed Cordium’s acquisition of HedgeStart as it continues its buy-and-build growth strategy.