UK unquote
Puma winds up three VCTs
Puma Investments has this month wound up three of its VCTs, Puma VCT III, Puma VCT IV and Puma VCT V, after the vehicles reached the end of their five-year lifespans.
DFJ Esprit et al. back ZBD
UK-based electronic shelf labelling (ESL) developer ZBD Solutions has secured $25m in fresh capital from a consortium of existing investors and US listed firm Zebra Technologies Corporation.
Goldman’s Hastings in £416.5m refinancing
Hastings Insurance Group, which recently secured investment from Goldman Sachs, has placed a £416.5m senior secured bond on the Irish Stock Exchange.
Walker Guidelines Monitoring Group appoints new chairman
The Walker Guidelines Monitoring Group has appointed Nick Land as chairman.
Balderton appoints Waterhouse as general partner
Daniel Waterhouse, Balderton
FF&P Private Equity reaps 2.2x return on OB10 sale
FF&P Private Equity has sold OB10, a UK-based e-invoice network operator, to new holding company Tungsten Corporation, reaping a blended 2.2x its money.
Auven sells Spirogen in $240m trade sale
Auven Therapeutics has sold cancer drug pharmaceutical company Spirogen to US listed corporation AstraZeneca's subsidiary MedImmune for $240m.
Albion invests in Cisiv
Albion Ventures has invested in healthcare software-as-a-service business Cisiv.
unquote” Regional Mid-market Barometer
UK mid-market
Baird Capital backs Medplast bolt-on
Baird Capital’s MedPlast has acquired UK-based Orthoplastics, a manufacturer operating in the orthopaedic implant market.
Piper hires 3i’s Stern
Dan Stern, Piper
Exponent’s Ambassador attracts private equity suitors
Exponent Private Equity-backed Ambassador Theatre Group is reportedly on the block and has attracted high-profile suitors including BC Partners, Blackstone and Carlyle.
Private equity eager to cash in on real estate bubble
The much-debated property bubble has economists worrying over soaring inflation rates. However, for the buyout community, a rush of first-time buyers and a flood of foreign money has those supporting the property industry licking their lips in anticipation....
Palatine pays £16m for LDC’s Forrest
Palatine Private Equity has backed the £16m secondary management buyout of social housing contractor Forrest, generating a 2.4x return for vendor LDC.
North West Fund backs Playdemic
The North West Fund for Digital & Creative, managed by AXM Venture Capital, has invested in Playdemic, a UK-based social games developer.
New VC launches to boost UK tech entrepreneurs
Enterprise Capital Fund has launched in the UK to support early-stage technology companies.
Cambridge Innovation Capital raises £50m
Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC) has raised £50m to back high-growth technology companies based in the Cambridge Cluster.
LDC backs Express Engineering
LDC has acquired a minority stake in Express Engineering, a UK-based precision engineering and contract manufacturing company for the oil and gas industry.
Electra sells Lil-lets to Premier Foods
Electra Partners has sold its stake in UK-based feminine hygiene brand Lil-lets Group to Premier Foods.
Promethean holds £19m first close
Special situations investor Promethean Investments has reached a first close for its latest fund on £19m.
Ardian-backed Diana acquires Confoco International
Diana Ingrédients, backed by Ardian (formerly Axa Private Equity), has acquired sales and marketing services provider Confoco International.
Ex-Prudential CEO joins Octopus board
Octopus Investments has appointed Rob Davey, former CEO of Prudential UK and Europe, as non-executive director.
LDC backs £20m round for The Training Room
LDC has backed The Training Room (TTR), a UK-based provider of vocational training courses for gym instructors, in a £20m funding round alongside the company’s CEO.
Jones Day hires BLP's Weir
International law firm Jones Day has hired Michael Weir as a partner in its private equity practice in the London office.