LATEST NEWS

RBS to offload buyout fund stakes

The Royal Bank of Scotland is in talks to sell a portfolio of investments in private equity funds worth around £658m (€723m).

Monday, 15th March 2010
BlueGem in talks for Liberty takeover 

BlueGem Capital Partners is in talks to take over Liberty, the listed London retailer, in a deal that could value the group at around $40m (€44m).

Monday, 15th March 2010
US buyout firm eyes Liverpool FC deal

US private equity firm Rhone Group is believed to be in talks with Liverpool FC about a £118.5m (€130.2m) deal that will see the buyout house take a controlling stake in the club and halve its debts.

Monday, 15th March 2010
Private equity closes in on HobbyCraft 

A clutch of private equity bidders are through to the next round of the auction for HobbyCraft, the specialist arts and craft retailer.

Monday, 15th March 2010
Apax seals Promethean IPO

Apax Partners has successfully listed education technology group Promethean World in what will be a fillip for the IPO markets, which have been hit by a string of cancelled flotations.

Monday, 15th March 2010
Sovereign secures bolt-on to EEG

Sovereign Capital has bolted on certain trading assets of Future Environmental Services to drain and sewage-cleaning platform company Euro Environmental Group (EEG).

Monday, 15th March 2010
NVM acquires Lanner Group

NVM Private Equity has backed the £3m (€3.3m) management buyout of software business Lanner Group from 3i, which currently holds a minority stake in the company.

Monday, 15th March 2010
Encore Ventures makes double appointment

Encore Ventures, the secondaries division of DFJ Esprit, has made two additions to its investment team.

Monday, 15th March 2010
VC consortium backs GasSecure

Viking Venture, SINTEF Venture, Proventure Seed and Investinor have made a NKr33m (€4.1m) investment in wireless gas detector company GasSecure.

Monday, 15th March 2010
Veryan secures £3.6m investment

Imperial Innovations has invested £1.12m as part of a £3.6m (€3.9m) round of funding for portfolio company Veryan Holdings, a UK-based developer of vascular stent technology.

Monday, 15th March 2010

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"If the raft of heralded IPOs is now not going to happen after all, GPs and LPs may have to modify their return expectations further."

Guy Fraser-Sampson, Cass Business School

"Our impression is that corporates have become more aware of the potential benefits of corporate venturing to the enterprise."

Markus Thill, Robert Bosch Venture Capital
Queen fails to save Northern Rock Thu, 18 Oct 2007 May the Esprit be with you Thu, 18 Oct 2007 Flat tax haven Thu, 18 Oct 2007 The deer-hunter Thu, 18 Oct 2007
Q&A: Robert Manz

Enterprise Investors managing partner Robert Manz talks to Real Deals about the new economic reality, getting deals done in 2010 and the looming spectre of regulation.


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LATEST ISSUE

Leader

Venture's victory Venture's victory

The European venture capital industry was given a much-needed fillip at the beginning of this month, when two pieces of good news hit the headlines in the UK.

Top Story

Q&A: Mark Wignall Q&A: Mark Wignall

Fresh from a strong 2009, the chief executive of Matrix Private Equity Partners explains why he is a “small is beautiful” man, and contends that the VCT model remains attractive.

Feature

Competitive disadvantage Competitive disadvantage

Some areas of Central and Eastern Europe may have escaped lightly from the economic downturn, but fierce competition for scarce assets could drive up prices in 2010.  

Comment

From Baird to worse From Baird to worse

Much of today’s most important technology was invented by Europeans, but – as with venture – the Americans are best at “monetising” innovation.

News Analysis

Out with the old... Out with the old...

The departure of Atlas may be bad news for European venture, but a variety of smaller operators are lining up to fill the funding gap.


11.3.10

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