A blank-cheque boom in February

In this week’s Private Equity Wire podcast Karin Wasteson interviews Joe Stringer, partner at Octopus Ventures, who shares his views on trends in the healthtech space during the past year, and some of the sector’s key challenges and opportunities moving forward.

Private Equity Wire talks to Ted Persson, partner at EQT Ventures – which recently closed a USD18 million series-A round into Stockholm-based AI-focused online learning platform Sana Labs, about the fact that around 1.3 billion adults will face a ‘skills mismatch’ for the jobs needed in the future, how the online learning trend will pan out in the next few years, and the role of the private sector in driving this trend. 

According to newly released research by equity management platform Capdesk, 77 per cent of startup founders are saying that the Covid crisis has made them more likely to offer employee equity in their company.

By Purva Aggarwal – US-based global investing firm Capria Ventures made its second investment in Latin America during the pandemic in January, with Mexican VC fund Angel Ventures. The Mexico City-based firm invests in entrepreneurs across Latin America, with a particular focus on Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru.  

New York-based Grafine Partners, established by former Riverstone Holdings’ executive Elizabeth Weymouth, is hoping to fill what it regards as a key gap in the market, by providing institutional investors with a dedicated direct investment platform; one that places emphasis on patient, creative and sophisticated capital and a way for large investors to look beyond the usual ‘2 & 20’ fee model charged by traditional commingled funds.

At an early age, Dana Haimoff (pictured) was fuelled by ambition, which would go on to serve her well in her career as one of London’s leading female private equity executives. Her desire was simple: to move away from the school her parents sent her to, and enrol in Punahou. 

In this podcast, Private Equity Wire's editor Karin Wasteson speaks to Makram Azar (pictured) and Scott Freidheim, CEO and chairman respectively, of Golden Falcon, a SPAC focused on tech, media, telecoms and fintech companies primarily headquartered in Europe, and chairman, on why SPACs are growing in popularity, and some interesting trends they are seeing in this space.

BlackRock Alternative Specialists’ David Lomas discusses how its three-pronged approach to deal sourcing makes it well positioned to support private market investors heading into 2021.

Eight Roads Ventures and London-based VC firm Balderton Capital, with participation from existing investors including San Francisco-based Founders Fund, have led a Series B equity round into digital electricity supplier Tibber. 

Sub-Sahara African-based Pacer Ventures has launched a USD3 million fund for early-stage startups, with a focus on healthcare, financial inclusion, education and agriculture on the African continent.