Synova Capital, a UK private equity firm focused on the lower mid-market, has acquired The Dental Buying Group, a provider of dental services and products. DBG operates a membership model providing services to over 4,500 dental practices across the UK. Members pay an annual fee to gain access to DBG’s

The US dominates the global venture capital investment market in the area of payments, according to a report by Mercator Advisory Group. China and India attract considerable attention from global venture capital investors as well. The general trend in the venture capital market is toward more diversified solutions with heavier

Productivity software solutions provider RedPrairie Holding has been acquired by New Mountain Partners III, a private equity fund sponsored by New Mountain Capital. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. RedPrairie offers supply chain management, workforce management and in-store productivity solutions. Following its acquisition by New Mountain the company

Fundraising and private equity investment in Latin America set new records in 2009, according to a report published by the tax and accounting business of Thomson Reuters, under its WorldTrade Executive brand. The Venture Equity Latin America’s 2009 Year-end Report shows that fundraising for the region reached a total of

The number of private equity fund bidders eyeing Arcandor’s Karstadt department stores in a deal that could merge Karstadt with Metro’s Kaufhof has dropped to four from six. Blackstone Group, widely noted as one of the original bidders, is not interested, according to the report by Dow Jones Newswires. Permira

Caritas Christi Health Care has signed an agreement to be acquired by Steward Healthcare System, a newly formed affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management. Under the terms of the acquisition, CCHC will continue to be managed by its current Massachusetts-based executive team, including president and chief executive Ralph de la Torre.

Private equity firm 3i Group invested a total of GBP311m in the 11 months ended 28 February 2010, compared with GBP898m in the equivalent period last year.  Of this investment, GBP130m was cash invested in the existing portfolio, while the balance related primarily to capitalised interest. Realisation proceeds received by

Chaparral Energy, an independent oil and gas production and exploitation company, has entered into a definitive agreement with affiliates of CCMP Capital Advisors under which CCMP will invest USD345m to acquire a significant ownership stake in the company. Since its inception in 1988, Chaparral has increased reserves and production by

QVT Financial’s QVT Fund has tendered approximately 60 per cent of its shareholding in Galatasaray Sportif in connection with the tender offer for Sportif’s shares by its majority shareholder, Futbol, and realised the economic value under its existing swap arrangements based on the tender offer price. Dan Gold, chief executive

Wachovia Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on investments in growth companies, has become independent from Wells Fargo and been renamed Pamlico Capital. Pamlico will continue to manage its portfolio of over USD2bn in assets, including unfunded commitments available for new investments, on behalf of its existing limited partners.