Business Growth Fund (BGF), established to help the UK’s fast growing smaller and medium sized businesses, has invested GBP2.5m of growth capital for a minority stake in Manchester-based Boost Juice Bars UK, a growing chain of retail stores specialising in the sale of freshly made smoothies and juices. Boost currently

PAI Partners has signed an agreement to acquire IPH Group, a European industrial supplies distribution business, from Investcorp for an undisclosed amount. The business services sector is a core area of investment focus and expertise for PAI. The firm’s previous investments in this sector include SPIE, Kiloutou, Kwik-Fit, FTE Automotive

Propel Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on investing in consumer brands, has acquired Fundex Games, a maker of popular games. The assets of Fundex Games will be incorporated under the Ideal and POOF brands of POOF-Slinky, makers of iconic toys under the Slinky, POOF, Ideal, and Scientific Explorer

Private equity investment firm HIG Capital has sold Safe-Guard Products International to an affiliate of Goldman Sachs, a global investment banking, securities and investment management firm. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Safe-Guard is a provider of finance and insurance (F&I) products to the automotive industry. “HIG has been a tremendous partner

Albion Ventures has invested GBP2.6m in Proveca, a pharmaceutical company that develops innovative and technically complex new pharmaceuticals largely for children. Proveca, which was established in 2010 by Simon Bryson and Dr Helen Shaw, focuses on the re-engineering of existing generic medicines to make them appropriate for use by young

Waud Capital Partners’ portfolio company ProNerve has acquired PhysIOM Group, one of the largest providers of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) services in the western and southeastern US. Headquartered in Colorado, PhysIOM serves over 290 hospital clients across 33 states. PhysIOM represents ProNerve’s third acquisition in 2012 and establishes the company as

Aston Hill Financial has completed its purchase of Citadel Securities, a provider of investment advice and services to private and institutional investors. The deal was previously announced on 15 November. Aston Hill is a diversified asset management company with a suite of retail mutual funds, closed end funds, private equity

Wellspring Capital Management has sold its portfolio company Cleaver-Brooks, a provider of boiler room solutions, to Harbour Group. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Since acquiring Cleaver-Brooks in June 2008, Wellspring and management worked closely to leverage the company’s position and optimise the value of its integrated product