There were 665 private equity-backed buyout deals announced globally in Q1 2013, valued at a total of USD87bn, a 112 per cent increase from the USD41bn in the same quarter last year, according to Preqin. However, the number of deals fell from 770 in Q4 2012 to 665 in the

North Castle Partners and its co-investors have completed an investment of growth capital in Ignite USA, a developer and marketer of reusable, environmentally friendly thermal mugs and hydration bottles.   North Castle is a private equity firm focused on investments in consumer-driven companies that promote healthy, active and sustainable living. 

IntraLinks has acquired MergerID and PE-Nexus, two online deal sourcing platforms for the mergers and acquisitions industry.   MergerID, based in London and owned by the Financial Times Group, and PE-Nexus, a privately-held company based in Miami, Florida, will be combined to create the largest global deal marketplace and professional

Despite a challenging year for venture capital investment in 2012, the US VC-backed industry remains substantial.   Better portfolio company exits and returns suggest the slump in fundraising could be over in 2013, according to Ernst & Young’s tenth annual Venture Capital Insights and Trends Report.   According to the

Spring Mountain Capital has organised and closed a USD9.2m Series A private equity financing facility for the Hurel Corporation, a provider of advanced artificial tissue constructs and microfluidic cell-based assay platforms.    Funds from the financing will support the commercial launch of Hurel’s current products, the continued research and development

glendonTodd Capital, a Dallas-based private equity firm, has closed its previously announced merger of Aztec Systems and Toutatis Client Services do Brasil, including foreign affiliated operating entities.   Both Aztec and Toutatis are glendonTodd portfolio companies.   This merger creates a multinational business process and information technology outsourcing firm with

CapVest Equity Partners II and Lantmännen ek have created the leading Nordic poultry producer through the simultaneous acquisition of Kronfågel Group in Sweden and Denmark from Lantmännen, and Cardinal Foods in Norway from CapMan. The new company will have a turnover of more than SEK5bn, while the ownership structure positions

Investment Management Group (IMG), a Moscow-based private equity real estate fund manager, has concluded bank financing for its two investee retail projects for the total amount of USD246.7m.   A long-term financing agreement for USD218m has been signed with the Russian Sberbank to finance the construction of Zelenopark project, a

Private equity firm North Castle Partners has completed the sale of Caleel + Hayden Holdings, dba gloProfessional.    The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.   gloProfessional is a developer and marketer of mineral-based cosmetics under the glominerals brand and premium skin care under the glotherapeutics brand. glo

Brazos Private Equity Partners, a Dallas-based private investment firm, has invested in European Wax Center (EWC), a provider of facial and body wax treatment services through its network of franchise stores.   Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.   Existing management, led by co-founders David and Josh