Private equity-backed companies weathered the recession significantly better than comparable businesses, according to a study released by the Private Equity Council. The study found that the annualised default rate for the more than 3,200 private equity-backed companies acquired between 2000 and 2009 and held through 2008-2009 was 2.8 per cent

Villani Advisors has signed an agreement to advise and originate special private placements and private equity investments with several alternative investment groups. Combined the group represents over USD6bn and has completed more than 250 transactions in over 45 countries. Villani Advisors’ investment partners usually fund between USD2m and USD100m per

Private equity firm Hudson Ferry Capital has made an investment in Contrax Furnishings, a provider of classroom, technology and administrative furniture for educational and institutional markets. Contrax provides design, consulting, project management, and installation services to public and private schools, colleges and universities. William I. Latham III, chief executive, and

MuleSoft, a provider of software and support for open source application infrastructure products, has closed its third round of financing with USD12m in venture capital. The financing was led by SAP Ventures with Bay Partners also participating as a new investor. Existing investors Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures and

Glacier Bay, a California-based developer of system-integrated DC power and thermal management technologies, has raised USD15m in series C funding. Venture capital firm City Light Capital led the tranche, and was joined by return backers The Westley Group and New Enterprise Associates. The company previously raised over USD40m from Westley,

StepStone ASA has signed a binding agreement to sell its StepStone Solutions talent management software division to European sector focused private equity investor HgCapital for a purchase price of EUR110m. The transaction is expected to close by the end of April 2010, subject to usual closing conditions. In 2009 StepStone

Growth Capital Partners, an equity and debt provider to lower mid market companies, has sold Entec, an environmental and engineering consultancy, to Amec for an initial cash consideration of GBP61.2m. Further payments will be made subject to retention and performance. Amec is a FTSE 100 supplier of consultancy, engineering and

Scientific Conservation, a provider of energy efficiency, system optimisation and automated continuous commissioning solutions for the commercial building market, has closed USD5m in series A funding with Draper Fisher Jurvetson, a venture capital firm based in Menlo Park, California. The company has also named Russ McMeekin as chief executive officer.

Fundo de Investimento Privado Angola, a private equity fund targeting small and medium sized enterprises in Angola, has held its first closing. The European Investment Bank, the long-term lending institution of the European Union, is to provide USD6m for the USD28m fund. Other investors are Danish International Investment Funds, Banco

Enphase Energy, a provider of solar microinverter systems, has secured USD40m in funding with Bay Partners leading the equity financing. The round of financing also includes participation from Horizon Technology Finance, Bridge Bank and existing investors Third Point Ventures, RockPort Capital Partners, Madrone Capital Partners and Applied Ventures. "Enphase has