Deals
Karbone Inc, a financial services firm that caters to power generation and energy markets, has acquired Watts Capital, a New York-based investment bank and broker dealer specialising in capital raising and strategic advisory for companies in the technology, clean tech and broader energy sectors.
“Acquiring Watts Capital and its team of industry veterans is key to our growth strategy and has immediately broadened our Capital Advisory project/company pipeline and investor universe,” says Rich Weihe, A Managing Partner and Head of Karbone’s Capital Advisory division. “We’ve been very successful running sell-side asset mandates and various capital raises across the renewable/conventional spectrum and these new capabilities allow
Freeformers, which helps companies and individuals adapt to workplace challenges generated by flexible work, automation and digital transformation, has raised GBP1.2 million of investment from leading UK social impact fund Impact Ventures UK (IVUK).
The investment by IVUK is significant in bringing substantial growth capital to a major profit and purpose business with a focus on workforce transformation to support its scaling both in the UK and internationally.
Founded by Gi Fernando, Freeformers works globally with corporates and institutions – including HSBC, Barclays, Tesco and the Ministry of Justice – to ensure that their workforces are adapting to the
White Oak Equity Partners (White Oak), a private equity firm that purchases minority GP interests in alternative asset managers, has acquired a minority interest in Blueshift Asset Management, a quantitative investment firm focused on statistical arbitrage and high-frequency trading strategies.
White Oak led a group of strategic investors who provided the equity capital to launch Blueshift’s business and trading activities. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Prior to launching the Firm, the Blueshift team, led by Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer Mani Mahjouri (pictured), managed the asset management activities of Tradeworx, a financial technology firm.
Vectra Co (Vectra), a portfolio company of certain funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, has signed a definitive agreement to sell its EaglePicher business to affiliates of private equity firm GTCR.
EaglePicher is a provider of power and energy solutions for mission-critical applications with over 170 years of materials and electrochemistry expertise. The company is focused on specialised applications within high growth areas of defence, aerospace and medical products. As part of the transaction, it is anticipated that the existing management team at EaglePicher and its approximately 800 employees will remain with the business upon the closing. Terms
Brand Industrial Services, known as BrandSafway, has acquired Venko Groep BV, a portfolio company of Mentha Capital, effective 1 January, 2018.
Moving forward, the company will operate as Venko, A BrandSafway Company and become a part of Brand Energy & Infrastructure Services (Brand) in Europe.
“We’re excited to announce the closing of the acquisition of Venko,” says Dave Witsken, President of Energy and Industrial for BrandSafway. “Venko is a leading offshore coatings maintenance provider for platforms in Europe. By leveraging the highly specialised knowledge and capabilities of Venko, we will be able to provide expanded coatings services to Brand’s European customers.
Tikehau IM, a subsidiary of Tikehau Capital, has arranged a EUR14.4 million add-on Unitranche to support Terratest’s acquisition of Geostructures, a US-based provider of ground improvement services for commercial, residential and institutional construction.
Founded in 1959 in Spain and majority owned by Platinum Equity since 2014, Terratest is a leading international provider of foundation work, ground improvement and micro-tunnelling services for large-scale international infrastructure projects, industrial, commercial and residential construction.
In May 2017, Tikehau led the refinancing of Terratest with a EUR60 million Unitranche. This transaction is another illustration of Tikehau IM’s expertise to offer private debt financing solutions
Private equity firm Mid Europa Partners has completed the acquisition of Hortex, a consumer goods player in Poland, operating in juice and frozen food sectors.
Hortex is the largest manufacturer of branded frozen food and second largest juice producer in Poland. The Company has one of the most iconic and recognisable FMCG brands in Poland and CEE, state-of-the-art production facilities, and nationwide distribution capabilities. Mid Europa will support Hortex in executing strategic initiatives, including new product development, expansion into adjacent categories and selective add- on acquisitions.
The transaction was executed by Berke Biricik, Marek Rodak, Bartosz Malecki, and Elzbieta
UK multi-site crêperie brand Crêpeaffaire has secured investment from BGF to accelerate its new site rollout. The firm, which operates 10 company owned sites and has a growing franchise in the Middle East, will use the funding to expand across the UK and internationally.
BGF, which has become a long-term, minority investor in the business, has provided over GBP2 million to support the expansion.
Set up in 2008 by chief executive Daniel Spinath, Crêpeaffaire provides an all-day offering, serving sweet and savoury crêpes, waffles, coffees and smoothies for food-to-go and sit in customers.
Starting from a single London
Aliter Capital 1, a the specialist investor focused on small to mid-size UK support services businesses, has completed an investment in Boston Networks, through the formation of a topco.
Boston Networks is an integrated technologies specialist, working across IT network infrastructure, with a focus on fire, security and smart building systems. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
This investment establishes a third platform and is the sixth transaction that Aliter has made since launching its specialist fund dedicated to investing in the support services sector just twelve months ago, including two other platform investments and three bolt-on
Capzanine has made its first investment in Spain providing MBA, a Spanish orthopaedic prostheses and trauma products distributor, with a EUR25 million unitranche facility.
Founded in 1988 in Asturias, Spain, MBA differentiates itself from competitors through its offering of a wide range of products, a qualified and specialised sales team, and a surgeon-focused strategy.
Capzanine’s main investment fundamentals in MBA are the company’s well-established leadership position and its confidence in Alantra (majority shareholder) and in the management team of the company, led by Carlos Marina. This EUR25m unitranche facility will allow MBA to reorganise its capital structure and to
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
