Neuralstem has secured USD8m in debt financing with Hercules Technology Growth Capital to fund the company’s capital budget through late 2014.   "This debt financing extends our cash runway well into late 2014 at a critical time in our clinical product development cycle. We have multiple NSI-566 cell therapy clinical trials planned this year, building on our successful ALS Phase I trial, including the upcoming phase II ALS in the US; both chronic and acute spinal cord injury in the US and South Korea, respectively; ALS in Mexico, and stroke in China, in addition to completing the NSI-189/Phase Ib trial

European private equity fundraising remains subdued, with volumes raised over the last four years (2009-2012) being only 40 per cent of those raised in the four year period prior to that (2005-2008), according to research carried out by Acanthus Advisers.   However, for funds with well differentiated strategies and solid track records, the market remains very much open, with some notable fund raising successes.   Acanthus Advisers’ European Mid-Market Fundraising Review 2013 provides detailed data on European fundraising statistics, year by year, country by country, as well as commentary on the various structural challenges that private equity faces.   According

AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) has received an irrevocable offer from an investor group for its entire stake in AXA Investment Managers Private Equity SA (AXA Private Equity). The proposed transaction would be structured with a view to protecting AXA Private Equity’s investment expertise and performance-driven culture, and to ensuring that its clients continue to benefit from the service and performance they have had over the past several years.   The transaction would enable AXA to monetize its interest in AXA Private Equity, a business developed by the group since 1996, and would provide a strong foundation for the next

NewWorld Environmental Infrastructure has invested in a six-project 11.6 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic electricity production project portfolio developed by Soltage.    The projects will be located in Connecticut and Massachusetts and will commence construction this month.   Soltage specialises in the development, design, ownership, finance and operation of solar power plants for large commercial customers. Since its founding, Soltage has developed 10 solar power generating projects representing more than 14 megawatts of distributed generating capacity. Soltage is backed by a group of investors, including independent energy company Tenaska, ranked by Forbes as the 35th largest privately held US company based on

Terra Venture Partners has held the first closing for its new fund at USD20m.   The fund’s primary investors include a US private equity fund, a Brazilian bank, European family offices, and additional strategic investors, many of which have invested in Terra’s first fund.   Terra is targeting USD50mn in total. On completion of fundraising for Fund II, Terra will manage a total of USD90m.   The capital raised for the second fund is expected to be invested in ventures not necessarily associated with the traditional cleantech industry, and which connect between internet, software and mobile technology, and have a

Paine & Partners, a private equity investment firm focused on investing in food and agribusiness, has made an investment in SGF Produce Holdings, the parent entity of Sunrise Growers~Frozsun Foods, which was an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital Partners.   Following the closing, Sunrise will no longer be an affiliated portfolio company of Sun Capital.   Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.   Sunrise is a frozen fruit processor and marketer. The company, headquartered in Placentia, California, was founded in 1977 and operates processing facilities in Oxnard and Santa Maria, California, which are strategically located in the

The US IPO market surged in the early part of 2013 and, in overall equity capital markets volume, the US exchanges continue to dominate the globe, driving the most deal activity.   According to Ernst & Young’s Global IPO update, 24 IPOs have gone effective in Q1, raising more than USD6.7bn in proceeds.   The Ernst & Young US IPO Pipeline Analysis indicates an additional nine IPOs, which are scheduled to price before quarter end, will raise USD1.8bn and will be on par with the 33 IPOs which raised USD8.7bn in Q4.     As the US housing market continues