GSO Capital Partners, the credit division of Blackstone (NYSE: BX), has announced the final closing of its second mezzanine fund, GSO Capital Opportunities Fund II, with total commitments of USD4 billion, making it among the world’s largest mezzanine funds and the largest mezzanine fund to be raised following the financial crisis of 2008. GSO will invest the Fund across a broad range of sectors and geographies, with a particular focus on the US and Europe. The fund’s size and scale allows it to focus on the underserved upper middle market, while its flexible structure enables GSO to be creative in

Cancer Research Technology, Cancer Research UK’s commercial arm, and the European Investment Fund (EIF), have joined together to create a GBP50 million investment fund to bridge the funding gap in the UK between cancer drug discovery and early development.  The CRT Pioneer Fund will seamlessly take potential cancer drugs from discovery through to entry to Phase II clinical trials. It is a bold step to fund the most innovative oncology research and to plug a large gap in the UK funding of drug discovery.  CRT and the EIF will make equal contributions to the CRT Pioneer Fund. The fund has

Broadlake Capital has acquired a significant stake in Vita Liberata, the International Self Tan Business.  This investment marks Broadlake’s first investment in the Health & Beauty market and presents the opportunity to support Vita Liberata’s founder Alyson Hogg and her team with the growth and continued International expansion of the brand.  Belfast Headquartered Vita Liberata is currently rolling out a successful International growth strategy which has seen its presence expand to include 16 European countries, South Africa, Australia and North America.  Broadlake’s Investment, combined with a new banking facility from Bank of Ireland will provide the capital to fund its

New Wind, LLC, the Nashville-based small-wind vertical-axis wind turbine (VAWT) company has received more than USD1 million in a second round of venture capital funding. Stuart Wiston, the company’s president, says the funding came because investors looked at the phenomenal growth and potential of the company and felt not only is the timing perfect because of the growth of small-wind as a practical solution to helping the nation’s energy crisis, but also because the company is in the process of expanding its product line after much research and development on practical, affordable, sustainable energy products. “This funding is a big

Brilla Group, a Miami-based private equity firm focused on the luxury beachfront hotel and resort asset class in South Florida, the Caribbean, México, Central America, and Colombia, completed the first closing for its Colombian Beachfront Hospitality Private Equity Fund on 1 February, 2012. This local vehicle, regulated by the Colombian Financial Superintendent (Superintendencia Financiera de Colombia) and administered by Fiduciaria Bancolombia, has USD30 million in committed equity from Colombian institutions, including Bancoldex (Colombia’s Foreign Trade Bank) and local pension funds. This Fund, which will invest in the region known as the Colombian Caribbean corridor, is the first such fund in

Cinven has completed its successful IPO of Ziggo NV, the largest cable operator in the Netherlands, on the NYSE Euronext Amsterdam. Cinven led the original investment in Ziggo in 2006 and retains a 27% shareholding in the business post-IPO. At close of trading on 26 March 2012, Ziggo ordinary shares were trading at a 21% premium to the issue price.   The Ziggo IPO initially generated total gross proceeds of EUR804 million, through the sale of 21.7% of the Company at EUR18.50 per share. The shares were priced at the top end of the range, reflecting the strong demand and giving

Data centre design and maintenance specialist Aceco TI has secured an investment from growth equity firm General Atlantic in exchange for a minority stake in the company.  This partnership will provide capital and strategic advice for Aceco TI as it continues to grow in Brazil and Latin America. “General Atlantic’s investment is an important step to support our expansion, to strengthen our business and to realize our full potential. Together, we can further accelerate the company’s growth in Brazil and throughout Latin America,” says Jorge Nitzan, Chief Executive Officer of Aceco TI.   “We are excited to partner with Aceco

European private equity firm, Cinven, has completed its acquisition of CPA Global, a global provider of intellectual property (IP) management services and software. The acquisition of CPA Global, headquartered in Jersey, Channel Islands, has received the required regulatory clearances and the approval of the Jersey courts, which sanctioned a new Scheme of Arrangement.   Cinven acquired CPA Global from its previous shareholders, including Intermediate Capital Group (ICG) and the founder shareholders (a number of patent attorneys in the UK and Australia) for an undisclosed consideration.   CPA Global, through its offices world-wide, supports many of the world’s best known corporations