Main Capital Partners (Main) has launched an international software group that specialises in solutions for Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) processes. This strategic development comes after the acquisition of a majority stake in Swedish Blika Solutions (Blika) and the immediate addition of audimex in Germany as its first add-on portfolio company. The financial details for these transactions have not been disclosed.   Blika, headquartered in Stockholm, represents the first Nordic platform investment from the Main Foundation I fund, which was launched in October 2021 targeting innovative, high-growth software companies. 

Main will support the Group with further strengthening its position in

Cakesmiths, an independent manufacturer and supplier of artisan handmade cakes, has secured investment from leading mid-market private equity firm and cake afficionado LDC to support the next stage of its growth journey. Bristol-based Cakesmiths supplies its range to a number of independent customers across the UK through its direct-to-market online platform.   The business caters to a wide range of palates, including a broad vegan and very-low gluten range – plus it prides itself on exciting innovation and limited edition ‘small batch’ runs. Eight products received Great Taste Awards in 2021, including Billionaire’s Shortbread, Persian Love Loaf and Ultimate Carrot

Funds managed by KKR and Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) have completed their acquisition CyrusOne in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately USD15 billion, including the assumption of debt. Trading of the company’s shares of common stock has been suspended on the NASDAQ Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”), and that CyrusOne has requested that its common stock be delisted from Nasdaq. Intention to voluntarily delist its 1.450 per cent Senior Notes due 2027 (the “Notes”), as well as to deregister the Notes from registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investcorp, a global manager of alternative investment products, has sold its majority stake in Agromillora (“the Company”) to the founders of Agromillora and to Edify, the investment holding company controlled by the Despature family. The financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.   Founded in Barcelona in 1986, Agromillora is a provider of advanced plant propagation services to the agricultural industry with a focus on permanent crop producing trees including stone fruit trees, citrus trees, almond and other nut trees, olive trees, berries and vines.    Investcorp invested in Agromillora in December 2016 and has worked closely with

Global investment firms PAI Partners and Carlyle are to acquire Theramex, a global specialty pharmaceuticals company focused on women’s health, from CVC Capital Partners VI (CVC). Theramex was created following the carve-out of a portfolio of women’s health pharma products in 2018, and has subsequently developed into one of the largest specialty pharma platforms dedicated to women and their health. The company provides patient-focused solutions across contraception, fertility, menopause, and osteoporosis with the aim of providing patients with products that can support them through their life journey.  With the support of Carlyle and PAI Partners, Theramex will seek to expand

Alteryx, Inc (NYSE: AYX), an Analytics Automation company, has made a strategic investment in Vertis, a data-driven market intelligence platform. With Vertis, enterprises can instantly visualise and analyse their employee and real estate footprint to support critical growth and culture decisions. With this investment from Alteryx Ventures, Vertis will be better positioned to scale and meet enterprise requirements and demand in the evolving talent landscape. Vertis empowers business leaders, human resource and talent executives, facilities teams and advisors to leverage data confidently as it relates to their most important asset—people. Alteryx shares a similar vision, underscoring the long-term benefits for

Bulgarian euShipments.com, leader in providing comprehensive courier, logistic, and fulfilment solutions for e-commerce players from Bulgaria and CEE, has closed its first round of external financing with private equity firm BlackPeak Capital, investing up to EUR7.5 million into the company via BlackPeak Southeast Europe Growth Equity Fund, its second fund. The new capital will be used to accelerate the growth of the company through acquisitions and scaling of organic expansion on regional CEE and Western European markets. euShipments.com offers a comprehensive range of services to cater for the needs of regional e-commerce exporters. 

LPW Group, a Wynnchurch Capital (Wynnchurch) portfolio company and the parent company of Penn Machine and Western Flange, has acquired El Mar Ventures, (and its subsidiaries) and Advanced Industrial Technologies. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company provides specialty valves, pneumatic actuators and gears used in chemical, petrochemical, LNG, refining, renewable, pulp & paper and other industrial applications. The Company goes to market through its four leading brands: Ladish Valves, Smith Valves, AIT and Diamond Gear.

Causal, a collaborative platform for financial modelling, has raised a USD20 million Series A funding round led by Coatue and Accel. The investment round — which follows a USD4.2 million seed round in March — also included a number of high-profile angel investors including Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, Notion COO Akshay Kothari and Brex CRO Sam Blond. Existing investors include AngelList co-founder Naval Ravikant and Adobe CPO Scott Belsky. The funding follows the rapid growth of the London-founded startup which added 30 per cent more customers month-on-month last year. Causal is hiring rapidly, with plans to