An affiliate of Clearlake Capital Group is to acquire Discovery Education – a global edtech company whose digital learning software platform supports educators and improves student achievement – from Francisco Partners.  Francisco Partners will retain a minority equity stake in the busines, while Scott Kinney, CEO of Discovery Education, will continue to lead the Company supported by the existing management team.  The terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.    

ABANZA has completed a funding round of EUR1.2 million led by the Navarran Government-owned development company SODENA and Clave Capital, an alternative asset investment management company specialised in technology transfer projects (through its UN I+D+i Tech Transfer fund.  Spanish start-up ABANZA develops medical devices and instruments for the arthroscopic soft tissue repair market. SODENA has invested EUR350,000, and Clave Capital EUR500,000 since 2017. The round also attracted the interest of national and international industrial investors with knowledge and experience in the sector, adding value to the market access strategy.

The Riverside Company has formed a strategic partnership between its portfolio company Toolport, a European specialised online provider of professional tents and spare parts for the consumer and industrial markets, and GFP, a specialised online provider of greenhouses, raised garden beds and related products in the DACH region. Riverside invested in Toolport in 2019 and, since then, has worked with Toolport’s management to significantly grow the business through a dedicated internationalization strategy, as well as through enhancements to key operational areas such as procurement, logistics and marketing.   GFP and Toolport share a common DNA – both companies are specialised

Olsam Group (Olsam), an ecommerce platform that acquires and scales businesses, has completed the acquisition of Colapz, a UK-based camping and outdoor brand which sells patented, collapsible outdoor and camping products.  The acquisition is a key step for Olsam, which recently raised USD165 million, into the camping and outdoor market. Colapz’s team of product designers will also be joining Olsam as part of the deal.  Olsam’s expertise as a UK based acquirer will help expand the Colapz brand globally, notably into Amazon US, EU, as well as Asia.   

NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners (Maven) and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF), has invested GBP580,000 in Cheshire based Intelligent Building Group (IBG).  The funding will enable the business to invest in sales and marketing as well as expand the team across a number of departments, including operations, installations and commissioning, creating new jobs in the region. IBG has developed a suite of smart hardware and software products that capture energy usage data and reduce energy consumption for commercial, industrial and residential developments, by installing effective tamperproof controls.  IBG’s software can show and

Lucion Services, an environmental services company backed by Palatine Private Equity, has acquired Landform Surveys Ltd, an established topographical surveying firm in the North East. Landform Surveys, which is based in Gateshead, where Lucion is headquartered, brings a skilled team and a range of highly complementary services to the group. 

Working across a variety of sectors in the built environment, Landform Surveys was founded in 1994 and offers a range of surveying services including, topographic surveys, quarry and landfill site surveys, measured building surveys, utility & subterranean surveys, bathymetric surveys and volumetric stockpile surveys.

Led by founder and Managing Director

Development Partners International (DPI), an investment firm focused on Africa with USD2.8 billion in assets under management including co-investments, and CDC Group (CDC), the UK’s development finance institution that will shortly be renamed British International Investment (BII), are leading an up to USD200 million second funding round in KELIX bio. The funding will then be used by KLEIX to finance the acquisition of Pharmaceutical Institute (PHI). PHI is a Moroccan-headquartered producer and distributor of generic and therapeutic pharmaceuticals.  The acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals in Morocco. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022.    

Keensight Capital, a private equity manager dedicated to pan-European growth buyout investments, and ISAI Expansion, the ISAI platform’s Tech Growth and Growth Buyout fund, have exited their investment in M33, the holding company of the Theodo Group.  Theodo’s two founding directors, Benoît Charles-Lavauzelle and Fabrice Bernhard, will be increasing their stake in the Group. Launched in 2009, the Theodo Group and its 10 specialised enterprises support their clients in their digital transformation using the best technologies and a methodology inspired by lean and agile. Combining speed with high quality, the Group supports large international groups such as Total, Carrefour and

Tikehau Ace Capital, along with Amundi Private Equity Funds and a pool of investors from Credit Agricole group coordinated by IDIA Capital Investissement, have acquired LMB Aerospace (LMB), a designer, producer and distributor of high-performance electric fans and cooling solutions for aerospace and defence applications.  The Sponsors, led by Tikehau Ace Capital, have completed the transaction, following the obtention of all regulatory approvals and completion of the financing supported by French financial institutions including Credit Agricole group, via its subsidiary LCL. LMB is a 60-year-old French company offering a wide range of military grade, high performance fans and cooling solutions

Mid-market private equity investor Palatine has acquired a majority stake in Jessup, a Midlands-based developer of affordable homes. Established for 34 years, Staffordshire-based Jessup is a trusted partner to local authorities and registered providers of social housing. Its 92-strong team provides a full development management service from land acquisition and planning consent, through to the construction of high quality residential stock, and it has preferred partner status with Homes England.   As part of the transaction, former Westleigh founder Chris Beighton, Director Matt Moore and CFO Kathryn Facey have joined Jessup’s leadership team as Chairman, CEO and Non-Executive Director respectively.