Allocations
Yoyo, a London-based mobile payment and loyalty app, has raised USD5m in seed funding, one of Europe's largest seed funding rounds this year.
Founded less than a year ago, the start-up is rolling out at the University of Westminster and University of Greenwich, which together serve over 50,000 students, visitors and faculty members across London.
The investment was led by technology commercialisation and investment group Imperial Innovations Plc, with co-investments from Firestartr, a new digital venture platform, and Telefonica Group. Notable angel investors brought into the round by Firestartr include Barry Smith, co-founder of Skyscanner; Mathias Entenmann, former managing director of
An affiliate of private equity group Warburg Pincus is to acquire Wencor Group, a designer, repair provider and distributor of aftermarket aerospace components, from Odyssey Investment Partners.
Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Headquartered in Springville, Utah, Wencor is a provider of aftermarket components to the commercial, military and general aviation aircraft sectors. Customers include commercial airlines and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) providers. Wencor's aftermarket distribution business provides a channel to more than 3,700 customers around the world.
"We are excited to have Warburg Pincus as our partner for the next chapter in the company's growth
Private equity firm Winona Capital Management has formed a strategic partnership with Chicago-based integrated marketing services firm Schafer Condon Carter (SCC).
The partnership will provide brand planning and creative services for both existing businesses as well as potential acquisitions of consumer-facing brands.
The partnership teams Winona Capital Management, an aggressive player in the mid-size private equity market primarily focused on consumer-branded companies from USD10 million to USD100 million in sales, with SCC, an independent agency with a portfolio of consumer branded clients across numerous product categories.
"Our business is all about building brands, and providing growth capital to
A year after its formal launch, the London Fund has secured over GBP28m of investment for 13 London businesses representing an investment rate in excess of one per month.
The companies include:
• Appear Here – an online service connecting landlord’s vacant spaces to people with ideas
• Boticca – an online marketplace for luxury fashion accessories
• Gousto – a home delivery service
• Somo – the world’s largest independent, full service mobile marketing specialist
• Wool and the Gang – a global fashion brand
• MBA & Company – a service connecting short-term consultancy projects to high quality independent professionals in that field
• Masabi – mobile
Carrick Capital Partners has made a majority investment in the Procura Group of Companies, a multinational organisation specialising in healthcare software and solutions.
Procura will remain under the leadership of Scott Overhill, who has been promoted from president to chief executive officer.
Procura is a software vendor for home care, hospice, community, aged, disability and residential care organisations across the US, Canada and Australia. The organisation is comprised of Procura Home Care Solutions, Progresa Healthcare Systems, ContinuLink Homecare Software and Procura Australia (formerly PeoplePoint Solutions).
"Procura is well positioned to become a dominant player in the global home
London-based turnaround investor Rcapital has invested in McArthur, a wholesaler and distributor of building, agricultural, steel and security fencing products.
Based in Bristol with over 250 staff in eight sites across the UK, McArthur was founded over 170 years ago by the McArthur family. 


Following a number of difficult years McArthur has restructured its business with the support of Rcapital and led by the chief executive Sam McArthur.
Sam McArthur says: “This deal has enabled us to create a solid platform for the future of our business. We have successfully resolved the underperformance of our Irish and manufacturing
The Carlyle Group has agreed to acquire a majority interest in Talent Partners, a New York-based talent payroll, production support services and rights management solutions provider to the advertising industry.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014. Equity for the investment will come from the Carlyle Equity Opportunity Fund.
In its nearly 50-year history, Talent Partners has grown from a specialty payroll company focused on commercial talent to a provider of more than 125 services, including talent negotiations and business affairs, traffic and clearance, rights and royalty
Funds advised by CVC Capital Partners, in partnership with the existing management team, are to acquire a majority stake in The Executive Centre from Headland Capital Partners.
Funds advised by Headland will retain a minority ownership in the business.
The Executive Centre, founded in 1994 by current chairman and CEO Paul Salnikow, is a premium serviced office provider in Asia, with 61 centres across 20 major cities in 10 countries across the region, generating over USD100m of revenues.
Headquartered in Hong Kong, the business operates serviced offices in key Asian countries, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, India, Korea,
Fund and corporate services provider Alter Domus has completed the acquisition of O’ Donovan Stewart Corporate Services (ODS) in Ireland.
O’Donovan Stewart Corporate Services provides corporate services to a broad portfolio of client companies, particularly aircraft leasing and aircraft owning companies where it currently acts for a range of clients from the US, South Africa, Europe and Asia.
All existing ODS employees will join Alter Domus as part of the acquisition.
The founding director of ODS, Peter Stewart, will continue to serve as an independent executive director of Alter Domus (Ireland) Limited.
Laurent Vanderweyen, chief executive officer
Amba Defence, a West Midlands-based company that provides defence, security and safety equipment and monitoring services, has secured investment of more than GBP250,000 from Midven.
Amba Defence delivers bespoke services to national infrastructure, national and international governments, private institutions and high net-worth individuals.
The GBP256,000 venture capital funding, made through Midven’s Exceed Fund, will enable Amba to expand its product portfolio of advanced technologies and recruit additional staff to support the organisation’s growth plans.
Amba provides security and defence solutions delivered by its four divisions: consultancy, solutions, technology and control.
Managing director Shires Crichton, who formed Amba
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