In Q1 2012, UK M&A activity saw 229 deals totalling GBP16bn, a 33% decrease compared to Q1 2011 (GBP23.9bn) but up 9.6% compared to Q4 2011 (GBP14.6bn), according to MergerMarket. The UK made up 9.6% of all European M&A by value this quarter, the lowest Q1 since Q1 2004 (8.4%). Only six large-cap deals (GBP500m+) were announced this quarter. The largest transaction of the quarter was the GBP3.2bn acquisition of the UK based broadcast software provider NDS Group by Cisco Systems, from News Corp and Permira. With GBP4.8bn-worth of deals totalling 22 transactions, Technology was the most active sector in

Private equity firm Stirling Square Capital Partners has acquired SAR AS, a leading provider of total waste management solutions for the Norwegian offshore oil & gas industry, from AR Incoronato AS and Westco AS. The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum, is the sixth from Stirling Square’s second fund, its second in the oil & gas sector and its first in Norway.   SAR services the oil & gas industry through the handling and treatment of oil contaminated drill waste, hazardous and industrial waste from offshore oil installations and tank cleaning through its nine bases strategically located along the Norwegian coastline. 

BaltCap, a leading venture investor in the Baltics, has signed a EUR1 million investment in Clusterpoint, an ultra-fast database management system with built-in Internet-style search functionality. The company is an enterprise software start-up created by Latvian programmers and backed by seed investors from the UK and the Baltics.   Clusterpoint has built a highly scalable database platform designed for cloud computing infrastructure. Clusterpoint’s database software provides superior performance on modest hardware so that it delivers greater energy-efficiency in data centres. The company has paying customers and revenue and will use BaltCap’s investment to expand internationally, including hiring senior management in

Morgan Stanley Alternative Investment Partners (AIP) has been awarded approximately USD1.3 billion in commitments for Morgan Stanley Private Markets Fund V (PMF V) and certain other separate accounts. AIP’s strategy is to combine primary funds, co-investments and secondaries in one globally diversified portfolio of private equity investments. The capital raise, which includes USD720 million for PMF V and USD580 million for related separate accounts, exceeded AIP’s initial USD1.25 billion target. "We are very gratified by the success of our business development efforts in this challenging fund raising environment," says Jacques Chappuis (pictured), Head of AIP. “We believe that our deep

Beanstalk, the boutique corporate finance advisor, has helped building energy efficiency software company Sefaira secure the largest series A funding round in the cleantech sector in the UK for over two years, with funding of USD10.8m.   The international series A funding round was led by New York-based venture capital fund Braemar Energy Ventures, in partnership with Netherlands-based Chrysalix SET and London-based Hermes GPE.   Founded in 2009, Sefaira has developed a unique whole building physics-based approach to managing sustainable building design. Sefaira enables architects, engineers and building owners to rapidly optimise the energy and environmental aspects of building design,

Metric Capital Partners (MCP) has completed an investment in LM Funerals (LMF), a leading UK provider of funeral services, in conjunction with Duke Street and Babson Capital Europe. MCP has provided financing across several tranches of capital to fund the acquisition of LMF from Sovereign Capital, and will also be a significant shareholder in the business. Headquartered in Wolverhampton, LM Funerals is the number 3 player in the UK market and has more than 60 branches concentrated in the Midlands and the South East.  The company has grown by both acquisition and organic rollout since its inception. Typically each acquired

Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity has acquired Access Cash General Partnership, a Canadian independent service organisation that manages the country’s second largest network of automated teller machines (ATMs). Morgan Stanley Global Private Equity partnered with the current management team who will remain in place and will hold a significant minority stake in the Company. Access Cash, with offices throughout Canada, manages a network of more than 6,000 ATMs in grocery stores, convenience stores, restaurants, bars, hotels and other merchant locations. The Company is a market leader in the operation of private label (non-bank branded) ATMs and a pioneer in the

Private investment firm HIG Capital has completed the acquisition of Trinity, the correctional services business of Compass Group PLC (LSE: CPG). Trinity, which operates under the brand names Trinity Services Group and Canteen Corrections, is one of the three largest providers of outsourced food service and commissary services to the corrections industry. Going forward, the business will operate exclusively under the name “Trinity Services Group.” Compass Group will retain a meaningful ownership stake in Trinity. Based in Tampa, Florida, and with revenues in excess of USD300 million, Trinity provides outsourced food and commissary services to more than 200,000 inmates at

Aleva Neurotherapeutics, a company developing next-generation implants for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in major neurological indications such as Parkinson´s disease or depression, has closed a Series B financing round totalling CHF 4.0 million.  Banexi Ventures Partners acted as a lead investor in the financing, with selected private investors also participating in the round. Existing institutional investors are BioMedInvest AG, BB BIOTECH VENTURES III, LP and Initiative Capital Romandie. The proceeds will be used to advance Aleva’s leading-edge neurostimulation products through clinical development up to CE marking. Aleva´s products are based on its proprietary, next-generation microDBS technology for Deep Brain Stimulation

In response to strong investor interest in private equity in microfinance following the launch of the Azure Global Microfinance Fund of Funds, Azure Partners announces is launching its second fund of funds targeting the microfinance industry. Azure Microfinance Private Equity Fund of Funds will aim to capture high growth in emerging markets, investing in microfinance private equity funds.   The Fund will adopt a four steps investment strategy aimed at giving investors access to a fast growing, de-correlated industry, with low volatility. All of this in a vehicle which spreads risk in terms of geographic and diversity of underlying investments.