Allocations
BRE Investment Management, through its Private Infrastructure team, is to acquire Connect Bus, one of the largest privately owned bus operators in Sweden and the largest within Access Mobility Transport Services.
This investment aligns with the firm’s commitment to delivering sustainable real asset solutions.
CBRE Investment Management is making the investment on behalf of one of its funds as well as some of its separately managed accounts. The acquisition represents CBRE Investment Management’s third infrastructure investment in Nordic bus operators, following the recently announced agreement to acquire Torghatten Land, one of Norway’s largest bus operators, and its January 2021
Bridges Fund Management (Bridges), a specialist sustainable and impact investor, has invested in Talking Talent, a business that helps organisations to build more inclusive, equitable, opportunity-filled work cultures for everyone.
They do this through the delivery of coaching programmes for diverse talent and leadership consulting that are grounded in research. The company’s management team, led by Chris Parke and Jo Lyon in the UK and Teresa Hopke in the US, will remain invested in the business.
Working with progressive organisations, Talking Talent focuses on retention and career progression of under-represented employees, including women, ethnically diverse groups and working parents.
An affiliate of Arlington Capital Partners (Arlington), a Washington, DC-area private equity firm, is to acquire Systems Planning & Analysis (SPA) from CM Equity Partners and SPA Management.
The agreement is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
Following closing, Arlington’s existing portfolio company, MCR will be combined with SPA. Dr William Vantine, SPA President and CEO, will serve as President and CEO of the combined company.
Arlington’s investment facilitates the creation of a combined company that will provide specialised advisory solutions to the most critical and complicated government missions. In joining forces, the companies represent the premier independent
PDQ.com, a provider of IT asset management software, has acquired SimpleMDM, an Apple device management platform.
TransUnion, a global insights and information company, has invested in UK-based fintech Monevo – a personal credit platform and API empowering lenders – to deliver highly personalised credit offers to consumers via comparison websites and other third parties.
Eligibility, also known as pre-qualification, is an important part of consumer lending. Pre-approved offers, or an indication of the likelihood of being approved at the rates shown, enable consumers to shop for personalised credit products with ease, while ensuring multiple eligibility assessments do not adversely impact an individual’s credit score.
Operating primarily in the UK and US, as well as Poland and
Blockchain venture capitalist CV VC has begun Dubai operations in partnership with DMCC Crypto Centre.
As a rapidly advancing blockchain capital and one of the world’s most progressive tech hubs, Dubai is a natural place for CV VC to extend its operations. CV VC has currently successfully invested in 32 early-stage blockchain start-ups from around the world, 22 of which came via its CV Labs incubation program.
Selected start-ups from the UAE will be considered to join CV VCs global CV Labs incubation program and receive an investment of up to USD125,000. The three-month incubation program is driven by
Cala, a company using advanced robotics to make high-quality meals accessible to everybody, has secured EUR5.5 million in VC-backed seed investment.
Other investors to participate in the round are Possible Ventures, Kima Ventures, Quiet Ventures and Acequia Capital. The funding will be used to expand its fully autonomous restaurant chain in France, and explore new locations in Europe.
Cala has built the first fully robotic pasta restaurant in the world. The company created a pasta-making robot to autonomously cook affordable, nutritious, sustainable and delicious meals, and transform the cost and experience of fast-casual dining. Founded in 2017 by engineering students,
Nordstjernan’s wholly-owned subsidiary Etac has made an investment in 100 per cent of the shares in the US company Ki Mobility.
The investment strengthens Etac’s global position in manual complex rehab and will create a strong platform for further growth in Europe, the US and export markets.
Etac is a global supplier of mobility equipment and patient handling solutions used in home care, long term care and acute care. Etac’s sales in 2020 amounted to approximately SEK2,800 million and the company has just over 900 employees. The company’s brands and products include Etac (manual wheelchairs, bathing and toileting aids),
UK marketing group MSQ has acquired the award-winning creative production studio Brave Spark for an undisclosed sum.
The transaction, which was supported by MSQ’s private equity backer LDC, sees Brave Spark bring its video and digital production, design and creative technology to the group, supporting MSQ’s individual agency offers while continuing to offer standalone production capabilities to clients. This latest acquisition will help MSQ’s ambitions to continue to build a future-facing company embracing content, technology, data, and creativity – which meets client needs in an always-on environment.
Rob Drake and Robin Shek founded Brave Spark in 2010 with a
Index provider MerQube has raised USD5 million Series A round led by JP Morgan.
It brings together the venture investing firm, ThirdStream Partners, veteran hedge fund managers Benjamin Smith and Sheehan Maduraperuma, co-founders of Laurion Capital Management, and several other seasoned financial market professionals. MerQube has previously raised USD2 million in its seed rounds in August 2019 and October 2020, with historical investors.
The evolving USD15 trillion index-linked investing market that MerQube serves has moved rapidly from simple market-capitalisation based equity indices 20 years ago to multi-asset strategies. More recently, demand is driving increased customisation with the rise of
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
