Allocations
The number of takeovers by UK acquirers of continental European businesses fell 30 per cent from 488 in 2019 to 342 in 2020 as Brexit and Covid-19 hampered deal activity, shows new research from Accuracy, the global independent financial and strategic consulting firm.
In comparison, the overall number of deals targeting continental European companies fell by 27 per cent from 6,665 to 4,843 over the same period. The number of acquisitions by US businesses in continental Europe declined by 25 per cent in the same period.
Accuracy says concerns over the potential impact of a no-deal Brexit deterred UK
By Judith Hartley (pictured), CEO, British Patient Capital – This International Women’s Day, I’d like to shine a light on the brilliant work of various women within the UK’s venture capital industry and the outstanding contribution they have been making at all levels of society.
Thompson Street Capital Partners (TSCP), a private equity firm based in St Louis, has acquired Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers (Freddy’s), a Kansas-based franchisor of fast casual restaurants. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Founded in 2002 with its first company-owned location in Wichita, Freddy’s fast casual restaurants feature steakburgers, shoestring fries, and freshly churned frozen custard. The Company’s family friendly restaurants focus on premium quality ingredients, cooked-to-order food, and best-in-class hospitality. Since opening the first franchise location in 2004, Freddy’s award-winning system has rapidly expanded to more than 360 franchised locations and over 30 company-operated restaurants spanning
Private investment firm Sun Capital Partners (Sun Capital) has completed the acquisition of Exadel, a founder-owned, global provider of digital software engineering solutions and services. Terms of the private transaction have not been disclosed.
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Exadel builds critical enterprise-wide platforms with a focus on accelerating digital transformation for blue chip customers around the world. With more than 20 locations and delivery centres across the US and Europe, Exadel uses agile practices to solve complex engineering problems for clients such as Deloitte, Google, HP, McKesson and Mercer.
“Sun Capital has invested in
UK mid-market private equity firm LDC has invested in Sohonet, an international provider of connectivity, collaboration software, media services and network security for the media and entertainment industry.
LDC’s investment will support the existing management team, led by CEO Chuck Parker, to further build on its international growth strategy and explore complementary acquisitions.
Founded in 1995, Sohonet provides over 500 media companies and thousands of media professionals with a wide range of technically advanced and highly secure solutions. These are designed to help media professionals collaborate on projects with their internationally distributed teams to create the magic that appears
Quadrille Capital (Quadrille), an independent global investor in technology and healthcare growth equity with a data-driven and financially disciplined investment strategy, has successfully raised EUR511 million for its fourth technology fund Quadrille Technologies IV (QT IV).
Up to 50 per cent of that amount will be invested in Europe.
Strong demand from a diversified base of new and returning institutional investors and family offices in Europe, Middle East and Americas allowed QT IV to exceed its EUR500 million hard cap. The increased size from the EUR135 million predecessor fund reflects the expanded investment capability of Quadrille, driven by a
Papaya Global, a workforce management platform transforming global employment, announced today that it has raised USD100 million in a Series C funding, bringing the company’s valuation across USD1 billion.
The new investment follows Papaya’s $40 million Series B funding announced less than six months ago.
The new funding round was led by GreenOaks Capital Partners and joined by IVP Ventures and Alkeon Capital, with participation from existing investors Insight Venture Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Bessemer Venture Partners, Dynamic Loop, New Era and Workday Ventures, Access Ventures and Group 11. The new investment brings Papaya’s total funding to USD190 million.
Papaya’s
Global private equity firm OpenGate Capital’s portfolio company, SMAC, has completed the sale of its subsidiary, AXTER, which is focused on the production of waterproofing membranes, to IKO, a specialist in global roofing and related products based in Canada.
Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
SMAC, a global manufacturer of waterproofing and building envelope solutions headquartered in France, is representative of OpenGate’s strong record of acquiring complex, industrial, and specifically building and construction related businesses across North America and Europe.
Andrew Nikou, OpenGate’s Founder and CEO, says: “With the successful completion of this transaction, SMAC will
Limerston Capital portfolio company Axiom International Limited (Axiom) has completed the acquisition of Torchlight Group Limited (Torchlight).
London based Axiom is a specialist in the provision of strategic capacity building programmes, institutional and public sector reform, peace-building and national security development. It forms part of the larger Limerston Capital-backed AFA International, led by CEO and Axiom Co-Founder Prof Angela Gallop, CBE. This is AFA International’s second acquisition following the formation of the group in 2020.
Based in Swindon, Torchlight specialises in the provision of security and development services, delivering programmes on behalf of bilateral and multi-lateral donors, including the UK
Kennet Partners Limited (Kennet) and Goldman Sachs Growth Equity (Goldman Sachs) are to sell their co-owned portfolio company, Nuxeo, a content services platform and digital asset management (DAM) provider. to Hyland Software.
Kennet and Goldman Sachs are expected to make a five-times return on their investment in Nuxeo.
Kennet and Goldman Sachs acquired Nuxeo in 2016. Nuxeo’s platform focuses on Digital Asset Management for companies with fast product life cycles such as media, fashion and consumer electronics, and Enterprise Content Management for financial institutions. Nuxeo has a range of global customers across its target sectors such as ABN-AMRO, Fox,
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
