Managers
Edison Partners has completed the sale of its stake in Billtrust, a payment cycle management specialist, to New York-based private equity firm W Capital Partners.
The sale generated more than an 10x return for Edison, the first institutional investor in Billtrust. Additional financial terms of the sale were not disclosed.
Founded in 2001, New Jersey-based Billtrust helps companies automate and accelerate their accounts receivable (AR) processes to increase cash flow, improve operational efficiency and drive customer satisfaction. Since Edison’s investment, Billtrust has grown revenue 30x, built its workforce to more than 500 employees and acquired seven companies, including its most recent
Swarm, the blockchain for private equity, has listed SparkLabs, the largest accelerator network in Asia. Founded in 2013, SparkLabs supports innovation sectors including IoT, smart cities, sustainability, and healthcare.
Through its listing of the SPRK Token, Swarm Fund will support SparkLabs’ effort to raise up to USD30 million through a security token offering. This will fund two of SparkLabs’ accelerators, one focused on smart city development in South Korea and another supporting sustainability efforts in Australia.
“We’re excited to bring this unique opportunity to support innovation to Swarm Fund’s members,” says Philipp Pieper, CEO and co-founder of Swarm Fund.
A team of Hogan Lovells’ lawyers has advised The Craftory, a newly incorporated UK company, on its incorporation and capitalisation by management and investors.
The Craftory’s stated investment objective is to invest in the world’s boldest challenger brands across the Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) space (with a particular focus on the UK, USA and Mainland Europe). The aggregate capital commitment of the investors is approximately USD300 million.
The HL team was led by partner Robert Darwin. The corporate team included senior associates, Simon Grimshaw and Tarsis Goncalves alongside associate Sid Sethi. Partner Karen Hughes and Counsel Fiona Bantock led
Horizon Capital has exited its full stake in Ergopack, a Ukrainian manufacturer of household goods, to Sarantis, a European strategic investor and publicly-listed consumer goods company.
Since Horizon Capital’s investment, Ergopack’s revenue has grown more than 15 times in local currency terms, the Company has launched an additional production facility in Ukraine and modernized its recycling processing capabilities. Together with Ergopack’s dedicated operating founders, Andrii Osypov and Andrii Fayura, Horizon Capital has played a vital role in the Company’s development, expanding and strengthening the management team and pivoting exports to Western markets. Horizon Capital also led efforts to instil best-in-class
Lower-middle-market private equity firm Huron Capital’s aftermarket car accessories and restoration parts platform Drake Automotive Group has acquired Boulder, Colorado-based Proforged, a designer and distributor of chassis parts.
The deal marks the fourth add-on acquisition for the Drake platform investment in less than two and a half years. Since 2016, Drake has also acquired Fender Gripper, Carroll Shelby Wheel Company and OG Innovations.
Proforged has a strong presence in the wear-and-tear replacement market with more than 2,000 steering and suspension products across all major vehicle platforms and brands sold online to auto parts retailers. Proforged was founded by Zack Kanter
Heartland Capital Partners has launched a USD25 million private equity commercial real estate fund, Heartland Income Properties, which will focus on creating a value portfolio of income producing Class A and higher-end Class B commercial real estate primarily throughout the Midwest of the United States.
Markets to be considered include Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, Sioux Falls, Dallas, and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as Atlanta, and Phoenix.
Executive Chairman Tim Kopatich, an Iowa native, says that the fund’s target markets represent a tremendous opportunity for investors. “Local real estate professionals have already presented
Edge Investments (Edge) has invested in a significant minority shareholding in Over the Top (OTT) video distribution platform Airbeem.
Airbeem’s multi-use Software as a Service (SaaS) platform enables content owners to publish and monetise their video content direct to consumers by creating immersive video experiences reaching audiences on all devices.
Its turnkey solution for the middle market provides an end-to-end solution between content owners and consumers, offering easy and affordable ways for publishers delivering their content to drive various monetisation models and create a compelling user experience around their content.
As research shows an ongoing decline in linear
International private equity firm, Cinven, is to acquire JLA, a leading critical asset supply and services business for laundry, catering and heating in the UK, for an undisclosed consideration.
Headquartered in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, JLA provides commercial laundry, catering and heating solutions to more than 25,000 small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) customers. JLA offers a unique ‘Total Care’ proposition, which combines equipment supply with guaranteed service response times for a contracted monthly fee, providing peace of mind and value for money to a range of customers including care homes, hotels, education providers and housing associations.
Founded in 1973, JLA
Carey Olsen’s investment funds team in Jersey has advised CoinShares Group on the successful first close of CoinShares Fund II.
The new investment vehicle follows the June 2017 launch of CoinShares Fund I, the first fund ever to be denominated in Ethereum. Like its predecessor, the closed-ended fund will invest in a range of opportunities in the blockchain space, among them – newly created digital assets, emerging from Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs).
The fund has been authorised under the Jersey Private Fund Regime, a regime which provides for a streamlined regulatory authorisation process as it is a selective offering
Ashfords has been ranked as one of the most active law firms globally in venture capital deals for the first quarter of 2018, according to PitchBook. The annual global league table provides a comprehensive ranking of private equity and venture capital (VC) activity worldwide.
The firm has been ranked joint second in Europe, alongside US law firms Cooley and Jones Day, and ranked 16th globally according to figures released by PitchBook. Ashfords is the only independent UK law firm to appear in the global league table and have climbed from 4th in Europe and 23rd globally from last year’s rankings.
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
