Managers
Albion Capital has closed its 2017/2018 VCT top up offers after successfully raising the GBP32 million targeted amount. The offers, which launched on 6 September 2017, are fully subscribed across the five Albion VCTs participating in the fundraising. 


Albion Capital will now focus on investing the money raised in technology-driven, high growth companies, with a particular emphasis on its sector specialisms in digital healthcare, automation, digital security and data analytics. 


Albion has expanded its presence in the technology sector significantly in recent years, with notable investments including Black Swan Data (predictive analytics), Egress (data privacy and communication platform), Panaseer
Station 12 Asset Management, a specialist venture capital investor in media, entertainment and knowledge, is to raise GBP60m in two funds – one aimed at institutional investors and the other at the private EIS/SEIS sector.
Station 12, which was founded just over three years ago, has already built a successful track record with investments such as Parade, the TV distributor and Nocturne, the live events operator.
Founder and Managing Partner, Patrick Bradley, says: ‘We now have an exciting, well balanced initial portfolio with a strong pipeline of new investment opportunities ranging from early to growth stages.
‘The UK is
MyCheck, a provider of payment solutions for hotels and restaurants, has been acquired by Eyal Ofer’s OG Tech Ventures, the tech investment arm of his international conglomerate, Ofer Global group.
Ofer Global Group’s business interests include real estate and hotels, cruise and maritime shipping, oil and gas, technology and banking.
“This acquisition will support the tremendous contribution MyCheck is making to the global hospitality industry, primarily in mobile payment engagement,” says Eyal Ofer, chairman of Ofer Global. “MyCheck is fast becoming a disruptor in hospitality through its mobile payment technology and the seamless guest experiences that it creates. With
New State Capital Partners has closed its second institutional investment fund, New State Capital Partners Fund II, with USD255 million in committed capital. The Fund exceeded its target and closed at its hard cap and New State now has in excess of USD800 million AUM as a result.
New State focuses on providing flexible capital in buy-and-build situations. With Fund II, New State can invest more than USD50 million in equity per transaction. New State seeks to invest in five to seven platforms with Fund II, and will further build its platforms organically and via add-on acquisitions. The firm targets
EmergeVest, an international private equity investor, has acquired UK logistics group CM Downton (Haulage Contractors) Limited (Downton) in a GBP75 million transaction.
EmergeVest has acquired the entire shareholding from the Downton family and will provide additional capital to finance the Company’s growth. The Downton family will continue to serve in their respective roles as senior management of the Company. Investec Bank plc supported EmergeVest’s acquisition of the Company with an integrated debt package.
This investment marks EmergeVest’s seventh acquisition in the UK logistics sector since being formed in 2013. EmergeVest’s current UK portfolio includes Adjuno, Allport Cargo Services, NFT
Direct Healthcare Group (DHG), a manufacturer of pressure care solutions, has acquired Transflo Cushion brand from Karomed, its third bolt-on since NorthEdge Capital supported an MBO in April 2016.
Based in Caerphilly, DHG specialises in the development of clinically effective solutions for the delivery of harm-free patient care.
The Group now consists of award-winning pressure care management business Direct Healthcare Services, bariatric rental specialist Nightingale Care Beds and specialist seating product manufacturer Kirton Healthcare.
The Transflo Cushion has been in the pressure care market for over 30 years, establishing itself as one of the UK’s leading high-risk gel
Drake Star Partners has acted as exclusive financial advisor to American Management Association International (AMA) in its divestiture of the trade book assets of AMACOM to HarperCollins Publishers.
HarperCollins will take over all front list and backlist publication, sales, distribution, and licensing of the more than 600 books in AMACOM’s catalog. AMACOM, which primarily focuses on personal and professional growth and business leadership, will be a sub-imprint of the recently launched HarperCollins Leadership (HCL) imprint, which is run out of the company’s Nashville, TN offices. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Manny Avramidis, President and CEO of
Wynnchurch Capital has acquired Heartland Automotive Services, one of the largest franchisees in the quick lube business and is the largest operator of Jiffy Lube service centres with approximately 523 locations.
The acquisition of Heartland, which will which will be renamed Team Car Care, was completed in partnership with Mid-Atlantic Lubes, an existing Jiffy Lube franchisee.
John Hatherly, Co-Managing Partner at Wynnchurch says: “Heartland is a tremendous addition to our portfolio of service businesses. We feel very fortunate to be partnering with Jiffy Lube International, Inc. We are also excited to partner with Mid-Atlantic Lubes, Inc. and its 10-year
Tesi made new investments totalling EUR149 million in 2017, including a EUR60 million commitment in the fund-of-fund KRR III. The firm’s direct portfolio companies also continued to grow strongly, sales increasing on average 22 per cent during the year.
Coupled with a favourable operating environment, strong growth in portfolio companies as well as numerous exit, this added up to a financial return of EUR66 million for the year.
CEO Jan Sasse says; “In 2017 the Finnish venture capital and private equity market developed well. New funds were raised in all development phases. The Finnish venture capital investor Inventure
Small business lender iwoca is pledging to lend GBP100 million to micro and small businesses in the North of England by 2020.
The alternative finance provider is making the pledge in response to the withdrawal of credit facilities for small businesses by the UK’s banks, which has been most acute in the North.
According to data collected by UK Finance, the value of lending (loans and overdrafts) for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the North of England has contracted by 14.3 per cent, compared with the national average of 9.5 per cent, over the past three years. The
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12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
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