Managers
Battery Ventures has closed two new funds worth a combined USD1.25 billion. Battery Ventures XII is an USD800 million fund, while Battery Ventures XII Side Fund is a companion vehicle capitalised at USD450 million to fund larger growth and private-equity investments.
Through these funds, Battery will continue its strategy of building disruptive businesses of all sizes across the technology landscape. Battery has carved out a niche by investing across all investment stages, ranging from seed- and early-stage deals to majority-ownership transactions exceeding USD100 million.
Investments in the new funds will focus broadly on sectors including business software; enterprise-IT infrastructure,
Manchester & Hong Kong based Isher Capital, a private equity firm focused on the contact centre industry, is on the acquisition trail with a GBP20 million warchest.
The firm, which includes in its portfolio alldayPA, myalldayPA and ADP Call Centres amongst others, is aiming to drive revenue from its contact centre businesses from GBP30 million to GBP100 million. This will be completed by creating a network of eight to 10 contact centres spread nationwide; safeguarding jobs and growing the headcount of the portfolio companies from the current 500 to 2,000.
Led by group CEO Reuben Singh, the aim of
International law firm Taylor Wessing has advised Inflexion Private Equity on its backing of the management buyout of leading Dutch IT outsourcing training business Calco Group BV.
The cross-border deal brought together the private equity teams from Taylor Wessing UK and Taylor Wessing Netherlands. The firm’s UK team was led by partner James Goold with senior counsel Matt Harrison and associate Catherine Williams, while the Dutch team was led by partners Edwin de Rooij, Evert-Jan Osnabrugge and Elmar Dijkstra with associate Willem Thijssen.
Goold says: “This deal is another example of Taylor Wessing’s close relationship with Inflexion and the Taylor
NanoFlex Limited, an early stage sensor design company, has secured GBP250,000 of funding from NPIF – Maven Equity Finance, part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF).
The fund is delivered by MSIF working with Maven Capital Partners in the Liverpool City Region. NanoFlex is a sensor design company that has developed a patented diagnostic sensor technology.
The business is based at Sci-tech Daresbury, and will be using the funding to explore new business opportunities for the technology to develop a pipeline of products. The technology is based on nanoscale electrodes that are capable of measuring a range of
Lightful, a social media and campaign management platform for charities and social enterprises, has raised a GBP4 million in its Series A funding round.
The start-up, which counts Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason and IndyCar champion Dario Franchitti among its high-profile backers, has already attracted more than 1,800 sign-ups from charities, individuals, and ‘beyond profit’ organisations – those placing purpose alongside profits – all of whom are looking to use social media for social good.
Lightful’s milestone funding represents the largest sum for an early-stage start-up in the social impact space – proof of growing interest in impact investing, as also
2017 was another record-breaking year for Idinvest’s Private Debt division, with almost EUR900 million invested in 45 companies during the year, including Accès Industrie, Ask Chemicals, Auvesy, Europart, Frostkrone, Iberchem, Organic Alliance, Remade in France, Scalian, Square consulting, Staci, ProXES and Wer Liefert Was.
François Lacoste, Partner in charge of private debt at Idinvest, says: “2017 has been another strong year for Idinvest in terms of private debt, regarding both investments and divestments. It is clear to see from these impressive figures that Idinvest’s 10 years of experience in the European market has given it a solid reputation as an
GCM Grosvenor has completed the final close of its Secondary Opportunities Fund II (GSF II) with USD700 million in committed capital. GSF II, which held its first close in May of 2017, reached its hard cap.
Fund investors include public and Taft-Hartley pension plans, financial institutions, healthcare systems and endowments, in the US, Europe and Asia.
GSF II will acquire interests in private funds through secondary market transactions, with a focus on transactions of less than USD50 million average deal size. GSF II will target funds oriented toward small and middle market buyout, special situation, growth equity, infrastructure and real
Ironwood Capital has exited its investment in Gold Medal Services (Gold Medal) by selling the company to Kinderhook Industries (Kinderhook).
Kinderhook, a New York-based private investment firm that manages over USD2 billion of committed capital, has invested in partnership with BioHiTech Global, a developer of disruptive waste management technologies.
Gold Medal, headquartered in Deptford, New Jersey, is a waste and recycling company servicing Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Gold Medal offers a complete range of integrated services to thousands of customers in the region. The company serves residential, institutional, commercial and industrial locations. Gold Medal offers collection, recycling, disposal
Cathay Capital North American-Sino Fund (Cathay Capital) has led the recapitalisation of Innovative Office Products (Innovative), a North American designer and manufacturer of office and workspace ergonomic and related products including monitor arms, sit-stand workstations, multi-monitor mounts and desk stands, point-of-sale (POS) mounts and healthcare and specialty Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) mounting solutions.
Cathay has partnered with management, Norwest Mezzanine Partners (Norwest) and ORIX Mezzanine & Private Equity (ORIX) in this investment.
Based in Easton, Pennsylvania, Innovative began as a family-owned operation in 1986 and has grown into a global company over the past 30 plus years. The Company designs,
Ropes & Gray has advised Groupe Rocher, one of France’s largest privately-held businesses with over 17,000 employees, in a definitive agreement to acquire Arbonne International, whose holding company is Natural Products Group (NPG).
Arbonne is a leader in direct selling of botanically based beauty, personal care and nutrition products.
The acquisition will include NPG’s company Nature’s Gate, a personal care brand. The transaction was announced on 2 February 2018.
Arbonne International, headquartered in Irvine, California, offers a wide range of vegan skincare, bath and body and nutrition and makeup products sold in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia,
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
