Managers
Janus Continental Group (JCG), a conglomerate with businesses in the Energy, Hospitality and Real Estate sectors across three continents, has invested USD13 million in Highview Enterprises Limited, the developer of liquid air long-duration energy storage systems, called the CRYOBattery.
JCG’s subsidiary, Great Lakes Africa Energy Ltd (GLAE), will license Highview Power’s cryogenic energy storage technology to co-develop large-scale renewable energy generation and storage projects. The investment will tackle the renewable energy storage gap that currently exists across Africa, where nearly 600 million people live without access to electricity.
The investment is hoped to increase regional uptake of renewable energy
HERO Protein, the first domestic plant-based ‘meat’ company in China to use cutting-edge “high moisture extrusion” technology, has completed a USD850k pre-seed funding round to launch its products into the market.
The funding round saw participation from Cremer, a leading global commodities and co-manufacturing company; Lever China Fund, the most active alternative protein investor in China; and senior executives from leading restaurant brands.
HERO Protein’s initial product range, which includes a variety of plant-based beef and chicken products, was formulated specifically for the Chinese market by a team of former senior R&D executives at Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, Gardein, Lightlife
Notonthehighstreet, a UK online marketplace for lifestyle products and ‘thoughtful gifts’, has been acquired by growth equity firm Great Hill Partners.
Great Hill Partners will become the majority shareholder in the business, with existing investors Burda Principal Investments and Industry Ventures also remaining as shareholders.
The news comes following a year of unprecedented growth for notonthehighstreet, in which revenues rose more than 50 per cent. During this time, the company, which supports thousands of the UK’s best independent artisans, designers and boutiques, grew its customer base by almost 1 million and added four times as many hand-picked small business
European veterinary care provider IVC Evidensia (IVC), one of Europe’s largest veterinary care providers, has announced an expanded partnership among its shareholders to support the group in driving its next phase of accelerating growth.
The aggregated new investment from the expanded partnership transaction totals EUR3.5 billion and values IVC at an enterprise value of approximately EUR12.3 billion.
Headquartered in Bristol, UK, IVC is a leading veterinary services provider with a network of more than 1,500 clinics and hospitals and approximately 22,000 employees across Europe. Founded in 2011, IVC operates a decentralised model promoting innovation and clinical freedom balanced with
Foundation Partners Group acquired eight funeral service businesses with 25 locations during the past year, growing its footprint in three states with existing locations and expanding to two new markets – Kentucky and New Mexico.
Owned by Access Holdings, a Baltimore-based mid-market investment firm specialising in a buy-and-build investment approach, the company now operates nearly 160 locations in 20 states and will serve more than 75,000 families this year.
“It’s been nearly one year since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the funeral profession like a tidal wave, and the result has been a fundamental shift in the way many families think
Last year proved to be an outstanding year for SPACs in the US, while the total number of SPACs already surpassed the 2019 total in the first three weeks of 2021 alone, according to data published by Finnish investment fund Sijoitusrahastot.
Their research found that 248 SPACS raised USD83.04 billion in 2020 in the US. That figure was almost double the USD47.11 billion that SPACS have raised in the previous 10 years combined.
Compared to the 59 deals made in 2019, there was also a 300 percent increase in deal volume during this time. Based on SPAC Alpha data, the
Irish-owned Zeus Packaging, an independent packaging manufacturer and distributor, has acquired Austrian-based food packaging solutions business, Petruzalek, which was part of Sirap-Gema Group.
In 2020, Petruzalek achieved revenues of approximately EUR58 million, net assets of EUR16 million and EBITDA of EUR2.5 million. The acquisition, for an undisclosed sum from Italian investment holding company, Italmobiliare, completes a three-year EUR40 million acquisition strategy for Zeus. It is the seventh business to be integrated into the Zeus family during the past 18 months. Established by Brian O’Sullivan in 1998, this acquisition brings the number employed by Zeus from 450 people across 14 countries
RapidSOS, creator of an emergency response data platform, has closed USD85 million in a Series C funding round led by global venture capital and private equity firm Insight Partners.
Insight is a leading software investor with over USD30 billion in AUM after announcing its 11th flagship fund, Fund XI at USD9.5 billion in April, 2020. The investment, which brings RapidSOS’s total funding to USD200 million, will advance the company’s work to connect emergency data from digital health, smart buildings, security, connected vehicles, and app companies with first responders globally.
The RapidSOS Platform powers 4,800-plus Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs) across the
Oxford University, Global Accelerated Ventures, and the research commercialisation arm of the university, Oxford University Innovation (OUI), are launching The Oxford GAV Conservation Venture Studio (OXGAV).
OXGAV’s mission is to rapidly accelerate novel technologies and innovative solutions addressing the world’s most pressing environmental problems. The Studio will support the research and development of exceptionally promising innovations by interdisciplinary scientists across a dozen departments at Oxford University and will enable the outputs of this research to be commercialised and scaled around the world.
Technologies deriving from OXGAV will combat biodiversity loss, climate change, confront energy crises, promote human food security, and
ION Investment Group (ION) is to acquire options technology and execution provider Dash Financial Technologies from Flexpoint Ford.
“This is a very exciting moment for our firm as we embark on the next chapter of growth. Under ION’s ownership, we will continue to invest in product innovation that drives value for our clients while also benefiting from ION’s global reach and established network of relationships,” says co-founder Peter Maragos, who will continue to serve as CEO of DASH. “We are incredibly grateful for the contributions and support we received from Flexpoint Ford and are thrilled about what this new partnership
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
