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Managers

Investors have rewarded the commercial success of Spotta’s smart pest systems with a USD1.18 million seed funding round. This investment reflects Spotta’s huge potential in global markets in farming, forestry, hospitality, and other sectors to solve the GBP320 billion (USD400 billion) problem of insect pests while dramatically reducing pesticide use.   Representatives of Cambridge Angels and REMUS, a US-based VC firm, will join Spotta’s board as part of the GBP934,000 (USD1,184,287) investment deal. Other major investors include Martlet Capital, Wren Capital, and the Angel CoFund.    Based in Cambridge, Spotta commercialised its first product in 2019 and has been recognised by
Biotech
Advent France Biotechnology and Invivo Ventures have invested EUR4.25 million into Valencia-based Arthex Biotech, a pre-clinical stage life sciences company focused on the development of next generation antisense RNA therapies. The latest round follows on from an initial seed round of EUR2.7 million by Invivo and CDTI-Innvierte in December 2019, and in June 2020 respectively. The total amount raised by Arthex since inception now stands at EUR6.95 million. The fresh capital will enable Arthex to complete its first-in-human trial by 2022.  “Arthex Biotech represents a unique combination of world-class science and entrepreneurial skills, translating great discoveries into potential breakthrough therapeutic
Trainor, a provider of electrical safety training, digital solutions and consultancy services to the global energy, renewables, power and grid, and maritime industries, has secured new investment from EV Private Equity to support its ambitious international expansion plans. The investment will see EV Private Equity become the majority shareholder, alongside Trainor management and employees.   This investment will fund the business´ expansion across the Nordics. The existing high-calibre management team will be strengthened and augmented in the sales and financials functions. EV Private Equity’s Senior Partners Per Arne Jensen and Rune Jensen, and Investment Director, Tomas Hvamb, will join the Board
New digital deal platform dubbed Maksab has officially launched with the aim of helping corporate advisers and consultants serve and assist SMEs with streamlined deal-making through exclusive emerging transactions and efficient management features. Maksab connects advisors and private professional investors with SMEs that are seeking growth capital in a virtual environment. The platform is developed for corporate finance consultants and transaction agents known as (advisers), SME business owners (sell-side) and private investors (buy-side).  The Maksab Platform leverages the Ethereum blockchain to allow confidential, secure, streamlined, efficient and reliable transactions between platform users by deploying Ethereum-based ERC-20 smart contract. The smart contract
Fund+, an investment firm focused on European Life Sciences companies, has led a EUR38 million Series B financing in new portfolio company, Indigo Diabetes (Indigo). Indigo is developing a novel ‘invisible’ continuous glucose monitoring device for diabetics. Jan Van den Bossche, Partner at Fund+, will join the Board.   Indigo has developed a small chip using nano-photonics that is designed to measure glucose and ketones in people with diabetes. The product is ‘invisible’ as it is inserted subcutaneously in the patient’s skin and cannot be seen. It has the potential to continuously monitor glucose levels for up to two years enabling
Sportstech specialist Sportside has secured backing to the value of GBP15million from impact investor Fortunis Capital Group.The ‘connect and play’ social app, scheduled to be launched in autumn, is a one-stop platform that lets people find their perfect sporting match, by age, ability or geography – and gives clubs and coaches the resource to manage their business and attract new clients. Driven by free sign-ups, Sportside aims to build an engaged community of millions of players, coaches and clubs which, in turn, will open up commercial opportunities for advertisers, partners and sponsors.   Bob Frost, Director of London-based Fortunis, confirmed
Cloud technology
Mid-market private equity house LDC has funded the GBP30 million merger of three cloud-based managed services businesses – DoubleEdge Professional Services, Foehn and Metaphor IT – to form Kerv. 
Azora, a Madrid-based European private equity real estate manager, has raised EUR680 million for the launch of a new fund, Azora European Hotel & Lodging, EUR80 million above the Fund’s initial EUR600 million target. With a hard cap of EUR750 million, the Fund has an implied total capacity of more than EUR1.5 billion to invest in leisure hotel opportunities across Europe, with a significant proportion of the portfolio expected to be located in Spain, Europe’s most popular “sun & beach” destination.   Commitments were signed throughout the lockdown period and demonstrate investors’ continued confidence in both the long-term performance of the
Cheney Bros, a family-owned, operated regional food distributor serving the Southeastern United States, has closed an investment by funds managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R).The investment will help fund the company’s continued expansion across its core markets, including, but not limited to, Florida and North Carolina. The Cheney family remain majority owners of the company, while Byron Russell, grandson of company founder Joe Cheney and CEO since 1981, remains Chairman and CEO. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1925, Cheney Brothers provides food and other broad line products to independent restaurants, restaurant chains, hotels, country clubs,
GPF Capital has closed its twenty-fifth transaction since its launch in 2015 with the acquisition via capital increase of a 50 per cent stake in Peris Costumes, a Spainish company specialising in the rental of wardrobe equipment for films and TV series. The Company complements the rental of garments, accessories, and jewellery with the manufacture, repair, dye and cleaning of clothing and footwear.   The current management team, which has a unique knowledge of the sector and is led by Javier and Alejandro Toledo, will remain in the business, and will continue to hold the other 50 per cent stake in

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12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am

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