Latest News
FTX Trading Limited (FTX), has launched FTX Ventures (the Fund), a USD2 billion venture capital fund focused on backing the world’s best teams building in the digital asset ecosystem.
FTX Ventures’ core mission is to advance global blockchain and web3 adoption, with a broad investment mandate across social, gaming, fintech, software, and healthcare. The Fund will invest in multi-stage companies and projects, providing flexible funding and strategic support from FTX and its network of global partners.
Alongside the Fund’s launch, crypto investor Amy Wu has joined FTX to lead Ventures, gaming, M&A and commercial initiatives. She was most recently
Century Park Capital Partners has recapitalised NCP Coatings, Inc, a developer and manufacturer of performance coatings solutions for the military, industrial, commercial, and forestry end markets.
NCP marks the third platform and eleventh overall investment by Century Park in the Specialty Chemicals sector.
Charlton Keultjes, who currently leads NCP, will remain with the business as President & COO.
This is the first transaction closed under the Century Leaders Program, a new Century Park initiative that is an executive-led, buy-and-build acquisition strategy.
Doug Holmberg, an executive in the firm’s Century Leaders Program covering the Specialty Chemicals sector, worked to source this
Cairngorm Capital Partners (Cairngorm Capital) has appointed Adam Watson, Sheena Pattni and George Buckle to the firm’s investment team.
Following the successful close of its third fund, Cairngorm Capital III last year, Cairngorm Capital has over GBP400 million of committed equity capital to deploy. These appointments strengthen the firm’s capacity to continue its disciplined investment selection and thoughtful buy-and-build strategies, which have delivered very strong returns since the firm’s inception in 2014.
Watson joins as Investment Manager from HSBC’s advisory team in London and Sydney, where he was involved in a diverse range of buy and sell-side transactions covering international
Nursery and childrenswear retailer Mamas & Papas, which is backed by Bluegem Capital Partners, has reported a 30 per cent increase in sales over the eight weeks to 26 December compared to the previous year and a 35 per cent increase on 2019, buoyed by new store openings, new product launches and an enhanced online presence.
The company, which designs and makes travel systems, nursery furniture and children’s clothing, said some of its strongest selling categories had been furniture and travel systems, where it made significant market share gains.
Thanks to positive Black Friday and Christmas trading, current year sales
Sophie Catala has joined the Buyout team at BlackFin Capital Partners as Debt Director. Catala will be based in BlackFin’s Paris office and will lead the debt and capital structure strategy for new investments and portfolio companies throughout Europe.
Catala has substantial experience in capital markets, acquired in banking and investment management. She previously spent seven years at Muzinich, a privately owned investment firm specialising in public and private corporate credit, where she was part of the Private Debt team. At Muzinich, she served in a key role, launching their first French fund and subsequently participated in the financing of
Venture capital dealmaking, exit and fundraising values all broke records in 2021 by ‘stunning amounts’, according to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, a quarterly report produced by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association with support from Insperity.
Private equity firm GTCR has named Andrew Johnson as Principal and Chief of Marketing and Communications, a newly created position.
In this role, Johnson will lead the strategic development and execution of all marketing and communications activities for GTCR. He will also collaborate with others at the firm and at portfolio companies on broader initiatives including ESG-DEI, community engagement, digital/social media and hiring and recruiting the best talent.
Chess.com, the world’s largest chess platform, has secured a significant growth investment from General Atlantic.
Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Launched in 2007, Chess.com is the world’s leading online destination for playing, learning and watching chess, with over 75 million registered users and more than 10 million games played every day.
Houlihan Lokey advised on the deal. Legal services were provided by Latham & Watkins; Paul, Weiss; Herzog Fox & Neeman; Shartsis Friese; and Poultan & Yordan.
Vienna-based GoStudent, which provides one-to-one video-based online tutoring, has raised EUR300m in a Series D funding round led by new investor Prosus.
Additional participation in the round came from Deutsche Telekom, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Tencent, Dragoneer, Left Lane Capital and Coatue.
The funding comes just seven months after GoStudent became Europe’s first EdTech unicorn, raising a Series C round of EUR205 million in June 2021. Since the company was founded in 2016, it has raised a total of +EUR590 million, and this new round strengthens its position as the highest valued K12 EdTech company in Europe with a EUR3
Funds managed by middle-market private equity firm Lee Equity Partners (Lee Equity) have invested in Therapy Partner Solutions (TPS), a physical therapy platform in the Southeastern US.
TPS employs a diversified operating model delivering physical therapy services across three divisions: Clinic Partnership, Management Services and Performance Solutions.
Steve Chenoweth, co-founder and CEO, will continue to lead the Company, while the entire senior management team, along with existing investor Walnut Grove Capital Partners, have retained a meaningful equity investment in the business.
Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.
Livingstone served as exclusive financial advisor to TPS and Arnall
Special Reports
Featured
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
