Latest News
Hampleton Partners’ latest analysis of the Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) M&A global market reveals that this nascent sector is already showing signs of maturity, with later-stage funding, valuations and transaction volumes on the up and gaining momentum.
M&A transaction volumes increased from a total of only 11 in 2014 to a total of 26 in 2018. North America is poised to establish a leading position in AR/VR M&A, as it is home to 62 per cent of all targets and to 60 per cent of buyers involved in an M&A transaction.
Meanwhile, later-stage funding for AR/VR is
Retail investors are increasingly drawn to private markets, attracted by the offer of diversification, alternative income, and sustainable investment opportunities, according to the latest issue of The Cerulli Edge – European Monthly Product Trends Edition.
“The alternative investments that retail investors are expanding into include hedge funds, private equity, venture capital, and private debt,” says Fabrizio Zumbo, associate director, European asset management research at Cerulli Associates, a global research and consulting firm.
One of the main reasons for the attraction to private markets is the hunt for returns that are relatively uncorrelated to mainstream asset classes such as equities and bonds.
FactSet, a provider of integrated financial information, analytical applications and services, has appointed Franck Gossieaux as Executive Vice President, Global Head of Sales and Client Solutions.
In this role, Gossieaux will be responsible for overseeing all global sales and client activities for FactSet.
Gossieaux joined FactSet in 2004 as part of its acquisition of JCF Group and has since held multiple senior leadership roles at the Company in both Europe and North America, including leading the EMEA and Americas sales teams. He has been instrumental in expanding FactSet across key markets and has global experience covering enterprise-level client relationships.
Venture capital firm Vala Capital has added technology entrepreneur and investor John Swingewood to its investment committee.
After directorships at BT and BSkyB during which he responsible for the companies’ early internet business strategies, John turned to start-ups. Over two decades he led domain name registry provider CentralNic to an AIM floatation as well as alarm signalling and monitoring firm Emizon and digital television software provider DITG to profitable sales.
Swingewood says: “Jasper, Arthur, Paddy and I have got a tremendous amount of experience between us and an excellent working relationship to boot. Vala have got some very exciting companies
Finistere Ventures, a global agrifood investment specialist, Israeli venture investor OurCrowd, Tnuva, an Israeli food manufacturer, and Tempo Beverages, an Israeli beverage company, are teaming up to focuse on investing in FoodTech and AgTech innovation in Israel.
Centered on Israeli technologies throughout the food and beverage value chain – from alternative proteins and nutritional value improvements, to functional ingredients and supply chain efficiency – the consortium will invest up to USD100m in local best-in-class agrifood startups.
The partnership was created following the Israeli government’s establishment of an innovation incubator in Northern Israel focused on FoodTech. Finistere Ventures, OurCrowd, Tnuva and
Ares Management Corporation is to become a minority shareholder in Volery and provide capital to support the firm’s operating and investment activities.
Volery is a private equity firm that provides growth equity and strategic support to leading investment managers that generate positive environmental and social impact. The firm also selectively pursues direct, co-investment and other opportunistic transactions alongside its core mandate.
“We are thrilled to be in business with Ares, a market leader that shares our strategic vision and will expand the breadth of our firm’s capabilities,” said Emanuel Citron, a Managing Partner of Volery. “The partnership will be instrumental
Akin Gump has appointed Rizwan H Kanji as a partner in its Dubai office. He comes to Akin Gump from another large international law firm in Dubai, where he served as the lead of that firm’s global capital markets working group and as one of the deputy heads of its financial services industry focus group.
Kanji’s practice focuses on debt capital markets, finance and securitisations using both conventional and Islamic finance structures. Particularly active in the Middle East and Turkey for over a decade and, more recently, in Africa, he advises investment banks, financial institutions, multilateral development banks, sovereign states,
Over two-thirds (67 per cent) of alternative investment fund managers believe the prospect of regulatory arbitrage between European Union member states seeking to attract business is likely to grow over the next two years, according to a new study.
The research reveals that regulatory arbitrage has muddied the waters for many investors, which has led to widespread unfamiliarity when it comes to the practical application of the rules. Sixty per cent of respondents agreed that variances of AIFMD interpretation between different EU member states has created the biggest knowledge gap among non-EU AIFMs.
Intertrust, a global leader in providing expert
Maven Capital Partners (Maven), has led a GBP500,000 investment in back & posture care product specialist, Handsome Limited (Handsome).
A total of GBP250,000 was invested by NPIF – Maven Equity Finance (‘NPIF’), managed by Maven and part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund, and GBP250,000 provided by the GMC Fund, along with the company’s lead China manufacturing partner.. The funding will allow the company to execute its ambitious marketing strategy to expand overseas, invest in product development and will create five new jobs in the region.
Cheshire based Handsome has developed a range of innovative, award winning products to
Regulatory compliance consulting firm, Argus Global has fully integrated two business acquisitions: Ace Success, a Singapore based secretarial, accounting and tax practices company; and Argus Compliance India Private Limited, a subsidiary company, based in India, offering a multi-disciplinary and comprehensive bouquet of services in Singapore and India.
“The company is already looking to expand in Asia within three years and has set a revenue target of SGD50 million within five years,” says CEO Sachin Gandhi.
Argus Global’s clienteles in Singapore are mostly entities who are regulated by, or wish to be regulated by, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) effective
Special Reports
Featured
Events
12 November, 2026 – 8:00 am
12 November, 2026 – 5:00 pm
