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YFM Equity Partners (YFM) has backed the MBO of DSP Database Managed Services (DSP), a provider of database and data platform managed services.
Charlie Robinson and Ian Waterfield led the investment for YFM, which marks the sixth investment from the firm’s Buyout Fund I.
DSP is a UK-based supplier of data platform support & consulting services, whether on-premise, in-the-cloud or hybrid. The company has both Oracle and Microsoft delivery teams that deliver support, consultancy and managed cloud services to a wide range of mid-market and FTSE 100 clients.
DSP was founded in 1999 and set out to become
If one looks at Private Equity & Real Estate (PERE) assets, they’ve been growing substantially over the past decade. Since December 2007, PERE assets have more than doubled from over EUR3 trillion to EUR6 trillion.
In some respects, private equity has become a victim of its own success with approximately USD1 trillion in the form of dry powder (or capital yet to be invested). Factor in the increased level of competition as a result of large institutional investors directly investing, which is pushing valuations higher, and the net result is that it is becoming harder for PE and RE fund
Hazy, a London-based AI company focused on ethical, GDPR-compliant data sharing for responsible businesses, has secured an additional USD1.8 million in a seed funding round led by UCL Technology Fund, alongside Nationwide Building Society, Pentland, Amadeus Capital Partners, AI Seed and other investors.
This takes Hazy’s total seed funding to USD2.8 million following a USD1 million investment from M12 and Notion, awarded to the company in May, after Hazy was declared the European winner of global startup competition Innovate.AI.
Hazy, founded less than 18 months ago, was spun out of UCL (University College London), and raised GBP340,000 pre-seed in October 2017 in a round led by the UCL Technology
UK holiday park operator Coppergreen has acquired Kenwick Park Golf Hotel and Spa and Lodge Park in Lincolnshire and Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire, doubling the size of its portfolio.
BGF, the UK’s most active growth capital investor, has invested a further GBP10 million of growth capital while HSBC has provided GBP15.3m towards these purchases and general group capital expenditure. The new funding takes BGF’s total investment in Coppergreen to GBP21 million.
In addition to the two new acquisitions, Coppergreen owns and operates Woodland Lakes in North Yorkshire and Piperdam Golf & Leisure Resort in Scotland, which has been awarded
O’Melveny has represented live streaming platform SportsCastr in the sale of a minority stake to the National Football Association Players Association (NFLPA).
As part of the deal, SportsCastr has become an official licensee of the NFLPA for mobile apps and web-based platforms that enable fans to utilise video streams and chat technology to discuss sports topics.
Sportscastr is a live-streaming platform that allows anyone to become a colour commentator. In the deal, active and former NFL players will provide live commentary across various professional and college events using SportsCastr.
The deal was conducted through the NFLPA’s OneTeam Collective
LegalZoom, a provider of legal solutions for small businesses and families, has secured a USD500 million secondary investment led by Francisco Partners and GPI Capital, with participation from one or more Franklin Templeton Investments funds and funds managed by Neuberger Berman Investment Advisers.
“Delivering valuable solutions that naturally evolve into deeper relationships with customers has resulted in a rare combination of healthy profitability and accelerating revenue growth,” says LegalZoom CEO John Suh. “We’re excited to partner with an impressive set of new growth equity investors that will support our efforts to democratise law.”
LegalZoom continues to build on its
Global investment bank GCA Altium has acted as exclusive M&A and debt adviser to Phoenix Equity Partners (Phoenix) on its investment in Nexus Vehicle Rental (Nexus), in a transaction that values Nexus at GBP142 million.
Nexus is the leading technology platform for B2B vehicle rental in the UK and this marks the 24th technology transaction led by GCA in 2018.
This is the second transaction GCA Altium has completed with Nexus in 12 months (following the December 2017 refinancing) and further extends GCA’s leadership in the mobility technology space, with other notable transactions including the sale of Urban Engines
EnergyWatch (EW) has received an investment from a new equity partner, with Community Fuel Investment Partners purchasing a significant equity stake in the business.
“Community Fuel accelerates our ability to provide clients with world-class technology and capabilities, including a broader roll-out of our watchwire SaaS based energy management solution. We are delighted to have them as our partners and look forward to growing the business together,” says Diana Sweeney, Co-founder and COO.
The founders of EW, Sweeney and Jay Raphaelson, along with their partners Andy Anderson, EW’s Managing Director, and Syed Huda, Director of Software Engineering, will continue in
CVC Credit Partners’ European Private Debt business has provided a second round of financing to the Gedesco Group (Gedesco), following a deal in 2015 to support the growth of the business.
Headquartered in Valencia, Spain, Gedesco is the largest independent specialist invoice-discounting and factoring operator in the country. The business developed a market-leading proprietary risk management platform and leverages on its extensive origination capabilities with more than 25 offices across Spain. Gedesco is able to provide prompt financing to companies, offering a wide range of products and financial services aimed at promoting and developing SMEs and the overall Spanish economy.
Alternative asset manager The Carlyle Group has signed a 15-year lease for 94,367 square feet on floors 36-38 at One Vanderbilt Avenue, a 1,401-foot office tower being constructed in East Midtown, New York City.
One Vanderbilt is now 37 per cent leased, meeting SL Green’s end-of-year leasing goal five months early.
The Carlyle Group joins a distinguished roster of top-tier finance, banking and law firms that have committed to One Vanderbilt more than two years ahead of its planned 2020 opening. Other tenants previously announced at the building include: TD Bank with approximately 200,000 square feet of office space;
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