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In the first quarter of 2015, 166 Israeli high-tech companies raised USD994 million – the second highest quarterly amount in the last decade and just 10 per cent below the record high USD1.1 billion invested in 184 companies in the previous quarter.
The Q1/2015 amount was 48 per cent above the USD673 million attracted by 160 companies in the first quarter of 2014.
The average company financing round reached USD6 million, equal to the previous quarter’s average, and well above USD4.2 million of Q1/2014.
In Q1/2015, 91 VC-backed deals accounted for USD832 million – 84 per cent of total capital
EnterNext, the Euronext subsidiary dedicated to promoting and growing the market for SMEs, has launched Tech 40, a label recognising innovative European SMEs listed on the markets it covers.
Each year Tech 40 will allow 40 top-performing European companies to benefit from premium services. It is one of a series of measures adopted by EnterNext since 2014 to boost the visibility of tech companies on financial markets and provide special assistance to them.
Companies with the Tech 40 label are young technology stocks listed on Euronext markets and operating in life sciences, eco-industries or TMT[2]. An independent group of
Altegris has launched the Altegris KKR Commitments Fund offering accredited investors an opportunity to gain diversified exposure to KKR by committing to three different forms of private equity – primaries, secondaries and co-investments.
The minimum initial investment USD25,000.
"Accredited investors will now have the opportunity to access many of the same KKR private equity funds that institutional investors have had access to for years," says Jon Sundt, CEO of Altegris. "Altegris is providing investors with a portfolio spanning multiple private equity styles, geographic regions and life cycles, from newly established primary investment funds through mature secondary investment funds, all via
UK-based technology investor Mercia Fund Management (MFM) has launched its quarterly start-up competition, The Pitch, with the chance for the winner to receive GBP3000.
This quarter’s competition focuses on businesses within the Life Sciences sector.
Mercia is currently inviting applications from the life science sector, specifically biotechnology, medical devices and medical diagnostics. Companies applying must be no older than two years-old, and will not have received EIS or VCT funding previously.
The finalists will pitch in person to the investment team at Mercia’s Midlands-based offices in Warwickshire at 4pm on Monday 1 June.
This is the second
Libya Holdings Group (LHG), an investment company focused on growth opportunities in the Libyan market, is to acquire a majority stake in Libyan Cement Company (LCC) through a special purpose acquisition vehicle.
The transaction will mark a further step towards establishing LHG’s position as a dominant force in the country’s industrials market and signals investor confidence in Libya’s long-term economic potential.
The LHG sponsored vehicle will acquire a controlling interest in LCC from QuadraCir Group (QuadraCir).
QuadraCir, formerly named Asamer Holding AG, was the holding company of the Austrian Asamer industrials group. Following the restructuring of the Asamer
Greenwood Hall, a provider of technology-enabled student lifecycle management solutions, has secured a strategic investment from Lincoln Park Capital Fund (LPC).
"We are delighted to announce Lincoln Park Capital Fund's strategic investment in Greenwood Hall, which marks our second institutional investment this month," says John Hall, EdD, CEO of Greenwood Hall. "LPC has an excellent track record and is well-recognised for its long-term commitment to helping its partner companies. We believe this investment will add significant value to Greenwood Hall as we continue to focus on opportunities that position us for sustained long term growth."
Collinson Group has acquired corporate assistance specialist Specialty Assist, subject to regulatory approval.
Specialty Assist is a provider of medical assistance services to the corporate and London markets and the acquisition will further strengthen Collinson Group’s established global assistance capability. This acquisition forms part of a broader programme of investment being made by Collinson Group to deliver a market leading global assistance proposition for its clients and their partners.
Managing Director of Specialty Assist, Mark Rands will lead Intana Specialty, working alongside Group Head of Intana, Martin Weintz. He will also join the group’s Insurance & Assistance executive team.
Intana
Vestar Capital Partners is to acquire Woodstream, a manufacturer and marketer of branded pest and animal control as well as lawn and garden products, from Brockway Moran and CHS Capital.
Terms of the deal, which is expected to close teh second quarter of 2015, have not been disclosed.
Woodstream, through a broad portfolio of leading niche brands, services the lawn and garden, birding, pet, rodent control, hobby farm and animal control needs of consumers. Woodstream’s brands include Victor mouse and rat traps, Terro liquid ant bait, Perky-pet bird feeders, and Zareba and Fi-Shock electronic animal and hobby farming fencing, among
Joule Assets and Quantum Origination have joined forces to launch the SmartCity EIS Portfolio.
Joule Assets, a provider of project finance solutions for the energy efficiency and demand response industries, running the successful ERA Fund in the USA, while Quantum Origination is a provider of strategic corporate advisory services.
The function of the SmartCity EIS Portfolio is to identify, invest in and support innovative companies within the Smart City technology sector. These innovative green technologies seek to optimise energy consumption across different sectors of a city's infrastructure, such as lighting, buildings, renewables, and transport in cooperation with real energy market
Scottish law firm Gilson Gray has advised Scottow Moor Solar on the necessary rights and the initial financing for the EUR38million ground-mounted solar PV project at the former RAF Coltishall, Norfolk.
Since receiving planning consent for a 50MW solar site in January 2015, Scottow Moor Solar has connected the first circa 34MW phase. This phase is believed to have been the fastest large-scale solar deployment in Europe: seven weeks from commencement to connection.
David Fyffe, founder of Scottow Moor Solar, says: “The good work of Gilson Gray has helped bring this groundbreaking project to realisation.
“By facilitating the
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