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Cnano Technology, a specialist in multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) products for the energy storage, structural and electronics industries, has completed its USD15 million Series C funding.
Cnano will use the funds to expand its high quality carbon nanotubes manufacturing operation in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China in order to meet the fast growing demand for its products. The Company continues to leverage and enhance upon technologies it has licensed on an exclusive basis from Tsinghua University.
GRC SinoGreen Fund, a leader in private equity and venture capital in the Greater China Region, led the financing, which included Hotung Investment Holdings Limited and
This extract from Preqin’s Quarterly Update: Private Equity, Q1 2015 focuses on global private equity-backed buyout deals, featuring the latest available data.
The number of private equity-backed buyout deals recorded globally in Q1 2015 fell by 20 per cent from 958 in Q4 2014 to 770 in the first quarter of 2015, consistent with a trend that has seen a dip in the number of deals in the first quarter in every year since 2008 (Fig 1). However, the aggregate value rose by 14 per cent from USD85 billion in Q4 2014 to USD97 billion in Q1 2015, the highest
Sobera Capital has acquired assets from Polytechnos Venture Fund II in a secondary direct transaction.
The assets include shares in Nanotron Ltd. (wireless technologies), Panoratio Holdings Inc. (software) as well as Capella Inc, the parent company of ArraVasc Ltd. (medtech).
Sobera Capital is a Berlin based independent secondary direct investor with a focus on venture capital and small-cap funds and assets in T.I.M.E.S, healthcare and selected other industries.
Car-sharing platform BlaBlaCar, headquartered in Paris, has acquired 100 per cent of the shares in Munich-based carpooling.com, which operates the online portals mitfahrgelegenheit.de and mitfahrzentrale.de.
This acquisition sees the BlaBlaCar community growing to more than 20 million members in 18 markets across Europe and Asia. Members use the online system to arrange a lift or make a car-share offer.
A CMS team headed by lead partner Stefan-Ulrich Müller advised Earlybird Venture Capital and the shareholder founders of carpooling.com on all legal aspects of the sale. Daimler AG also held shares in the company.
Earlybird is based in Berlin and focuses
The Michigan Angel Fund (MAF) has closed its second fund (MAF II) with USD2.05 million. MAF II will make its first investment this spring, and plans to make eight to 10 total investments within the next two years.
"There's no doubt that MAF plays an important role in our entrepreneurial economy. Angel investors are a key element to the success of the diversification and growth of the technology startup community in Michigan," says Skip Simms, MAF managing director. "Angel investors provide entrepreneurs the fuel they need to succeed, not just with their investment but with their connections and guidance."
With
Private equity investor Anchor Equity Partners and investment firm KKR are to acquire a controlling stake in South Korean mobile commerce company Ticket Monster (TMON) from Groupon.
Anchor and KKR, in conjunction with TMON’s management, will jointly acquire a controlling stake in TMON and will inject new capital into the company to help fund its future growth opportunities. Anchor and KKR will hold equal stakes in the company. Some of the world’s largest pension, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors, including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Pavilion Capital, will also be participating as investors in this transaction. Groupon, which
Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP) has held the first close of Middle East Venture Fund II (MEVF II) at USD15 million. The fund will invest in the region's tech and mobile businesses.
MEVFII is MEVP's fourth fund and succeeds its USD70 million Impact Fund that was launched last year for investments in Lebanon's ICT sector. The fund will aim to close in second quarter 2015 with US$30 million to invest. Middle East Venture Fund II is already operational and has approved four investments:
• YouGotAGift.com: The first of its kind online marketplace specialising in digital gift cards in the Middle
Boodle Hatfield has appointed Partner Simon Rylatt to head up its market leading Private Client and Tax team. The appointment takes place from 1 May 2015.
The appointment is made as Partner and current Head of the Private Client and Tax team Sara Maccallum steps down from the role on taking up the position of Senior Partner.
Rylatt says: “Sara has done a great job for the team and is hugely respected for it. I am sure she will be equally successful for the firm as our Senior Partner.”
Boodle Hatfield is also celebrating being named one of the
Peer-to-peer lender Assetz Capital has raised GBP3,179,750 from 731 investors through the Seedrs platform – the second largest campaign hosted by Seedrs to date.
This raise has cemented Seedrs’s position as “crowdfunder to the professionals”, and follows a number of other successful Seedrs fundraising campaigns.
LandBay, the P2P lending platform for buy-to-let property, raised GBP569,044 across several fundraising rounds through Seedrs in late 2013 and 2014. LandBay has since gone on to raise a venture capital round from Omni Partners.
Trillion Fund, a leading environmental and social crowdfunding platform, raised GBP536,800 through Seedrs in December 2014.
CrowdLords, a
WHEB Partners’ Growth Fund 2 and Dr Jan Verdenhalven have acquired 100 per cent of the shares of Dolan GmbH, Kelheim from Lenzing AG and 100% of the shares of European Carbon Fiber GmbH (ECF), Kelheim from Lenzing AG and Kelheim Fibers GmbH.
Dolan and ECF share production facilities in Kelheim and an experienced management team.
“The sale comprises part of Lenzing’s strategy to focus on its core business of man-made cellulose fibers. With WHEB Partners and Dr Jan Verdenhalven, Lenzing succeeded in finding financially strong, industry-oriented new owners in which both companies will be able to develop more effectively
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