Maven Capital Partners has been selected as fund manager of the Scottish Loan Fund (SLF). Some GBP55 million of public sector funding from the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has been committed to cornerstone the SLF, with additional private sector commitments under discussion which have the potential to increase the size of the fund. The SLF has been established to meet the current demand for finance for Small-to-Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs), particularly among the growth and exporting businesses that can contribute to Scotland’s economic development. Research undertaken has shown that

Venture capital fund Runa Capital is to increase its total fund size to USD50 million. The decision to increase the fund follows growing interest among Russian and international technology entrepreneurs and investors, who share Runa Capital’s vision of helping early-stage Russian technology companies compete at a global level. Originally established with seed financing of USD30 million, the increase will ensure even more young Russian and CIS high-tech teams can benefit from the firm’s capital, expertise and strategic partnerships. Runa Capital’s list of partners now combines more than 20 world-class technology entrepreneurs and professional investors. Among the new partners are Edward

The Paris Office of Morgan Lewis with the assistance of teams from London and Frankfurt, advised Easyvoyage group on the acquisition of two UK and German comparison and travel deals websites Dealchecker and TravelJungle, and an online e-marketing agency FSI. The acquistion of Dealchecker, leading UK price comparison and travel deals website, TravelJungle, top German price comparison website, operating in Germany, UK and Spain, and an online e-marketing agency FSI, which manages four million active subscribers, strengthens Easyvoyage’s position which is now presented as a European major leader on its market. These deals have been closed for a global amount

GlendonTodd Capital, a private investment firm that focuses on middle market technology-enabled business services companies, has, in partnership with Hoak and Co and other investors, acquired Chemical Information Services (CIS) from Vendome Group. Based in Dallas, Texas, CIS is the essential, most trusted provider of information services to the pharmaceutical and chemical industries in more than 140 countries worldwide. CIS has served procurement and sourcing specialists for more than 40 years through its proprietary Directory of World Chemical Producers (DWCP) and other databases.   The F&M Bank & Trust Company is the senior lender for the transaction; BIA Digital Partners

Private equity real estate investment advisory company MGPA’s Europe Fund II, has successfully closed on a lease extension at Rondo 1, Warsaw, Poland with the European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Members States of the European Union "Frontex". Rondo 1 is a 40 storey office tower with ancillary retail and car park, developed by Hochtief and completed in March 2006. The property was acquired in 2006 in a 50/50 joint venture between the Fund and London & Regional Properties. In 2008 the Fund assumed full ownership of the building. Frontex was created

Arma Partners acted as exclusive financial advisor to Escalate Retail on its sale to RedPrairie Corporation.  RedPrairie Corporation, a productivity solutions provider, has finalised the acquisition of Escalate Retail, a leading provider of all-channel commerce to specialty retailers, direct marketers and big-ticket retailers. The acquisition creates a compelling combination of assets, capabilities, and people that leverage Escalate’s capabilities and extend RedPrairie’s supply chain leadership position to create solutions that integrate and optimize the customer experience, from search to sale to delivery, no matter when, where or how the customer chooses to shop.   Escalate’s solutions deliver all-channel commerce capabilities that

US venture capital (VC) investment in cleantech companies increased by 8% to USD3.98 billion in 2010 from USD3.7 billion in 2009 and deal total increased by 7% to 278, according to an Ernst & Young LLP analysis based on data from Dow Jones VentureSource.   VC investment in cleantech in Q4 2010 reached USD979 million with 72 financing rounds. VC investment in cleantech in Q4 2010 reached USD979 million with 72 financing rounds, flat in terms of deals and down 14% in terms of capital invested compared to Q4 2009. "In comparison to the early days of cleantech, the 2010

Sun Capital Partners, a private investment firm specialising in leveraged buyouts and investments in market-leading companies, has made an investment in The SCOOTER Store, the USA’s leading provider of power mobility solutions and services for elderly and disabled patients. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed. Based in New Braunfels, Texas, The SCOOTER Store offers power mobility solutions, including power wheelchairs, scooters, lifts, ramps, and accessories supported by a national service organisation. The company also provides Home Care products and services in select locations which provide seniors with a better quality of life and an alternative to living in

PE- and VC-backed companies are growing significantly faster compared to their non Private Equity-backed peers as well as market indices like the Sensex, Nifty and CNX Midcap, according to a new study by Venture Intelligence, a research firm focussed on PE and M&A activity in India. The Venture Intelligence Private Equity Impact report also shows that profitability, wages, exports and R&D investments at PE/VC-backed companies are growing at a significantly higher rate compared to their peers which are not PE-backed. Sales at publicly-listed PE-backed companies demonstrated a CAGR of 25% over the ten year period 2000-2010, a significantly higher rate