Energy Investors Funds and NTE Energy have formed EIF NTE Hybrid Renewable Energy, a joint venture created to develop, construct and operate large-scale hybrid renewable energy facilities throughout the US. Hybrid renewable energy projects combine different types of renewable and traditional energy technologies to generate sustainable sources of clean electricity at a lower cost to customers than traditional renewable energy resources.  To produce hybrid energy, EIF NTE Hybrid Renewable Energy will construct plants that combine solar, biomass and other renewable technologies with natural gas turbine technology to produce low-cost renewable sources of electricity produced in a clean and sustainable manner. 

UK private equity firm Sovereign Capital has invested GBP10m in Brighton and Bristol Institute of Modern Music, a provider of modern music vocational and higher education. Run by musicians, BIMM offers its 1,150 students a broad range of qualifications in modern music through its colleges in Brighton and Bristol.  These courses are delivered by 100 tutors who are active professional musicians with a variety of touring, performing and session experience.  The tutorial programme includes a mixture of classroom study, live performance and specialist workshops from BIMM’s studios and lecture rooms, equipped with a choice of vintage and state of the

Starwood Capital Group has closed an aggregate USD2.8bn for its two newest funds: Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VIII at over USD1.8bn and Starwood Capital Global Hospitality Fund II at USD965m. Starwood Global Opportunity Fund VIII is the largest fund ever raised by Starwood in its 19-year history. The closing of the funds brings Starwood’s total capital raised since January 2009 to more than USD4.4bn, including the closing of Starwood’s Debt Fund II, the public offering of Starwood Property Trust and a co-invest pool of capital raised for the Starwood-led consortium’s acquisition of the Corus Bank assets from the FDIC. "We

Global mergers and acquisitions deal value for the year to date stands at USD470.8bn, up 13 per cent from Q1 2009, according to a report by mergermarket. However the start of the year is down 19 per cent from Q1 2008 and 42 per cent from Q1 2007. Q1 2010 is the second strongest quarter in the last five quarters, after Q4 2009. Propelled by the announcement of a number of mega-deals, Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) started the new decade with a boom in M&A activity. Q1 2010 was the largest Q1 for Asia-Pacific (excluding Japan) on mergermarket records with a

Insight Communications, a cable operator in the US, says an investor group led by Crestview Partners and MidOcean Partners has purchased a significant equity position in the company from certain existing shareholders, including The Carlyle Group. At the conclusion of this transaction and the related share repurchases by Insight referred to below, Carlyle and the new investor group each will hold an approximate 42 per cent equity interest in Insight, with the company’s management, employees and certain other shareholders continuing to hold the remaining equity interests. The transactions are expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter.

Private equity firm TA Associates has acquired a majority stake in Cath Kidston, a British lifestyle brand best known for its vintage inspired prints and household and fashion products. Financial details of the investment were not disclosed. As part of the transaction, founder and creative director Cath Kidston will retain a substantial stake in the business and will continue to be fully involved in her current role. Cath Kidston’s senior management will also continue to hold a significant stake. Kidston says: “We are delighted to have found a fantastic partner in TA Associates whose expertise and international reach will help

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts has joined Triton in its investment in Ambea, a healthcare and care company in the Nordic region and one of the largest European healthcare service providers. KKR’s investment is in the form of convertible preferred stock. Subject to certain regulatory approval, KKR has the option to become a joint equity lead investor on a 50-50 basis with Triton and in partnership with Ambea management. Triton signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ambea on 23 February 2010. The transaction with Triton and KKR closed on 31 March 2010. Ralph Riber, chief executive of Ambea, says: "We are pleased

An affiliate of Alinda Capital Partners, an independent private investment firm specialising in infrastructure investments, has acquired all of the equity interests of NorTex Gas Storage Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Falcon Gas Storage Company. The transaction value was USD505m, including the repayment of all third party indebtedness.  Falcon was acquired by Arcapita Bank and its affiliates in July 2005. NorTex owns and operates two natural gas storage facilities in North Texas totalling 35 billion cubic feet of capacity. The NorTex facilities serve the rapidly growing demand market of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, as well as natural gas production in

During the first three months of the year, eight US venture-backed companies raised USD711m by going public on US stock exchanges, matching the number of initial public offerings that occurred throughout 2009, according to Dow Jones VentureSource. Corporations bought 77 companies for USD4bn through mergers and acquisitions during the first quarter, on par with the 77 deals that raised USD3.4bn during the same period last year. “After two difficult, nearly dormant years for IPOs, venture-backed companies started 2010 with a strong showing in the public market,” says Jessica Canning, global research director for Dow Jones VentureSource. “With investors looking to