Vision Opportunity China Fund, a closed-ended fund that invests in companies with operations principally within Greater China, has reported a 71.7 per cent rise in net asset value to USD2.09 per share for the year ended 30 September 2009. As at 30 September 2009, the company’s NAV was USD138,649,851. During the financial year 2009, Vision realised approximately USD34.5m of proceeds from assets purchased for approximately USD25.6m, representing a return of approximately 34.7 per cent. Since inception in November 2007, the company has realised approximately USD46m of proceeds and approximately USD13m in realised gain, representing a return to the company’s shareholders

Ansca Mobile has received USD1m in backing from Merus Capital, the venture capital fund founded by ex-Google and ex-Microsoft executives. Ansca Mobile creates products that allow people to create and share applications designed for the Apple iPhone. It plans to use the funding to expand company operations in both the development and dissemination of its mobile app building products. "We will bring in more world-class engineers to help us deliver on our vision," says Carlos Icaza, Ansca Mobile co-founder and chief executive. "Our mission is to lower the barrier for developing mobile apps and making it accessible to a much

Intuit has signed a definitive agreement to sell Intuit Real Estate Solutions to Vista Equity Partners for approximately USD128m in cash. Vista Equity Partners is a private equity firm with more than USD2.5bn in committed equity capital, focused on investments in software and technology-enabled businesses. IRES, formerly known as Management Reports, is part of Intuit’s global business division and is a provider of software and services to companies in the real estate management and investment industry. Based in Highland Hills, Ohio, it has approximately 340 employees in its worldwide offices, serving more than 1,700 customers. “Intuit Real Estate Solutions is

Private equity firm Resilience Capital Partners has acquired Victor Oolitic Stone, a provider of Indiana limestone to the dimensional stone marketplace. This transaction marks the first acquisition under Resilience’s previously announced industrial minerals platform, North Coast Minerals. Victor Oolitic primarily sells into four end markets: institutional (churches, universities, government), high end residential (USD5m to USD50m homes), commercial (malls, hotels, office buildings) and residential (accents, window sills, flagstones and keystones). Victor Oolitic uses two distribution channels: cut stone fabricators, and brick and masonry yards. Resilience Capital was named the successful bidder in the company’s chapter 11 section 363 auction held on

RoundTable Healthcare Partners, a private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare industry, has entered into a definitive agreement to sell one of its portfolio companies, Ascent Healthcare Solutions, to medical technology company Stryker for USD525m in cash. Prior to closing, Ascent will distribute USD35m of cash from its balance sheet to its shareholders, taking the total proceeds from the sale to approximately USD560m. The closing is conditional on regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. Ascent is an independent third-party reprocessor of single-use medical devices in the healthcare industry. It was created through a merger of Vanguard Medical Concepts,

Law firm Sidley Austin is opening an office in Palo Alto, California with lawyers practicing in the areas of corporate, technology transactions and IP litigation.  The Palo Alto office will complement Sidley’s strong presence throughout California, with over 200 lawyers in San Francisco and Los Angeles.  “The Silicon Valley, as a worldwide center of innovation, has been in our sights for strategic expansion,” says Thomas A. Cole (pictured), chairman of Sidley Austin’s executive committee. “Our Palo Alto office will establish a significant presence with veteran attorneys who understand the process of technology innovation. Sidley has a well-recognised reputation in areas

BlackRock has invested GBP20m in Circle, Europe’s largest clinician partnership with the UK’s biggest pipeline of new build private hospitals. Circle is the fastest growing independent hospital operator in the UK and is majority owned by its employees. It currently operates three hospitals and two clinics, including Europe’s largest day-case treatment centre in Nottingham. The company has ambitious plans to open and operate over the next few years a further 27 new generation hospitals.  The first of these hospitals will be opening in Bath in February 2010. Circle Bath is the first hospital in the world to have been designed

Wi-Fi specialist Xirrus has secured an additional USD20m in a financing round led by venture capital firm InterWest Partners. This financing round brings the total investment in the company to USD80m. Xirrus will use the new funds to bolster its reserves and invest in partnerships with large integrators focused on making Wi-Fi the primary network connection for their customers. The financing is anticipated to be the last round of private funding Xirrus will require. "Times have changed since my last technology venture," says Dirk Gates, founder and chief executive of Xirrus. "Xirrus has reached critical mass and significant customer traction