Roche Acquires Lab Data Analytics Platform Viewics

Canvas Ventures

Roche Acquires Lab Data Analytics Platform Viewics

Roche, a pharmaceuticals and diagnostics focused on advancing science has announced an agreement to acquire Viewics, Inc., a laboratory business analytics platform. Under the terms of the agreement, Roche is acquiring all shares of the company. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

As part of the acquisition, Viewics, Inc. will become an integral part of Roche and add further digital capabilities on top of Roche Diagnostics’ Integrated Core Lab offering to make faster data-driven informed decisions on their operations and processes.  The cloud-based solution is secure, infrastructure-agnostic, interactive, and accessible from multiple devices (e.g. smart phones, tablets, desktop computers).

Founded in 2010 in Sunnyvale, CA, the Viewics solution allows for efficient integration of big data from a variety of IT systems in the laboratory and beyond, pioneering a new way in extracting, cleansing, transforming and augmenting data. The HIPAA-compliant solution puts the transformational power of analytics into the hands of healthcare professionals in laboratory, financial, executive, and IT roles.

The solution enables organizations to leverage insights out-of-the-box, combined with the flexibility of further customising the solution to meet the needs of their unique situations, truly interact with their data and make decisions based on accurate information to deliver significant impact.

Categories: News

Tags:

AURELIUS subsidiary GHOTEL continues to expand

Aurelius

  • Three new hotel openings signed in Bochum and Düsseldorf
  • GHOTEL group positioned as an approved franchisee
  • Additional hotel projects in planning

Munich – November 17, 2017 – The hotel operator GHOTEL hotel & living (www.ghotel.de), a subsidiary of AURELIUS Equity Opportunities SE & Co. KGaA (ISIN DE000A0JK2A8), continues to pursue its successful expansion strategy. After entering into or extending an average of one new lease agreement per year over the past few years, the Bonn-based company has now accelerated the pace of its growth. The signing for the last of three new locations took place last week. Going forward GHOTEL hotel & living will also be represented with a new hotel with 162 rooms in Bochum and two new hotels totaling 390 rooms in Düsseldorf.

The GHOTEL hotel & living group will operate the two new hotels at the Düsseldorf airport for the first time as a tenant and franchisee of leading Europe-wide hotel group Accor. A Novotel with 210 rooms and an ibis hotel with 180 rooms are slated to open there in 2020. With this move, GHOTEL has positioned itself for the first time as an approved franchisee in the hotel industry. Volkmar Paff, COO of AccorHotels Central Europe, says: “As a modern office and service district with a campus atmosphere, the Quartier (n) in Düsseldorf is an extremely attractive location. We will be represented there with our brands ibis and Novotel starting in 2020. We are very pleased with the collaboration with our new franchise partner GHOTEL hotel & living – an experienced and respected hotel operator.”

GHOTEL has been a wholly owned subsidiary of AURELIUS since 2006. Since 2010, the GHOTEL hotel & living Group has opened three new attractive locations in Koblenz, Würzburg, and Essen under the umbrella of AURELIUS.

The group is currently in advanced discussions concerning other hotel projects to be operated under the GHOTEL hotel & living brand and also as franchises.

 

About GHOTEL hotel & living

GHOTEL hotel & living is a rapidly expanding hotel and apartment building chain with mostly 3-star properties in various German cities. The business hotels with modern conference rooms are marketed under the GHOTEL hotel & living brand. They can be found in Kiel, Hannover, Koblenz, Munich, Würzburg, and in Essen. GHOTEL hotel & living also operates apartment buildings in Bonn and Munich with a focus on serviced apartments under the GHOTEL living brand. The head office of GHOTEL GmbH is in Bonn. The Company has belonged to the AURELIUS Group since December 2006. The managing directors of GHOTEL GmbH are Wolfgang Zurner and Jens Lehmann.

Categories: News

Tags:

Industrifonden exits Soundtrap – acquired by Spotify

IndustrieFonden

We are excited to announce that our portfolio company Soundtrap is acquired by leading music streaming service Spotify. As the only institutional investor and the largest shareholder in Soundtrap, after the group of founders, we are proud to have (once again) helped an incredible team to continue to accelerate its so far successful journey.

We led Soundtrap’s $6m Series A round in 2016. The investment has helped Soundtrap accelerate growth, expand the team and execute on their mission to democratize and empower high-quality music making for everyone. But our relationship with Per, Björn, Fredrik and the Soundtrap team goes back a couple years before the initial investment.

– When we first met the Soundtrap team in 2014, we knew they were one of a kind. We saw a huge potential in Soundtrap early, they have most of what we look for in a team when it comes to skills, product and ability to execute on a bold vision. Today’s news proves that we were right, says Johan Englund, Industrifonden investment lead and board member of Soundtrap.

– We’re thrilled for Spotify and Soundtrap to join forces, this is a perfect match, adds Johan.

The exit marks an excellent proof of our ongoing mission to back bold entrepreneurs and founders in the Nordics who make a real difference. Following exits earlier this year, from automotive software company Movimento and IoT pioneer Fältcom, this marks another successful exit in 2017 for us.

We invested in Soundtrap in 2016, and is the only VC investor to date that has backed the company. The investment has helped Soundtrap accelerate growth, expanding the team and execute their mission to democratize and empower high-qualitative music making for everyone.

– It has been invaluable to have had Industrifonden with us on this journey. We are all enormously excited about the huge opportunity that comes with this deal, and we also look forward to continue the relationship with Johan and the rest of the Industrifonden team, says Per Emanuelsson, CEO and co-founder, Soundtrap.

Soundtrap launched its beta in 2013, with official launch in 2015 as a web-based, cross-platform, collaborative music recording studio. Since launch, the company has experienced strong growth both in the consumer space, and an education version that has been widely adopted by schools

Categories: News

Tags:

EQT Infrastructure acquires Dutch telecom and infrastructure company CAIW

eqt

  • EQT Infrastructure to acquire CAIW, owner and operator of telecom infrastructure connecting more than 350,000 households in the Netherlands
  • EQT Infrastructure is committed to actively support CAIW in further strengthening its market position and investing in growth opportunities
  • CAIW to be included in the same holding as DELTA headed by Marco Visser as CEO

The EQT Infrastructure III fund (“EQT Infrastructure”) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire CIF Holding B.V. (”CAIW” or “the Company”) from Rabo Bouwfonds Communication Infrastructure Fund C.V..

CAIW is a leading regional telecom infrastructure company in the Netherlands owning and operating a state-of-the-art fiber and coax network, connecting more than 350,000 households. CAIW employs approximately 210 people and generated sales of EUR 112 million in 2016.

EQT Infrastructure will invest in the continued development of CAIW’s growth strategy while strengthening its market position and exploring opportunities to expand its existing fiber network.

“EQT Infrastructure looks forward to supporting CAIW’s growth journey in the Dutch telecom and infrastructure market. Following last year’s investment in the telecom infrastructure company DELTA, the acquisition of CAIW fortifies EQT Infrastructure’s commitment to the Dutch fiber segment”, says Matthias Fackler, Partner at EQT Partners and Investment Advisor to EQT Infrastructure.

Joost Goderie, Senior Managing Partner at Rabo Bouwfonds Communication Infrastructure Fund:

‘With support of institutional investors, we have developed large-scale fiber networks in different areas of the Netherlands. We are especially proud that CAIW successfully rolled out optical fiber to municipalities and households in rural areas. Welcoming EQT Infrastructure as the new investor will guarantee continuity of CAIW’s services and shape the ambitions for the future.”

EQT Infrastructure intends to include CAIW in the same holding as DELTA and the new group management structure will oversee all activities related to both CAIW and DELTA. It will be headed by Marco Visser, current CEO of DELTA.

The transaction is subject to customary conditions, such as completion of a works council consultation procedure and approval of the Autoriteit Consument & Markt (ACM). The parties have agreed not to disclose financial details related to the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in Q4, 2017.

Morgan Stanley acted as sole financial advisor and Clifford Chance as legal advisor to EQT Infrastructure.

Contacts:
Matthias Fackler, Partner at EQT Partners, Investment Advisor to EQT Infrastructure, +49 89 2554 99 505
EQT Press Office, +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT
EQT is a leading alternative investments firm with approximately EUR 37 billion in raised capital across 24 funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia and the US with total sales of more than EUR 19 billion and approximately 110,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtpartners.com

About CAIW
CAIW is a telecom infrastructure company in the Netherlands that owns and operates broadband connections to more than 350.000 households and businesses. In recent years, CAIW rolled out fiber networks to municipalities and homes in remote areas. CAIW is also a strong regional internet service provider offering broadband, TV and telephony services. Westland, Schiedam and Almelo are amongst the largest regions in CAIW’s footprint.

More info: www.caiway.nl

 

Categories: News

Tags:

IK expands its small cap strategy to the Benelux region – Hires Sander van Vreumingen as Benelux Small Cap partner

ik-investment-partners

IK Investment Partners (“IK”), a leading Pan-European private equity firm, today announces that Sander van Vreumingen has joined as a Partner responsible for IK’s Benelux Small Cap team. 

IK has been present in the Benelux region since 1995 and has invested over €1bn into thirteen successful investments during this time. Within the mid cap space, IK has been one of the most active regional players with notable transactions including Vemedia, the market leader of OTC drugs, Magotteaux, the leading manufacturer of cast wear parts for the cement and mining industries and fund administrator Vistra, amongst many others. As IK now extends its small cap strategy, Sander van Vreumingen has been appointed partner and responsible for the Benelux Small Cap team.

Sander joins from Gimv, where he worked for over a decade, and prior to that at the Dutch investment firm Halder. He has substantial experience in the small cap segment, and has been involved in numerous transactions, including Mackevision, ALT, Arplas, Walkro, BMC, Oldelft, ARS Traffic & Transport Technology, Hebu and Geveke. Sander holds an MSc in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

IK’s Amsterdam office, which was established earlier this year, is led by Remko Hilhorst, Partner responsible for IK’s Mid Cap Benelux team. Remko Hilhorst has been with IK since 2001. Together, IK’s Small and Mid Cap teams will focus on investments with enterprise values of up to €500m, partnering with entrepreneurs who are looking for support to help them achieve the next stage of their company’s growth and development.

“Having both a mid cap and small cap practice operating on the ground will allow the firm to capitalise on the synergies which are present in the market and give the teams a superb investing platform from which to execute transactions,” said Remko Hilhorst, Partner at IK Investment Partners.

“Benelux is an important market for IK, offering many interesting investment opportunities in various sizes and sectors. Sander, with his wealth of experience and wide network of contacts in the region, is a great addition to our team to reinforce our strong position in Benelux. We are delighted to welcome him to the firm,” said Christopher Masek, Partner and CEO at IK Investment Partners.

“I am very pleased to join one of the most reputable private equity firms in the Benelux region. I look forward to working closely with Remko and the mid cap team whilst establishing a dedicated small cap team, in order to further enhance the firm’s existing success,” said Sander van Vreumingen, Partner at IK Investment Partners.

For further questions, please contact: 

IK Investment Partners
Remko Hilhorst, Partner
Phone: +44 207 304 4300

Mikaela Hedborg
Director Communications & ESG
Phone: +44 77 87 573 566
mikaela.hedborg@ikinvest.com

About IK Investment Partners
IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan-European private equity firm focused on investments in the Nordics, DACH region, France, and Benelux. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €9 billion of capital and invested in over 110 European companies. IK funds support companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. For more information, visit www.ikinvest.com

Categories: News People

Tags:

Investment update: Zego raises £6M Series A to provide gig economy worker insurance

Balderton

We’re very excited to see Clerkenwell, London-based pay-as-you go insurance provider Zego announcing their £6m in series A funding today, led by Balderton and joined by original investor Local Globe and angel investors in the insurance sector. Rob Moffat will be taking a seat on the Zego board.

Zego is preparing to launch new products specially designed for flexible workers employed in the sharing economy.

Zego co-founders Harry, Sten and Stuart

Zego was founded by former Deliveroo managers last year, and the team has grown from seven to 33 employees since the start of 2017. They’re planning to use the funding to hire more specialists for their engineering team, as well as staff to build key business functions.

Read coverage of the announcement on Techcrunch here.

Categories: News

Tags:

Bridgepoint to acquire master franchise of BURGER KING® in UK

Bridgepoint

Bridgepoint today confirmed it has reached an agreement with Burger King Europe GmbH (“BKE”), an affiliate of Restaurant Brands International Inc. (“RBI”), to become the UK master franchisee of BURGER KING®, with exclusive rights to the brand in the UK. It will simultaneously acquire Caspian UK Group, one of the UK’s largest BURGER KING® franchisees with 74 restaurants. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The transaction with BKE will see the establishment of a new BURGER KING® UK entity which will be controlled by Bridgepoint with BKE retaining a minority stake. The new entity will enter into a 20 year master franchise agreement giving it the right to be the custodian of the BURGER KING® brand in the UK, control over the brand’s proposition in the UK and the right to roll-out new stores across the country.

The transaction will also see Bridgepoint support a highly experienced management buy-in team, headed by chairman-designate Martin Robinson whose experience includes Casual Dining Group, where he is also chairman. Martin was former chairman of Center Parcs and Wagamama. The new team will lead the company’s management of the UK territory as well as the roll-out of further stores across the country.

“We are thrilled to announce this agreement to increase the pace of growth for the BURGER KING® brand in the UK, one of the world’s largest quick service restaurant markets,” said José Cil, President of the BURGER KING® brand. “The Bridgepoint team has extensive experience in the UK market and a strong track record investing in and developing leading brands in the quick service restaurant industry, which positions them well for success.”

Bridgepoint said: “BURGER KING® is a pre-eminent global consumer brand with a robust and growing presence in the UK market, well-liked by consumers. This is an opportunity to work with a highly regarded management buy-in team to re-invigorate a much-loved brand and to grow the existing UK business.”

Martin Robinson, chairman designate of the new BURGER KING® UK entity, said: “BURGER KING® is an iconic global brand with a long-standing heritage in the quick service restaurant market. Working with Bridgepoint and BKE, the team believes it can deliver growth and further opportunities for the brand to flourish in the UK market.”

Founded in 1954, the BURGER KING® brand is the second largest fast food hamburger chain in the world. In the UK there are currently over 500 restaurants.

Advisers were:

– For Bridgepoint: Travers Smith (Legal, ESG), Harris Williams & Co (Corp Fin), Parthenon EY (Commercial), Deloitte (Financial, Tax, Pensions), Marsh (Insurance), Freeths (Property)- for Caspian UK Group: KPMG (Corporate Finance, Legal, Transaction Services, Tax, Pensions)

– For management buy-in team: Macfarlanes (legal)

Press enquiries

For all press enquiries, contact James Murray on +44 (0) 20 7034 3555

Categories: News

Tags:

ConnectiveRx Acquires Pittsburgh-Based Careform to Further Speed-To-Therapy and Patient Engagement for Specialty Drugs

Genstar Capital

WHIPPANY, NEW JERSEY, November 15, 2017 – ConnectiveRx, a leader in helping patients with affordability, access and medication adherence messaging, has acquired Careform, a leader in technology-enabled “hub” services driving patient and provider engagement and support. The acquisition, which was completed Tuesday, November 14, 2017, will enable both ConnectiveRx and Careform to improve patient outcomes by improving speed-to-therapy, and prescription compliance and persistence. ConnectiveRx is a portfolio company of Genstar Capital.

In addition to its proprietary BrandHub platform, Careform’s highly experienced team of case managers and technologists solve healthcare challenges by efficiently deploying technology to enhance product access. The company also offers electronic reimbursement support, clinical support that includes therapy management protocols supported by nurses and pharmacists, REMS administration monitoring, patient assistance qualification and fulfillment, benefits investigation, prior authorization and FDA-compliant eSignature.

“The ConnectiveRx mission is to simplify how people get and stay on medications. The opportunity exists to remove barriers that make it difficult for patients to quickly get on therapy for complex specialty drugs,” said Harry Totonis, CEO of ConnectiveRx.  “Careform will enhance and broaden our existing solutions for our biopharmaceutical customers with specialty medications. We are delighted to be working with Careform to better serve our customers and improve outcomes for patients, providers and healthcare.”

“Joining forces with ConnectiveRx is mutually beneficial. Because our products and services are truly complementary, we will be able to deliver true end-to-end patient access services: hub services fully integrated with affordability and adherence messaging solutions,” said Steve Fleck, founder and CEO of Careform. “Together, we are poised to become the leader in innovative pharmaceutical services.” Mr. Fleck added that Careform will remain in Pittsburgh.

“We are excited to support the continued growth of ConnectiveRx through the acquisition of Careform,” said Ben Marshall, Principal at Genstar Capital. “Careform adds a leading technology-based hub capability to ConnectiveRx’s expanding suite of solutions for specialty medications.”

About ConnectiveRx

Headquartered in Whippany, New Jersey, ConnectiveRx delivers affordability and adherence messaging solutions through all stages of the patient’s medication journey to help them get and stay on their medications. The company provides these solutions to over 125 biopharmaceutical manufacturers. ConnectiveRx is also home to PDR, a trusted brand with a 70-year history of delivering medication information to healthcare professionals nationally. Follow @ConnectiveRx on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. For more information, please visit www.connectiverx.com.

About Careform

Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Careform was founded in 2012 to simplify access to specialty pharmaceuticals through technology-enabled patient support services. BrandHub delivers inventory management, EHR integration and therapy cycle management to identify and remove barriers to patient access through its team of logistics experts dedicated to advancing the customer’s brand to providers, payers and patients. For more information, please visit www.careform.com.

About Genstar Capital 

Genstar Capital is a leading private equity firm that has been actively investing in high-quality companies for more than 25 years. Based in San Francisco, Genstar works in partnership with its management teams and its network of strategic advisors to transform its portfolio companies into industry-leading businesses. Genstar manages funds with total capital commitments of approximately $9 billion and targets investments focused on targeted segments of the industrial technology, healthcare, financial services and software industries. For more information, please visit www.gencap.com.

###

MEDIA INQUIRIES:

ConnectiveRx and Careform
Donna K. Ramer
dramer@strategcations.com
917-744-2669

Genstar
Chris Tofalli Public Relations
Chris Tofalli
+914-834-4334
chris@tofallipr.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Sale of shares in Actic Group AB to nine high quality investors including Athanase Industrial Partner

ik-investment-partners

Actic International S.à.r.l. (a holding company owned by the IK 2007 Fund) has entered into an agreement to sell 6,647,078 shares in Actic Group AB (publ) (“Actic”) to nine high quality Swedish investors, including Athanase Industrial Partner (“Athanase”).

Athanase, Cornerstone investor in the listing of Actic, will through the transaction increase its holding in Actic from approximately 7.9% to 15.4% of the total number of shares outstanding.

After the sale, the IK 2007 Fund, advised by IK Investment Partners, no longer owns any shares in Actic.

SEB acted as Sole Bookrunner in the transaction.

For further questions, please contact:

IK Investment Partners
Mikaela Hedborg
Director Communications & ESG
Phone: +44 77 87 573 566
mikaela.hedborg@ikinvest.com

About IK Investment Partners
IK Investment Partners (“IK”) is a Pan-European private equity firm focused on investments in the Nordics, DACH region, France, and Benelux. Since 1989, IK has raised more than €9 billion of capital and invested in over 110 European companies. IK funds support companies with strong underlying potential, partnering with management teams and investors to create robust, well-positioned businesses with excellent long-term prospects. For more information, visit www.ikinvest.com

 

Categories: News

Tags:

Insight Venture Partners Invests $26M Series B in LeanTaaS to Fuel Growth of Healthcare Operations Platform

Insight Venture

SANTA CLARA, Calif.–LeanTaaS, Inc., a Silicon Valley software innovator that increases patient access and transforms operational performance for healthcare providers, today announced that new investor Insight Venture Partners, a leading global venture capital and private equity firm, has invested $26 million in a Series B round of financing.

“Healthcare is a difficult space in which to bring about radical change,” said Jeff Horing, co-founder and managing director of Insight Venture Partners. “We are impressed by the quality of deep customer partnerships, the product portfolio and the team that LeanTaaS has assembled.”

The company’s solutions — relied upon by more than 40 of the nation’s leading hospitals and infusion centers — use lean principles, predictive analytics, machine learning and the cloud to dramatically improve the patient experience. LeanTaaS customers have reduced wait times for appointments and surgeries by up to 50 percent, increased patient access by as much as 30 percent and improved operational performance up to 20 percent through increased revenue and reduced costs.

The mathematical foundation on which patient appointments are scheduled is fundamentally flawed. As a result, expensive assets like infusion chairs, operating rooms, diagnostic imaging equipment and inpatient beds are commonly over- and underutilized, often on the same day.

LeanTaaS has quickly emerged as the leader in using advanced data science and mathematics to address this perplexing paradox. The company’s patent-pending algorithms help providers do more with existing assets and defer investments in additional staff, equipment and facilities. LeanTaaS solutions also improve surgeon access to valuable operating room time, lower wait times for patients and level-load the day for anesthesiologists, nurses and staff.

“We are privileged to work with many of the leading health systems in the country to demonstrate the impact of combining lean principles, predictive analytics and scalable software to drive significant improvements in operational performance and asset utilization,” said Mohan Giridharadas, founder and CEO of LeanTaaS. “This investment from Insight Venture Partners is a strong validation of our approach and will enable us to dramatically accelerate our growth over the coming years.”

The financing will fund continued investment in the LeanTaaS iQueue platform, which currently consists of two solutions: iQueue for Infusion Centers and iQueue for Operating Rooms. In May 2017, the company also established iQueue Labs, which explores answers to emerging, significant operational challenges in diagnostic imaging departments, emergency departments, pharmacies, labs and inpatient beds. The iQueue platform is a cloud service that works with any electronic health record and requires only minimal assistance by the provider’s internal IT staff to set up and use.

LeanTaaS joins an Insight Venture Partners portfolio that already boasts five companies on Inc.’s annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America.