Archives

BC Partners’ and Mount Logan Capital’s Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund passes over $100m AUM

  • Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund (“SOFIX”) hits $100m milestone in April 2024 ahead of 2nd anniversary
  • Fund has raised c.$30m since April alone, with SOFIX’s AUM reaching approximately $130m as of May 24th, 2024
  • Fund targets attractive risk-adjusted returns via Private Lending & Structured Equity, Specialty Lending, and Dislocated Liquid Credit investments
  • The fund focuses on the significant opportunity in the middle market for small and medium businesses, which are turning to non-traditional platforms as bank lending remains muted

BC Partners and Mount Logan Capital, today announced their Opportunistic Credit Interval Fund (“SOFIX” or “The Fund”) hit $100m in assets under management in April, underlining significant investor appetite and conviction in the Fund’s strong track record. Since reaching this important milestone, fund raising has accelerated and SOFIX’s AUM now stands at approximately $130m as of May 24th, 2024.

SOFIX, an all-weather total return strategy, has seen returns of 36.99% since inception with an annualized distribution of 12% as of March 31, 2024. The fund works to target private originations and secondary investments through three approaches: Private Lending & Structured Equity, Specialty Lending, and Dislocated Liquid Credit. SOFIX focuses on a broad sector allocation under these strategies, allowing for a diversified risk profile, with target sectors including financial services, industrials, technology, healthcare and consumer discretionary, among others.

Ted Goldthorpe, Partner and Head of Credit at BC Partners said: “The success of the Fund in drawing $130m in assets under management underlines the strength of our offering and track-record since inception, and builds off the successful opportunistic credit platform we’ve managed for institutional investors since 2017.”

Matthias Ederer, Partner at BC Partners and SOFIX Portfolio Manager added: “We believe the Fund’s flexible mandate and focus on the middle market are key differentiators, especially as large bank lending remains muted and regional banks move away from credit provisions. SOFIX is therefore able to capitalize on opportunities in higher yielding assets with strong downside protection across its target sectors as SMEs turn to non-traditional platforms for capital. Ultimately, we see significant opportunities through this Fund to deliver on investor interest in sourcing all-weather, targeted opportunities across the US and European middle markets.”

The successful raise follows BC Partners’ $400m investment in Riddell, announced in April 2024, with the firm providing a convertible preferred equity and debt commitment to the group to fund future growth and deliver returns to investors. SOFIX invested in both instruments.

The Fund remains open and is available for purchase on Schwab, Fidelity, Pershing, and other custodial platforms. BC Partners’ SOFIX is advised by Mount Logan Management, LLC.

– ENDS –

About BC Partners BC Partners is a leading international investment firm in private equity, private credit and real estate strategies. Established in 1986, BC Partners has played an active role in developing the European buyout market for three decades. Today, BC Partners executives operate across markets as an integrated team through the firm’s offices in North America and Europe. BC Partners Credit was launched in February 2017 and has pursued a strategy focused on identifying attractive credit opportunities in any market environment and across sectors, leveraging the deal sourcing and infrastructure made available from BC Partners. For further information, please visit https://www.bcpartners.com/

About Mount Logan Capital Inc. Mount Logan Capital Inc. is an alternative asset management and insurance solutions company that is focused on public and private debt securities in the North American market and the reinsurance of annuity products, primarily through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Mount Logan Management LLC (“ML Management”) and Ability Insurance Company (“Ability”), respectively. The Company also actively sources, evaluates, underwrites, manages, monitors and primarily invests in loans, debt securities, and other credit-oriented instruments that present attractive risk-adjusted returns and present low risk of principal impairment through the credit cycle. Ability is a Nebraska domiciled insurer and reinsurer of long-term care policies acquired by Mount Logan in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2021. Ability is unique in the insurance industry in that its long-term care portfolio’s morbidity risk has been largely re-insured to third parties, and Ability is no longer insuring or re-insuring new long-term care risk.

Categories: News

Tags:

Labrador Island Link Welcomes New Investor

KKR

KKR to acquire Emera’s equity interest in critical clean energy transmission project

This news release constitutes a “designated news release” for the purposes of Emera’s prospectus supplement dated November 14, 2023 to its short form base shelf prospectus dated October 3, 2023.

  • Transaction value of $1.19 billion CAD.
  • Proceeds from the transaction will be used to reduce Emera’s corporate debt and support its investment opportunities in its regulated utility businesses.
  • KKR has a history of successful long-term investments in similar scale infrastructure projects.
  • Transaction is expected to close on or about June 4, 2024.

NEW YORK & HALIFAX, Nova Scotia & ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland and Labrador–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today, Emera Inc. (Emera), an international energy and services company, and KKR, a leading global investment firm, announced they have entered into a definitive agreement where KKR will acquire Emera’s indirect minority equity interest in the Labrador Island Link (LIL). The transaction value is $1.19 billion CAD, made up of $957 million CAD in cash and $235 million CAD for assuming Emera’s obligation to fund the remaining initial capital investment.

As part of its overall commitment to the Lower Churchill Project, Emera has been an equity investor in the construction of the LIL alongside Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (NL Hydro), which owns and operates the LIL. The transaction announced today provides for a one-time, up-front payment at closing in exchange for Emera’s indirect interest in the LIL, meaning KKR will receive quarterly distribution payments over the remaining life of the 50-year LIL contract and allow Emera to reduce corporate debt and fund its investments in its regulated utility businesses. Emera will remain actively engaged in the LIL partnership, along with NL Hydro, by continuing to provide sustaining capital investments to support ongoing operations. This transaction has no impact on Emera’s ownership of the Maritime Link transmission line and no impact on Nova Scotia Power, or its customers.

“This agreement is an important step in strengthening our company and positioning us to continue to capitalize on the growth opportunities in front of us, said Scott Balfour, Emera Inc. CEO. “With this transaction, we look forward to a new relationship with KKR while remaining committed to our partnership with NL Hydro.”

“KKR has a long history of investing in stable, reliable and essential transmission assets like the Labrador Island Link, and we look forward to beginning this long-term strategic partnership with Emera and NL Hydro to deliver clean energy across the region,” said Brandon Freiman, KKR Partner and Head of North American Infrastructure. “We’re pleased to be part of the future success of the Labrador Island Link.”

“The LIL is a strategic asset for Newfoundland and Labrador as it continues down the path of building its clean energy future,” said Jennifer Williams, CEO, Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro. “This new arrangement is evidence of the quality of the LIL and the critical role that it plays to harness clean, renewable energy and deliver it to our customers here in Newfoundland and Labrador across the region and beyond.”

The LIL is a 1,100 km high voltage transmission line that delivers renewable energy to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and beyond, helping meet the growing demand for clean energy across the region. Officially commissioned in 2023, the LIL is a vital transmission line of strategic importance to Atlantic Canada and has helped strengthen the Newfoundland and Labrador power grid.

The Lower Churchill Project is helping enhance energy infrastructure and facilitate clean energy delivery between the provinces and is essential in supporting the energy transition in Atlantic Canada. The Project also includes the Maritime Link, an Emera-owned transmission line that delivers renewable energy from Newfoundland to Nova Scotia.

KKR’s interest in the LIL reinforces the importance of clean energy infrastructure to serve Atlantic Canada and markets beyond. KKR has significant experience investing in infrastructure globally and has stable, ongoing access to capital, which affords the firm the ability to take a long-term “buy and hold” view. KKR is making this investment through capital accounts advised by KKR.

The transaction is expected to close on or about June 4, 2024.

TD Securities is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Emera in connection with the transaction. Scotiabank is acting as exclusive financial advisor to KKR.

About Emera

Emera is a geographically diverse energy and services company headquartered in Halifax, Nova Scotia with approximately $39 billion in assets and 2023 revenues of $7.6 billion. The company primarily invests in regulated electricity generation and electricity and gas transmission and distribution, with a strategic focus on transformation from high carbon to low carbon energy sources. Emera has investments in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

About NL Hydro

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro (NL Hydro) is a provincial crown utility—providing safe, cost-conscious, reliable electricity while harnessing sustainable energy opportunities to benefit the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. NL Hydro manages Newfoundland and Labrador’s electricity system, generating and transmitting the vast majority of electricity used by people in the province every day. For more than 50 years, Hydro has been there for families, friends, and neighbours across the province–and beyond. For more information, visit nlhydro.com.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

Forward Looking Information

This news release contains forward‐looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements concerning the acquisition of Emera’s indirect interest in the LIL by KKR, Emera’s future financial performance, the service life of the LIL, Emera’s engagement in the LIL, including future sustaining capital investments, and market conditions and demand for clean energy in Atlantic Canada in the future. Undue reliance should not be placed on this forward-looking information, which applies only as of the date hereof. By its nature, forward‐looking information requires Emera to make assumptions and is subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements reflect Emera management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to Emera management. There is a risk that predictions, forecasts, conclusions and projections that constitute forward‐looking information will not prove to be accurate, that Emera’s assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may differ materially from such forward‐looking information. Additional detailed information about these assumptions, risks and uncertainties is included in Emera’s securities regulatory filings, including under the heading “Business Risks and Risk Management” in Emera’s annual Management’s Discussion and Analysis, and under the heading “Principal Risks and Uncertainties” in the notes to Emera’s annual and interim financial statements, which can be found on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Contacts

Emera Media Contact
Dina Bartolacci Seely
media@emera.com

KKR Media Contact
Liidia Liuksila
media@kkr.com
(212) 750-8300

NLH Media Contact
Jill Pitcher
JillPitcher@nlh.nl.ca

 

DOWNLOAD PDF

Categories: News

Tags:

Platinum Equity Portfolio Company HC Companies Acquires Classic Home & Garden

Platinum

Complementary acquisition brings together leaders in functional pots and decorative containers to create “one stop shop” for horticulture growers, retailers and distributors

LOS ANGELES, May 28, 2024  – The HC Companies, a leading North American manufacturer of horticultural containers, announced today the acquisition of Classic Home & Garden (CHG), a premier provider of decorative and functional products for the lawn and garden market in North America. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Headquartered in Shelton, CT, CHG designs, sources and sells decorative garden pots and an array of backyard décor products. In recent years CHG has introduced new product lines focused on water conservation, eco-friendly products and packaging, and optimized transport.

The HC Companies CEO Bob Mayer said CHG’s strength in decorative containers fits seamlessly with HC’s focus on functional grower products.

“This is a strategic and highly complementary combination of two companies that each have their own distinct value propositions,” said Mayer. “There is little overlap between the two and joining forces will create new opportunities for both businesses through cross-selling, production and distribution efficiencies, customer acquisition, channel penetration and product innovation. We are creating a ‘one stop shop’ that can simplify the value chain and streamline procurement and retail merchandising for our partners. We believe that is great news for growers, retailers, distributors and employees alike.”

CHG owner and CEO Fred Ryan will remain a significant investor in the combined business and will serve as President.

“I’m proud of the CHG team and the contributions they have made to the success of our business over the years,” Ryan said. “Our growth has been driven by a culture of innovation, design and unwavering commitment to quality and customer service. Those core values will continue to guide us as we step onto a larger stage with greater opportunity to expand our reach and our impact.”

Platinum Equity acquired HC in 2023 and the investment is led by the firm’s Small Cap team.

“When we acquired HC Companies we set out to create a best-in-class, diversified player of scale within the broader horticultural market,” said Platinum Equity Partner Jacob Kotzubei and Managing Director Nick Fries in a joint statement. “HC’s transformational acquisition of CHG is an exciting and important step in that process. We will continue to work with Bob and Fred to evaluate additional strategic M&A opportunities across the lawn and garden market.”

Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as legal counsel and Alston & Bird LLP served as financing counsel to HC Companies on the CHG acquisition. Stout served as financial advisor to HC Companies.

Berkowitz, Trager & Trager, LLC and Locke Lord LLP served as legal counsels to CHG. Piper Sandler Companies served as CHG’s sell-side financial advisor.

About The HC Companies, Inc.
The HC Companies is a proud culmination of many legacy brands and continues to transform the horticultural industry through bold leadership, innovative manufacturing, and a comprehensive portfolio of products ideal for greenhouse, nursery, retail, and commercial markets. Headquartered in Twinsburg, Ohio, with production and distribution facilities throughout North America, HC manufactures growing solutions using the latest technologies and materials to satisfy the challenges of a continuously evolving industry. In addition to their horticultural containers, HC also supports a full line of sustainably sourced solutions including protective packaging, consumer products, growing containers, and more. For information on The HC Companies, visit hc-companies.com (growing containers) or hc-sustainable.com (sustainable products).

About Classic Home & Garden
Classic Home & Garden (CHG) is a leading provider of decorative planters and pots to national retailers, distributors, florists and garden centers across North America. Headquartered in Shelton, Connecticut, CHG’s entrepreneurial and talented team continuously innovates and challenges the status quo to provide exceptional products and service to customers. CHG supports a comprehensive line of planters in a variety of materials, along with a wide assortment of garden décor to create inspiring and impactful indoor and outdoor living spaces. Through strong relationships with breeders and growers, CHG has cultivated a deep market expertise to develop more functional, aesthetically pleasing products that better match consumer needs. For more information on CHG, visit classichomeandgarden.com.

About Platinum Equity
Founded in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity is a global investment firm with more than $48 billion of assets under management and a portfolio of approximately 50 operating companies that serve customers around the world. Platinum Equity specializes in mergers, acquisitions and operations – a trademarked strategy it calls M&A&O® – acquiring and operating companies in a broad range of business markets, including manufacturing, distribution, transportation and logistics, equipment rental, metals services, media and entertainment, technology, telecommunications and other industries. Over the past 28 years Platinum Equity has completed more than 450 acquisitions.

Categories: News

Tags:

Mentha launches first impact Buy-Out Fund in the Benelux

Mentha

Mentha announces the launch of the Mentha Impact Fund I. This is the first buy-out fund in the Benelux solely focused on investments in companies that contribute to achieving climate and environmental goals.

The new fund will invest in themes such as resource efficiency, sustainable production and process technology, and energy transition. It targets SMEs with revenues between EUR 5 and 100 million. The team aims for significant and measurable results in climate and environmental impact combined with financial returns. In addition to financing buy-outs, the fund can also provide growth capital.

Mentha Impact Fund I will have a size of EUR 140 million and operates alongside Mentha’s existing buy-out funds. The capital is raised from private and institutional investors.

“Mentha Impact Fund I is a natural step in the development of Mentha. For years, we have been improving the sustainability of our companies, focusing not only on achieving returns but also on considering people and the planet,” said Edo Pfennings, co-founder of Mentha and partner of Mentha Impact. “We want to use our decades of experience to help accelerate and expand companies that have a positive impact on climate and the environment.”

The Mentha Impact team consists of experienced investment professionals. The team is intrinsically motivated to use private equity to accelerate the growth of ‘green’ companies and to support companies with a ‘brown’ business model in their transition to become more sustainable. The team will actively collaborate with portfolio companies to achieve ‘transformative’ growth and thus maximize positive impact.

Categories: News

Polaris sells RelyOn Nutec to Mubadala Capital

Polaris

Polaris has entered into an agreement to divest global safety training and competence provider RelyOn Nutec to Mubadala Capital, the wholly-owned asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company.

Polaris partnered with RelyOn Nutec (formerly Falck Safety Services) in 2018 and has since undergone significant transformation. Today, RelyOn Nutec serves a variety of customers across a range of high consequence industries including energy infrastructure, renewables, maritime and oil and gas.

”RelyOn Nutec steered safely through the challenging COVID-19 times and has emerged as a global front-runner in the safety and competence training across high consequence industries. We have enjoyed the partnership with the management team, and we are very pleased with the strong performance and the great growth prospects for RelyOn Nutec under Mubadala Capital’s ownership,” says Henrik Bonnerup, Partner, Polaris.

Please see the following press release:

English

Danish

For more information, please contact:

Henrik Bonnerup, Partner
Phone: +45 21 66 87 66
Mail: hb@polarisequity.dk

Simon Damkjær Wille, Partner
Phone: +45 42 20 96 39
Mail: sw@polarisequity.dk

Categories: News

Tags:

Capital Group And KKR Form Exclusive Strategic Partnership To Create Public-Private Investment Solutions

KKR

LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Leading global investment firms, Capital Group and KKR, today announced an exclusive, strategic partnership to bring new ways for investors to incorporate alternative investments into their portfolios. Capital Group and KKR intend to make hybrid public-private markets investment solutions available to investors across multiple asset classes, geographies and channels. The first two strategies will be public-private fixed income offerings designed for financial professionals and their clients, which are expected to launch in the U.S. in 2025.

“Capital Group sees a real opportunity to deliver hybrid public-private market solutions for our clients,” noted Capital Group President and CEO Mike Gitlin. “For over 90 years, we have been committed to delivering a strong long-term track record of excess returns for clients, overseeing $2.6 trillion of which $500 billion is in public fixed income. KKR is a leading and respected alternative asset manager with over $500 billion in assets, with a proven track record managing over $200 billion in credit. We believe combining our respective areas of expertise in strategies that are more liquid than standalone private credit can help our clients achieve their goals.”

While alternatives have been available to high-net-worth individuals and accredited investors for some time, mass affluent investors, which represent more than 40% of the wealth market globally, have not historically had access to the asset class.1 This combination of Capital Group and KKR opens the door for more financial professionals and their clients to access alternative investments as part of their portfolios.

Gitlin continued, “We will bring the strategies of a premium alternatives manager to our clients with a compelling fee and greater accessibility. Clients should think of this as ‘the best of both worlds’ – a hybrid investment solution that combines Capital’s active management and long-term investment approach with KKR’s private market expertise. We are entering this market, in strategic partnership with KKR, with long-term plans and aspirations. Listening to our clients’ needs, we are confident that this will be the seed of a new platform, not just a product launch.”

Global assets in alternatives have grown significantly over the last 20 years and it is estimated that individual wealth invested in alternatives is expected to grow 12% annually over the next decade.2

“Capital Group and KKR have highly complementary capabilities and similar cultures and together we are committed to delivering for clients,” said Joe Bae and Scott Nuttall, Co-CEOs of KKR. “We believe individuals should have access to alternative investments and are thrilled to be partnering with Capital Group, which has world-class investment capabilities, strong client relationships and a leading sales and distribution network. We look forward to bringing these solutions to market and expanding our strategic partnership into additional asset classes and channels.”

“We see interest in alternatives only continuing to grow over the next decade as wealth investors gain access to high quality investment solutions,” said Eric Mogelof, Partner and Head of Global Client Solutions at KKR. “We are pleased with the momentum and growth that we’ve seen in our private wealth business and believe these new hybrid solutions will be a strong complement to our existing platform and offer a compelling way to bring the benefits of alternatives to an even wider audience of investors across wealth and retirement who may not have had access to them historically.”

Matt O’Connor, President of Capital Group’s Client Group stated, “The investable universe has expanded. We are committed to creating a meaningful public-private category for the benefit of our clients over the long term. Financial professionals tell us that we can add more value by bringing a fuller set of solutions to their clients’ portfolios and are looking to us to be their partner.”

Gitlin continued, “Some of our clients want us to bring them a full investment solution including alternatives. Capital has been researching the broad alternatives market for the past two years and considered whether to buy, build or partner. Buying would disrupt our culture, building could distract our investment professionals, so partnering with a subject-matter expert to deliver a holistic investment solution for our clients was the best course of action. For many investors, private credit can be out of reach. The lens we used was a simple one – how can we help clients while staying true to our culture and maintaining our focus on what we do best.”

Solution details will be announced later this year.

About Capital Group

Capital Group has been singularly focused on delivering superior investment results for long-term investors using high-conviction portfolios, rigorous research, and individual accountability since 1931.
As of March 30, 2024, Capital Group manages more than $2.6 trillion in equity and fixed income assets for millions of individuals around the world. Capital Group manages equity assets through three investment groups. These groups make investment and proxy voting decisions independently. Fixed income investment professionals provide fixed income research and investment management across the Capital organization; however, for securities with equity characteristics, they act solely on behalf of one of the three equity investment groups.

For more information, visit https://www.capitalgroup.com/about-us.html.html.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at https://kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at https://www.globalatlantic.com/.

Past results are not a guarantee of future results. This content is published by American Funds Distributors, Inc., which will be renamed Capital Client Group, Inc. on or around July 1, 2024, and copyrighted to Capital Group and affiliates, 2024, all rights reserved.

For more information, including our detailed disclosures, visit www.capitalgroup.com/global-disclosures.

1 PWC Asset and wealth management revolution 2023: The new context
2 Bain & Co 2023 Global Private Equity

Media Contacts:
Hannah Coan
hannah.coan@capgroup.com

Kristi Huller
kristi.huller@kkr.com

SOURCE Capital Group Companies

 

DOWNLOAD PDF

Categories: News

Tags:

Acquisition of VPM’s stake in Gimv by Worxinvest finalised

GIMV

Topic: Other

The sale of Gimv shares by the Vlaamse Participatiemaatschappij (VPM) to the diversified investment company WorxInvest was finalised today. All necessary regulatory approvals have been obtained, allowing the closing of the transaction that was announced on November 30th, 2023. This means that WorxInvest becomes the new reference shareholder of Gimv, European investment company listed on Euronext Brussels, with a stake of 28.73% after additional purchases between signing and closing.

Following the closing of this transaction, there also has been a reshuffle in Gimv’s board of directors. Filip Dierckx is co-opted into the board of directors of Gimv and becomes chairman. In addition, the board of directors of Gimv co-opts the following two directors nominated by WorxInvest: Robert van Goethem and Marc Valentiny. A CV of these new directors is available at www.gimv.com.

The following directors representing VPM resigned from Gimv’s board of directors upon completion of this transaction: Hilde Laga, Marc Descheemaecker, Jan Desmeth and Geert Peeters.

Filip Dierckx, Executive Chairman of WorxInvest and incoming Chairman of Gimv, declares: “We are delighted to start a new entrepreneurial chapter with Gimv in the further development of Gimv, with WorxInvest sharing the same values and investment philosophy with Gimv. Both Gimv and WorxInvest aspire to sustainably maximise value in their portfolio companies. The investment in Gimv is a major step in the roll-out of WorxInvest’s strategy that we announced in November 2023. It will form the basis of the direct investment strategy we are building. WorxInvest is committed to driving Gimv’s long-term profitable growth. We look forward to working with Koen Dejonckheere and his team to ensure the success of this value-creating partnership.”

Hilde Laga, Outgoing Chairman of Gimv, declares: “We are particularly proud of what Gimv has been able to achieve over the past 44 years. It is with great confidence in Gimv’s future that we can now complete this transaction. We are convinced that WorxInvest is the ideal long-term partner to continue this beautiful growth story. We wish the Gimv team every success in continuing ‘Building Leading Companies’ in cooperation with the new reference shareholder.”

 

Read the full document

Gimv

Karel Oomsstraat 37, 2018 Antwerpen, Belgium

www.gimv.com

Categories: News

Skytap, a Vistara Growth Portfolio Company, Acquired by Kyndryl (NYSE: KD)

Vistara Growth

We’re excited to share the news that Vistara Fund IV portfolio company Skytap has been successfully acquired by Kyndryl (NYSE:KD), the world’s largest IT infrastructure services provider ($6B IT infrastructure spinoff from IBM). Vistara’s investment in Skytap was announced in October 2023.

The opportunity with Skytap was sourced through a relationship with the company’s CFO, who previously held the same role at BitTitan, a Vistara Fund III portfolio company which exited to a private equity backed strategic in June 2021. Skytap was seeking incremental growth capital to achieve additional milestones ahead of a potential exit without having to price the company’s equity ahead of a transaction – a common use case for Vistara’s flexible and often less dilutive growth capital.

Skytap’s innovative technologies for managing complex workloads in cloud native environments will now be leveraged by Kyndryl to help more customers accelerate their adoption of advanced analytics, artificial intelligence, and DevSecOps.

Noah Shipman, Partner at Vistara Growth, commented “We are glad to have played a part in the final mile of Skytap’s journey, providing capital for the company to achieve some important milestones and a strong balance sheet ahead of its sale process.  We thank the Skytap team and its investors for selecting Vistara to finance the last leg of growth and congratulate Kyndryl on its strategic acquisition of a great technology platform and company.”

Categories: News

Tags:

InArea Group to Partner with Polaris Flexible Capital for Strategic Acquisition in Finland

Polaris

Polaris Flexible Capital (PFC I) is delighted to announce a strategic investment in InArea Group AB, a leader in the Swedish tiling, leveling, and flooring market. This partnership facilitates InArea’s entry into the Finnish market and supports the acquisition of Heikkinen Yhtiôt Oy and LTU Group Oy, enhancing its position as a Nordic leader in the industry.

Please find press release (English): InArea_press_PFC_240516

Categories: News

Tags:

Main announces strategic exit of Optimizers to Orisha after successful partnership

Main Capital Partners

Main Capital Partners is pleased to announce the successful sale of Netherlands-based Optimizers to Orisha, a French business software provider for construction, real estate, retail/wholesale and healthcare backed by TA Associates. During its partnership with Main, Optimizers transformed its profile into a comprehensive European provider of e-commerce enablement software, offering valuable solutions to its international customer base to improve their e-commerce processes across the entire value chain.

Main Capital Partners made its strategic investment in Optimizers in 2019. Supported by Main, Optimizers substantially strengthened its product proposition into an extensive software suite in e-commerce and further solidified its international presence across North-Western Europe and the US, currently employing around 170 employees.

Under Main’s stewardship, Optimizers substantially expanded its addressable market, and grew its software business significantly, both organically as well as through three strategic (international) add-on acquisitions. As a result, recurring revenue grew sevenfold during this period. Optimizers is well positioned to further capitalize on these achievements in the coming years and is now supported by Orisha.

Stefan van Diggelen, CEO of Optimizers, comments on the combination with Orisha: “We look back at a fruitful cooperation with Main, during which we expanded our market position significantly and we were able to optimize our organizational efficiency as well, boosting the company’s overall performance. Looking ahead, we are excited to embark on this new chapter for Optimizers alongside Orisha. This partnership not only enhances our access to additional expertise and experience but it most importantly further strengthens our ability to provide our customers with a unified commerce experience, worldwide.”

“We are delighted to announce this major milestone for Orisha. The acquisition of Optimizers opens up exciting new prospects for the group. Thanks to this transaction, Orisha will become a major player in Omnichannel Unified Commerce in Europe, and will actively participate in the transformation of this sector. We look forward to finalizing this transaction with Main Capital, and to exploring the new growth opportunities it should bring us,” adds Jacques Ollivier, CEO of Orisha.

Ivo van Deudekom, Investment Director at Main Capital and Member of the Supervisory Board of Optimizers, concludes: “Through Main’s specialized investment strategy, we supported in transforming the business into a resilient business model by increasing the recurring revenue percentage of the business. With strong (international) autonomous growth, supplemented with three strategic add-on acquisitions followed by strong up- and cross sell execution, recurring revenues grew sevenfold as a result. We congratulate Optimizers on this successful sale to Orisha; we feel Orisha is a perfect new home for Optimizers to continue this impressive growth story.”

This is a proposed transaction and is subject to standard conditions precedent. The acquisition is expected to be finalized shortly. Financial details will not be disclosed.

We congratulate Optimizers on this successful sale to Orisha; we feel Orisha is a perfect new home for Optimizers to continue this impressive growth story.

– Ivo van Deudekom, Investment Director at Main Capital Partners

About

Optimizers

Optimizers, founded in 2006, is a comprehensive European provider of e-commerce enablement software, offering a versatile platform of solutions for B2B and B2C digital commerce excellence, under the three strong brands: Tweakwise, Core-suite and Vendre. Optimizers’ software suite enables its customers to improve their e-commerce processes across the entire value chain, including solutions for search & discovery, e-commerce platform- and sales portal-related solutions, software for sales representatives, warehouse management & EDI software solutions, and a driver application for transport & (home) delivery. The suite is delivered to a wide range of industries in more than 25 countries. With its headquarters in Nijkerk, The Netherlands, the company has offices in The Netherlands, Sweden (Stockholm) and the US (New York), with c. 170 employees and serves close to 1,500 customers world-wide.

Orisha

Founded in 2003, Orisha is a European software publisher dedicated to companies in the retail, real estate, healthcare and construction sectors. Since its creation, Orisha has been helping companies to succeed by offering them solutions tailored to their business needs and essential to their activity (cash collection, commercial and financial management, stock management, CRM, HR, E-Commerce). Each day, Orisha’s solutions facilitate millions of interactions and transactions in a hyper-connected world. Since 2021, Orisha has been backed by TA Associates, a global private equity player and leader in the technology sector. In 2023, Orisha achieved sales in excess of €200m. The group, which was born in France, employs 1,300 people in Europe and supports clients in over 50 countries.

Categories: News

Tags: