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BPEA fully transitions into EQT’s global name and brand identity

eqt

A year after the combination of EQT and BPEA, the private equity business line in Asia today rebrands as EQT and completes its transition into the firm’s global name and brand identity.

EQT Private Capital Asia

Going forward, BPEA EQT, will be known as “EQT Private Capital Asia” and operate side-by-side with the EQT Private Capital Europe & North America business segment, enabling the team to further leverage EQT’s global scale and brand recognition.

Jean Eric Salata, Chairman of EQT Asia and Founder of BPEA, continues to lead EQT Private Capital Asia alongside its partner group and investment committee team who have been with the firm for 16 and 22 years on average, respectively. Apart from aligning the name and brand with EQT, the organizational structure, governance and operational autonomy remain unchanged. Moreover, EQT Private Capital Asia’s existing investment committee and decision-making processes will continue as is, and the legacy BPEA name will be kept for the flagship fund series going forward.

2023 was a strong year for EQT Private Capital Asia with several landmark transactions across its core sectors, including the acquisitions of IMG Academy, Indira IVF, HDFC Credila, VetPartners, and Benesse, the merger of Tricor-Vistra, and exits of TRYT and Coforge, among others. Coming together as one has created one of the largest private markets platforms in Asia and provided additional scale and deeper sector expertise, enabling new types of investment opportunities and enhanced capabilities of attracting capital.

Guided by a thematic investment strategy and distinct sector focus, EQT Private Capital Asia seeks control and co-control equity investments across a spectrum from small to large-cap buyouts with equity checks ranging between USD 50m – 1bn. EQT Private Capital Asia operates side-by-side with EQT’s infrastructure and real estate business lines in Asia-Pacific, with a team consisting of more than 110 investment professionals based locally in Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Shanghai and Sydney.

Today, EQT is the third largest private markets firm globally, including top three within private equity, top five within infrastructure, and top ten within real estate*. EQT Private Capital Asia is supported by the firm’s global platform, extensive network of Industrial Advisors, and in-house expert capabilities within sustainability and digitalization, including Motherbrain, EQT’s proprietary AI investment platform.

(*Based on raised capital in the last five years. Source: 2023 rankings by Private Equity International, Infrastructure Investor, Private Equity Real Estate).

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 232 billion in total assets under management (EUR 128 billion in fee-generating assets under management), within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
Follow EQT on LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram

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LeaseCrunch Announces Significant Investment by Aquiline Capital Partners

Aquiline
NEW YORK, Jan. 10, 2024 – LeaseCrunch LLC (“LeaseCrunch” or “the company”), a leading lease accounting and lease management software provider, today announces a major growth investment from Aquiline Capital Partners LP, a private investment specialist with $10 billion in assets under management that invests across financial services and related technologies.

LeaseCrunch optimizes lease accounting processes for Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) firms by automating calculations and the required deliverables. The solution allows firms to streamline operations, save time, reduce errors, lower costs and simplify compliance with the new lease accounting standards. Through its distinctive dual access capabilities, LeaseCrunch enables CPA firms to work independently or collaboratively with their clients.

Founded by a team of former CPAs and accounting auditors in 2016, LeaseCrunch has grown to support over 600 CPA firms, including many of the largest in the US. Following the investment from Aquiline, LeaseCrunch will continue to scale the business through organic growth by expanding its product offering and capabilities to better serve its existing customer base and will pursue M&A opportunities to add further capabilities in line with customer demand.

Ane Ohm, CEO and Co-Founder of LeaseCrunch said: “We are excited about the investment from Aquiline Capital Partners, which reaffirms our commitment to transforming lease accounting for CPA firms. This partnership will propel us to innovate further and provide enhanced solutions to our clients, empowering them to navigate the evolving landscape of accounting standards with confidence and ease.”

Bruce Crabtree, Principal at Aquiline, commented: “The LeaseCrunch team has built an impressive platform that effectively streamlines lease accounting, enabling CPA firms and corporate leaders to optimise their operations. As CPA firms face material talent shortages and growing demand for their services, it is imperative that firms adopt leading software solutions to automate workflows and increase efficiencies. We are thrilled to join forces with LeaseCrunch, leveraging our deep expertise in investing in mission critical software businesses to further accelerate the company’s growth.”

Marks Baughan served as the exclusive sell-side advisor to LeaseCrunch in the transaction. The transaction closed in the fourth quarter of 2023. Additional financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

About LeaseCrunch LeaseCrunch is a leading provider of lease accounting and lease management software solutions in North America. The company delivers an easy-to-use software solution that addresses the biggest challenges of new lease standards ASC 842, IFRS 16, GASB 87, GASB 94 and GASB 96, particularly for CPA firms. LeaseCrunch is committed to creating value for CPA firms and companies by providing efficiencies in lease accounting and management processes. For more information, please visit www.leasecrunch.com.

About Aquiline Capital Partners Aquiline Capital Partners LP is a private investment specialist based in New York, London, Philadelphia, and Greenwich, Connecticut, that invests across financial services and related technologies. The firm has $10.1 billion in assets under management as of September 30, 2023. For more information about Aquiline, its investment professionals, and its portfolio companies, visit www.aquiline.com.

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Vantage Data Centers Announces $6.4 Billion Equity Investment Led by DigitalBridge and Silver Lake

Silverlake

Aggregate new equity investment in recent months reaches $8 billion, accelerating and extending Vantage’s leadership as strategic partner to global hyperscalers to meet unprecedented cloud and AI demand

Supports development investment of over $30 billion to deliver more than three gigawatts of additional data center capacity

 

DENVER, BOCA RATON, Fla., and MENLO PARK, Calif. (Jan. 9, 2024) – Vantage Data Centers, a leading global provider of hyperscale data center campuses, today announced a $6.4 billion equity investment led by investment vehicles managed by DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG) (“DigitalBridge”), the leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure, and Silver Lake, the global leader in technology investing.

The investment, across North America and EMEA, is incremental to the recently announced €1.5 billion to be invested by AustralianSuper in Vantage EMEA and includes expected investment from DigitalBridge and Silver Lake co-investors. These investments accelerate and extend Vantage’s strategic capabilities across North America and EMEA to partner with global hyperscalers in meeting unprecedented cloud and AI demand.

The combined investments highlight the long-term commitment of two category-leading investors to the business. Silver Lake launched Vantage in 2010 as a single data center campus in Santa Clara, California, recruited the management team that continues to lead Vantage today, and grew the company to have the then-largest wholesale data center footprint in Silicon Valley focused on serving sophisticated technology companies. A DigitalBridge-managed vehicle acquired Vantage in 2017 and has been the key strategic partner for nearly seven years, further emphasizing the company’s strategy to support cloud and now AI adoption and scaling Vantage into a global market leader with 32 operational or developing hyperscale data center campuses across five continents.

The new investment from DigitalBridge and Silver Lake, which follows several years of record growth at Vantage, is a key enabler of the business’ strategic growth and investment plan to meet customer demand. Vantage owns or controls 25 sites in North America and EMEA totaling more than three gigawatts of expected capacity. As part of the company’s investment plan, Vantage’s strategic land bank is expected to drive an estimated $30 billion of additional development, extending Vantage’s track record of bringing market leading capacity and innovative solutions to customers around the world. In connection with the investment, Vantage will continue its development of next-generation data centers, including energy-efficient and sustainable designs purpose-built for AI and large-scale cloud deployments.

“We are delighted that Silver Lake is joining DigitalBridge to support Vantage’s continued expansion across North America and EMEA,” said Sureel Choksi, president and CEO of Vantage. “Cloud computing, AI and related technologies are driving unprecedented demand for digital infrastructure. The market opportunity in front of us is extraordinary, and we are excited to chart our next phase of growth with two premier investors who have been great partners to us and have an unmatched understanding of our global technology customers and their infrastructure needs.”

“We are excited about supporting the next chapter of Vantage’s growth in partnership with Silver Lake,” said Jon Mauck, senior managing director at DigitalBridge, who leads the company’s data center investment strategy. “We believe the combination of DigitalBridge’s unparalleled insight into the digital infrastructure landscape and Silver Lake’s technology focus creates a unique partnership to further enable Vantage’s strategic expansion and long-term growth plan. Vantage is a critical partner to the leading cloud and technology platforms globally and is well positioned to continue to support accelerating adoption of cloud- and AI-based technologies.”

“We are proud of what we pioneered when we launched Vantage, and we are thrilled to invest and partner again with this exceptional management team alongside DigitalBridge to drive the next generation of energy-efficient, hyperscale data center leadership,” said Greg Mondre, co-CEO and managing partner, and Lee Wittlinger, managing director, of Silver Lake. “Silver Lake is committed to bringing to bear the depth and breadth of our specialized expertise across the technology landscape to strengthen Vantage’s partnerships with the world’s biggest and most sophisticated technology companies and continue to meet their most challenging data center needs.”

The transactions are expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

 

About Vantage Data Centers
Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across five continents in North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands.

For more information, visit https://www.vantage-dc.com.

About DigitalBridge Group, Inc.
DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global alternative asset manager dedicated to investing in digital infrastructure. With a heritage of over 25 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem, including cell towers, data centers, fiber, small cells and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages $75 billion of infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. Headquartered in Boca Raton, DigitalBridge has key offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Luxembourg and Singapore.

For more information, visit https://www.digitalbridge.com.

About Silver Lake
Silver Lake is a global technology investment firm with approximately $101 billion in combined assets under management and committed capital and a team of professionals based in North America, Europe and Asia. Silver Lake’s portfolio companies collectively generate nearly $266 billion of revenue annually and employ approximately 540,000 people globally.

For more information, visit https://www.silverlake.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, and may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Factors that might cause such a difference include changes to the level of demand for hyperscale data center campuses, the impact of AI and related technologies on the demand for digital infrastructure, plans for capital deployment by Vantage, whether the equity recapitalization transactions described in this release will be completed in the timeframe anticipated or at all, and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in DigitalBridge’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2023, June 30, 2023 and September 30, 2023, and its other reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements reflect DigitalBridge’s good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance. DigitalBridge cautions investors not to unduly rely on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. DigitalBridge is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release, nor to conform prior statements to actual results or revised expectations, and DigitalBridge does not intend to do so.

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AME and Variass join forces by establishing Metis Group

GIMV

Establishing Metis Group marks a new step in the international buy-and-build strategy.

Eindhoven, 9 January 2024 – Variass, AME, and Gimv are delighted to announce the establishment of Metis Group, effective as of today, January 9, 2024. Metis Group is a group of electronics companies that provide Development, Manufacturing and Product Life Cycle Management services to customers. Metis Group aims to facilitate collaboration among its subsidiary companies by sharing best practices and optimizing production and development capabilities, thereby maximizing value for its customer base.

The step to establish the Metis Group is a logical one after the acquisition of a majority stake in AME in 2020 and Variass in 2022 by Gimv, a leading European investment company.

Metis Group: Together towards tomorrow
Metis Group’s companies are partnering with customers to develop and manufacture the innovations of tomorrow. With a combined revenue of well over EUR 100M+ and a strong and committed workforce of 450+ employees across multiple locations including Eindhoven, Veendam and Drachten in the Netherlands, Metis Group is ready to accelerate high-tech solutions together with its partners.

Metis Group is committed to positioning itself as a premier technology manufacturer in various segments of the industry, health, safety, energy, and climate markets. The goal is to significantly expand in the next years through both organic growth as well as strategic acquisitions. The subsidiaries under Metis Group will maintain their unique business operations while collaborating to launch new services, exchange best practices, and drive forward their collective ambition: Together towards tomorrow.

Leadership and Governance
Reinier Beltman will lead the Metis Group and will also continue his current CEO-role at AME. As a former CEO of Ampleon, Reinier has ample experience in realizing growth in a high-tech environment by continuously striving to maximize customer value. He will be complemented by Ronald Diederiks as CFO. They will be working closely together with the management teams of Variass and AME. The supervisory board is comprised of Henk Smid (founder and former CEO of Variass), Boris Wirtz and Tom Van de Voorde (both from Gimv). This seasoned leadership team is committed to steering Metis Group towards a future marked by innovation, market leadership, and to being an attractive employer with a high level of employee engagement.

Reinier Beltman, CEO of Metis Group, remarks “joining forces will accelerate our growth path and strengthen the partnerships with customers of each Metis Group company”.

Boris Wirtz, chairman of the supervisory board, added “the establishment of Metis Group as a platform for further buy-and-build marks a significant milestone in our journey. It reflects our shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and growth. As a Supervisory Board, we are excited to support a vision that not only propels our companies forward but also contributes significantly to the ‘smart industries sector’ we operate in”.

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Reetta Laaksonen, Iina Mäkelä, Calvin Nsombo and Lassi Palviainen, Tesi’s new trainees

Tesi

Four new trainees began their traineeships at Tesi on January 8, 2024.

Reetta Laaksonen, who started as a trainee in the Fund Investments team, studies Economics at Aalto University. Previously, Reetta has worked in consulting.

Iina Mäkelä and Calvin Nsombo started as trainees in the Direct Investment teams. Iina studies Finance at Aalto University and has previously worked at Nordea and Volvo Finland Ab. Calvin studies Strategy at Aalto University. He has previous work experience from Mandatum Asset Management and Nordea.

Lassi Palviainen, who started as a Legal Trainee, studies Law at the University of Lapland. He has previous work experience from a law firm.

We warmly welcome Reetta, Iina, Calvin and Lassi and wish them rewarding experiences!

Tesi (officially Finnish Industry Investment Ltd) is a state-owned, market-driven investment company that invests in venture capital and private equity funds and directly in Finnish startups and growth companies.
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Categories: People

Latour acquires BS Tableau GmbH

Latour logo

Investment AB Latour (publ) has, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Latour Industries AB, acquired 100 per cent of the shares in BS Tableau GmbH, based in Zülpich, Germany.

BS Tableau is a German leading manufacturer of components for elevators. The company, founded in 1995, manufactures and sells bespoke fixtures for elevator cabins and a broad range of electronic components to lift operators and OEMs, mostly targeting modernization projects. Net sales amounts to approximately EUR 6 m, of which the majority is sold in the German market. The company has 40 employees.

“We are very happy to welcome BS Tableau to Latour Industries. The company offers high-quality products, has long-standing customer relationships, and is a strong addition to our portfolio of companies in the same sector. We look forward to collaborating with all employees and to growing and developing the company further”, says Björn Lenander, CEO Latour Industries.

“I am confident that the company will benefit from Latour’s industrial experience, long-term orientation, and responsible ownership model. I am certain that this will benefit our customers and employees”, says Rainer Bunk, CEO and co-founder of BS Tableau.

As an effect of the acquisition the net debt (excl. IFRS 16) of the Latour Group increases to almost SEK 11.8 billion compared to the net debt level at the end of September 2023, all else equal.

Göteborg, 9 January, 2024

INVESTMENT AB LATOUR (PUBL)
Johan Hjertonsson, CEO

For further information, please contact:
Björn Lenander, CEO Latour Industries AB, +46 708 19 47 36
Niclas Nylund, Investment Director Latour, +46 708 17 35 85

Latour Industries consists of a number of holdings, each with its own business concept and business model. The ambition is to develop the holdings within the business area to eventually become new independent business areas within the Latour Group. Latour Industries has an aggregated annual turnover of SEK 4 billion.

Investment AB Latour is a mixed investment company consisting primarily of a wholly-owned industrial operations and an investment portfolio of listed holdings in which Latour is the principal owner or one of the principal owners. The investment portfolio consists of ten substantial holdings with a market value of about SEK 76 billion. The wholly-owned industrial operations has an annual turnover of SEK 26 billion.

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Cinven raises $14.5 billion for the Eighth Cinven Fund

Cinven
  • Cinven has achieved the hard cap for the Eighth Cinven Fund, raising $14.5 billion (€13.2 billion)
  • Fund 8 is nearly 30% larger than its 2019 vintage predecessor fund, Fund 7
  • Cinven benefitted from a strong re-up rate from its longstanding Limited Partners, and welcomed a number of new investors to its global Limited Partner base
  • The success of Cinven’s fundraise was underscored by the strength of its long-term track record that has returned proceeds of c. €47 billion to the Cinven Funds; the depth and experience of its team; and the consistency of its strategy of building long-term, sustainable businesses with global growth opportunities

International private equity firm Cinven announces the final close of its latest flagship fund, the Eighth Cinven Fund (‘Fund 8’), having raised $14.5 billion (€13.2 billion) and reached the hard cap. Fund 8 is nearly 30% larger than its 2019 vintage predecessor fund, Fund 7, for which Cinven also reached the hard cap.

 

Over the course of its almost 50-year history, Cinven has focused on building world class companies using its sector expertise. Cinven has built deep, embedded local networks across Europe and has a growing presence in North America. Cinven’s international team works closely together in a Sector-Regional approach to execute its proven investment strategy to create strong and stable returns for its investors. Cinven’s ‘one team’ culture is fundamental to the firm’s values, philosophy and ethos, and the success of the Fund 8 raise demonstrates the continued strong support by Cinven’s Limited Partners for its team and investment approach.

 

Stuart McAlpine, Managing Partner of Cinven, said:

 

“Cinven has a long and proven track record of delivering strong and consistent performance to our investors. Our strategy for Fund 8 builds on the approach we have successfully deployed for previous Cinven Funds, investing in control positions in growth-oriented, market leading, cash generative companies with resilient characteristics where we can accelerate growth through our active management, and deliver break-out returns. We are very grateful to our Limited Partners for their continued support, and believe the investment opportunity for Fund 8 is very compelling.”

 

Alexandra Hess, Partner of Cinven and Head of Investor Relations, added:

 

“We greatly appreciate the support for Fund 8 that we have received from both longstanding and new investors. With their support, we have been able to complete another successful fundraise despite the difficult market backdrop. We believe market environments such as these support successful fund vintages for investors; particularly given Cinven’s experience identifying attractive opportunities across sectors and geographies in periods of volatility.”

 

Cinven seeks to build long-term, sustainable businesses which will grow, provide employment and generate economic benefit in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. At its core is a long and proven track record of investing successfully through economic cycles.

 

The Cinven Funds have completed investments in more than 150 portfolio companies across Europe and in North America, realised or listed more than 115 investments and returned proceeds of c. €47 billion to the Cinven Funds.

 

Originally founded as the private investment arm of the British Coal pension scheme in 1977, Cinven became independent in 1995; raised its first Fund in 1996; and has raised Funds of more than €50 billion in aggregate to date.

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EQT introduces the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy, a dedicated healthcare buyout strategy, with the acquisition of life sciences tools company Mabtech

eqt
  • The new EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy builds on EQT’s 30-year healthcare track record and will focus on scaling innovative, fast-growing healthcare companies to help deliver positive outcomes across the value chain
  • By helping companies build commercial muscle and expand their global reach, the Strategy aims to enable the development of medical research, diagnostics, tools and treatments to deliver more effective, efficient and accessible healthcare
  • Mabtech is a leading provider of high-quality antibody tools and kits, used predominantly for vaccine, infectious diseases, and oncology research, based in Sweden. EQT Healthcare Growth will support Mabtech as it expands its product portfolio and reach, especially in the US

EQT is excited to introduce the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy(or the “strategy”) and announce its first investment, Mabtech, which is being acquired from the IK Small Cap II Fund.

Introducing the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy
Long-term trends – such as growing, aging, and less healthy populations, significant unmet medical needs, and rising healthcare costs – are leading to a greater need for better, more efficient, and accessible healthcare. At the same time, scientific breakthroughs and advancements in technology and data are accelerating healthcare innovation. This is increasing the opportunity to invest in innovative and differentiated products and services that seek to deliver positive outcomes across the value chain. The opportunity is particularly compelling in Europe, where there are a growing number of companies in need of capital, expertise, and global reach to help them scale and unlock their full growth potential.

Against this backdrop, EQT is introducing the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy. The buyout strategy will apply EQT’s active ownership approach and invest in the same healthcare subsectors that the firm has invested in for 30 years. The dedicated Advisory Team is led by Maarten de Jong, who joined EQT earlier this year from Moelis & Company, where he led the expansion of its healthcare franchise. The EQT Healthcare Growth Advisory Team includes three further partners: Geraldine O’Keeffe, joining from EQT Life Sciences, Isabel de Paoli, joining from EQT Private Equity and previously Chief Strategy Officer at Merck KG, and Mark Braganza, who recently joined from Sun European Partners and was previously at GHO and TPG, where he focused on healthcare investing.

Maarten de Jong said: “I’m delighted to have joined EQT to establish and lead the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy, alongside a fantastic team. The new strategy will invest in innovative, fast-growing, proven healthcare companies, predominantly based in Europe. Applying EQT’s proven approach and leveraging its global network, we will help these companies build their commercial muscle and expand their global reach. In doing so, we seek to generate attractive risk-adjusted returns for clients while scaling positive outcomes across the healthcare value chain.”

Mabtech becomes the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy’s first investment
Mabtech is a category leading provider of tests and kits for studying immune responses predominantly in vaccine, infectious diseases, and oncology research. Based in Sweden, it has over 900 customers in more than 60 countries. Its products and services are focused on critical and often irreplaceable techniques used in antibody-based immunology research processes, particularly ELISpot and FluoroSpot kits. The market for these kits is accelerating, on top of the broader oncology, immunology and vaccines-related research market that is also growing.

Commenting on the acquisition of Mabtech, responsible Partner Isabel de Paoli said: “This is a high-quality player with deep technical and scientific expertise in a growing niche market, that we have been following for many years. By offering ‘must-haves’ along the drug development value chain and building on its leading position in Europe, Mabtech is well-placed to expand its scale and reach, especially in the US. This is an ideal example of the kind of company that the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy seeks to continue investing in: it’s a fast-growing European champion with innovative, proven solutions that drive positive healthcare outcomes. We look forward to working with Jan Wahlström and team to help Mabtech reach its full growth potential.”

The EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy builds on EQT’s 30-year track record
The strategy is fully integrated into and benefits from the broader EQT Private Capital platform and global healthcare sector vertical. Combining the deep scientific expertise and ability to identify emerging trends of EQT Life Sciences with EQT Private Equity’s value creation playbook and prior experience in high-growth, mid-market buyouts, the strategy is well placed to identify and support healthcare companies on their mission to scale rapidly and deliver positive healthcare outcomes.

Michael Bauer, Partner and Co-Head of EQT’s Global Healthcare Sector Team, added: “The introduction of the EQT Healthcare Growth Strategy builds on EQT’s three decades of healthcare experience. To date, we have invested over EUR 23 billion in more than 200 companies, from early-stage to buyout. Today, we have a healthcare team of more than 120 dedicated investment professionals across 20 countries supported by a network of approximately 150 advisors. With EQT Healthcare Growth, we’re adding the final piece to the puzzle so that we can support healthcare companies in every stage of their development. This market segment requires a unique combination of skills, and we are very proud of the caliber of team we have assembled to meet this opportunity.”

The acquisition of Mabtech is subject to customary conditions and approvals. It is expected to close in Q1 2024.

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 232 billion in total assets under management (EUR 128 billion in fee-generating assets under management), within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets. EQT owns portfolio companies and assets in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas and supports them in achieving sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
Follow EQT on LinkedIn, X, YouTube and Instagram

About Mabtech
Mabtech is a Swedish biotech company developing immunoassays for life science research. Since 1986, Mabtech’s mission has been to aid research by providing the global scientific community with innovative tools. To that end, the company generates and produces a wide range of monoclonal antibodies, kits, peptide pools, and instruments for in vitro applications.

For more information, visit https://www.mabtech.com/    

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BCS strengthens industry leadership with strategic acquisition of Online Academie

Main Capital Partners

BCS HR Software announces the successful acquisition of Online Academie, a leading software provider of learning and development solutions.

BCS HR Software, a distinguished software specialist in human resource management (“HRM”) and payroll software, proudly announces the successful acquisition of Online Academie, a leading software provider of learning and development solutions. This strategic move is in line with BCS’ strategy to support customers during the entire HR journey. The combination with Online Academie marks the sixth acquisition since the strategic partnership with Main Capital Partners in April 2022.

With over 45 years of industry experience, BCS has been a trusted partner for companies of all sizes, offering a complete HR & Payroll solution encompassing absence and payroll management, flexible benefits, employee administration, and talent management amongst others. BCS, provides its HR and payrolling solutions and services to the SME market in the Netherlands and Belgium, servicing clients such as Decathlon, Vattenfall and Argenta, as well as local governments and academic hospitals.

Online Academie, based in Berlicum, the Netherlands, specializes in supporting companies in Learning & Development, catering to a diverse range of sectors, including governmental, accounting, healthcare, and industrial. This is facilitated via an in-house developed Learning Management System called ‘mijnLMS’. The SaaS platform provides an integrated learning portal for organizations to manage and automate training processes and offers central access to in-house and third-party learning resources. Customers include Baker Tilly, RSM Netherlands, Hanos, Gemeente Tilburg and Gemeente Arnhem.

The acquisition strategically positions BCS to leverage the expertise of Online Academie in meeting the learning & development demands both profit and non-profit clients. BCS’ recent expansion into Belgium and in the talent management segment, facilitated by the acquisition of epowerhr in November 2023, aligns seamlessly with Online Academie’s Learning Management System (LMS) solutions. This strategic product expansion enables BCS to offer end-to-end tracking and monitoring of employee development, creating strong cross-sell and upsell opportunities within the existing customer base. This acquisition reinforces BCS’ commitment to innovation, positioning the company as the comprehensive partner for HRM and payroll software needs. The addition of Online Academie’s expertise marks a pivotal step forward in delivering enhanced value to clients across various sectors.

Joep Eijkens, CEO of BCS, adds: “The acquisition fits well with BCS’ long-term strategy. Being able to offer a Learning Experience Platform is a great addition to our current range of HR solutions. It was a missing link within the employee journey. As talent management and employee learning & development is becoming one of the most important aspect within the employee journey, we are delighted that we can now fully support customers in offering these essential solutions to their employees.”

Charly Zwemstra, founder and CEO of Main Capital and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BCS, concludes: “Since our strategic partnership with BCS in 2022 we have worked towards building a sustainable software group with a leading market position in the HR & payroll software market. The acquisition of Online Academie aligns seamlessly with BCS’ existing customer base and presents opportunities for cross-selling, both for the non-profit as well as the profit segments. We will continue to support BCS in its growth journey in gaining an even stronger foothold in the HR & payroll software industry.”

The acquisition of Online Academie aligns seamlessly with BCS’ existing customer base and presents opportunities for cross-selling, both for the non-profit as well as the profit segments.

– Charly Zwemstra, founder and CEO of Main Capital and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BCS

About

Online Academie

Online Academie, based in Berlicum, was founded in 2009 by Wim Schuurmans. Its core product ‘mijnLMS’ was designed based on best practice training processes in close collaboration with the customers and the employee as main stakeholder. Distinctive training management, a virtual learning environment, certification monitoring, capturing POP modules and microlearnings, and role-based learning are just a few solutions within the software suite.

BCS HR Software

BCS offers SMEs, corporate and non-profit organizations an integrated total HR  & Payroll software solution. BCS has over forty years of experience in providing software in the areas of payroll, time registration, workflow management, personnel planning, file management and flexible benefits, among others. Since 1978, BCS has grown into one of the largest and leading payroll processors in the Netherlands and has more than 230 employees.

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M Ventures portfolio company Calypso, a Merck spin-out, enters into agreement to be acquired by Novartis

M Ventures

Calypso is a European biotech translating Interleukin-15 biology into medical breakthroughs by developing CALY-002, an anti-IL-15 monoclonal antibody, for an array of autoimmune indications. The acquisition of Calypso gives Novartis full rights to CALY-002, a pipeline-in-a-drug with potential in dermatology, gastro-intestinal and rheumatology indications

AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands, January 08, 2024 / B3C newswire / — Calypso Biotech BV (‘Calypso’), a leader in the development of Interleukin15 (IL-15) targeted therapies, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Novartis AG (‘Novartis’). Calypso’s shareholders will receive an upfront payment of $250 million upon closing and are eligible to receive development milestones of up to $175 million based on the achievement of certain predetermined milestones.

Calypso, a spin-out from Merck, is focused on the research and development of monoclonal antibodies for an array of autoimmune indications, with an expertise in IL-15 biology. IL-15 is a broad, untapped immune axis that controls barrier function and downstream immune cascades in many chronic autoimmune diseases. Calypso’s lead product candidate, CALY-002, is a potential best-in-class therapeutic antibody that binds to and neutralizes Interleukin-15.

The acquisition gives Novartis full rights to CALY-002. Novartis intends to further explore CALY-002 across a wide variety of autoimmune indications with high unmet medical need. CALY-002 is currently evaluated in a Phase 1b trial in patients with Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis.

We are excited for this transaction with Novartis, a company with relentless commitment to the development of innovative therapies for autoimmune conditions. As part of the Novartis portfolio, CALY-002 is in the best position to be developed effectively, so that it can promptly address unmet medical needs in multiple indications

Alain Vicari, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Calypso

The transaction with Novartis constitutes the high point in the development path of CALY-002 for the Calypso team. Calypso has established a significantly de-risked profile for CALY-002 as a potential best-in-class therapeutic anti-IL-15 antibody

Bernard Coulie, Chairman, Calypso

Novartis is committed to bringing innovative treatment options forward for patients living with immunological diseases. We’re thrilled to add Calypso’s potential best-in-class antibody to our Immunology pipeline and explore it in a spectrum of autoimmune indications.

Richard Siegel, Head of Immunology Research at Novartis

Lazard acted as financial advisor and Goodwin Procter LLP acted as legal counsel to Calypso.

About Calypso Biotech BV
Calypso is a private biotechnology company focused on the research and development of novel biologics to address unmet medical need in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Calypso is developing a novel anti-IL-15 monoclonal antibody to treat a broad range of chronic autoimmune diseases by blocking Interleukin-15 (IL-15) and its wide-ranging functions at many levels of the immune response cascade. CALY-002, a highly potent monoclonal antibody, neutralizes all forms of IL-15 through a uniquely effective molecular mode of action to reduce inflammation and prevent tissue destruction.

Calypso was founded by M Ventures, the corporate strategic venture arm of Merck, and is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with offices and laboratories in Geneva, Switzerland. Investors include M Ventures, Inkef Capital, Gilde Healthcare, Fountain Healthcare Partners and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.

For more information see www.calypsobiotech.com.

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