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Fast Group partners with CVC to expand logistics operations

Investing through CVC Capital Partners Asia IV, CVC will support Fast’s further expansion across the Philippines.

The Fast Group, a leading end-to-end logistics group in the Philippines, today announced that it has finalized its partnership with leading global private equity firm CVC Capital Partners. Investing through CVC Capital Partners Asia IV, CVC will support Fast’s continued development and further expansion across the Philippines.

Founded by the Chiongbian Family, Fast has been steadily growing for over four decades, from its roots in William Lines, a publicly listed shipping company in the 1990s, to become a leader in end-to-end logistics. The business delivers supply chain solutions that meet the world-class standards and requirements of multinationals and large organisations operating in the Philippines, while at the same time nurturing its strong roots with the local communities in which the business operates.

CVC is a leading global private equity company, with a long track record of building businesses in Asia, having been active in the region for over 20 years. This deep experience will be essential in accelerating Fast’s growth and increasing its footprint through mergers and acquisitions, and in the digitalization of its logistics operations through investments in technology.

William Chiongbian, Group President and CEO of Fast Group commented: “Fast is the market leader in the growing Philippine logistics sector, our clients greatly value our broad offering which spans the entire supply chain from logistics and warehousing, to distribution and transportation. The investment in Fast by CVC is a testament to the attractiveness and potential of the Philippine logistics sector, the market leading business we have built over the last four decades, and of course the economy more broadly. We are delighted to be partnering with such an experienced investor as we now seek to accelerate our growth.”

Brice Cu, Managing Director, CVC Capital Partners, said: “We are pleased to finalize our partnership with Fast. Having agreed to invest in the business in 2019, we have now been working closely with the business for a year and have made excellent progress on a number of important strategic initiatives, most notably in building a pipeline of attractive acquisition opportunities.”

UBS AG, Singapore Branch acted as exclusive financial adviser to Fast Logistics Group in relation to its partnership with CVC.

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PIPP Horticulture Acquires Vertical Air Solutions

Novacap

This acquisition solidifies Pipp’s position as the preeminent Mobile Vertical Grow Rack provider for indoor vertical farming and horticulture industries

December 10, 2020 – Walker, Michigan – December 10, 2020 – Pipp Horticulture (a division of Pipp Mobile Storage Systems, Inc., backed by Novacap) (“Pipp”), the leading provider of space‐saving, multi‐level mobile cultivation systems, announced today that it has acquired Vertical Air Solutions LLC (“VAS”). Based in Santa Cruz, California, VAS is a leader in providing air circulation systems and related products to the global indoor vertical farming industry.

 

« We are excited to welcome the entire VAS team, led by innovative entrepreneurs and powered by a dedicated group of employees, to the Pipp family of companies. We have gotten to know the VAS team well in recent years, as they have been an integral part of our horticulture business, and their products are the ideal addition to our Mobile Vertical Grow Rack Systems. We look forward to integrating their leading technology into our continually expanding product offering to better serve the fast‐growing vertical indoor farming industry. »

Craig UmansPresident and CEO, Pipp

« In 2017, when our ‘first of its kind’ airflow technology couldn’t fit into standard mobile racking configurations, Pipp Horticulture was prepared and willing to customize their system in order to accept ours. Our companies have since built a strong relationship and we’re excited to make the partnership official. We look forward to continuing our focus on innovation while providing top tier solutions for the vertical farming industry. Pipp’s 40 years of experience in equipment sales and manufacturing is exactly the support VAS needs in order to facilitate our growth into new markets.” »

James CunninghamFounder of VAS.

“We are excited to welcome the entire VAS team, led by innovative entrepreneurs and powered by a dedicated group of employees, to the Pipp family of companies,” said Craig Umans, President and CEO, Pipp. “We have gotten to know the VAS team well in recent years, as they have been an integral part of our horticulture business, and their products are the ideal addition to our Mobile Vertical Grow Rack Systems. We look forward to integrating their leading technology into our continually expanding product offering to better serve the fast‐growing vertical indoor farming industry.”

“In 2017, when our ‘first of its kind’ airflow technology couldn’t fit into standard mobile racking configurations, Pipp Horticulture was prepared and willing to customize their system in order to accept ours. Our companies have since built a strong relationship and we’re excited to make the partnership official.” said James Cunningham, Founder of VAS. “We look forward to continuing our focus on innovation while providing top tier solutions for the vertical farming industry. Pipp’s 40 years of experience in equipment sales and manufacturing is exactly the support VAS needs in order to facilitate our growth into new markets.”

“The acquisition of VAS continues our mission of expanding our product offering to better serve the vertical farming industry. Pipp Horticulture brings a combination of the most knowledgeable and experienced Team along with the best products, competitive pricing and best in class customer service” said Craig Umans, President and CEO, Pipp.

About Pipp Horticulture
Pipp Horticulture is the industry‐leading provider of vertical farming and space optimization solutions. We work with commercial agriculture professionals globally, to design, install, and optimize operational spaces throughout cultivation, post‐harvest, manufacturing, and distribution facilities through the implementation of vertical and mobile rack and cart systems. The Pipp team
merges over 40 years of commercial mobile storage experience with horticulture industry experts with over 30 years of operational experience in commercial agriculture and seed‐to‐sale production. Pipp provides expertise, insight and network connections far beyond our mobile systems in support of our mission to augment financial performance and mitigate risk for our partners. For more information, please visit www.pipphorticulture.com

About Vertical Air Solutions
Vertical Air Solutions™️ leads the business of providing air circulation systems and related products to the global indoor vertical
farming industry. With a relentless focus on innovation in improving the efficiency and yield of its customers and an unwavering
commitment to stable and interdependent partnerships in its route to market, Vertical Air Solutions positions itself as a responsible, customer‐focused, responsive, and politically and socially involved player in the horticulture ecosystem. For more information, please visit www.vertairsolutions.com

About Novacap
Founded in 1981, Novacap is a leading Canadian private equity firm with CA$3.6 billion of assets under management. Its distinct investment approach, based on deep operational expertise and an active partnership with entrepreneurs, has helped accelerate growth and create long‐term value for its numerous portfolio companies. With an experienced management team and substantial financial resources, Novacap is well-positioned to continue building world‐class businesses. Backed by leading global institutional investors, Novacap’s deals typically include leveraged buyouts, management buyouts, add‐on acquisitions, IPOs, and privatizations. Over the last 39 years, Novacap has invested in more than 90 companies and completed more than 140 add‐on acquisitions. Novacap has offices in Brossard, Quebec and Toronto, Ontario. For more information, please visit www.novacap.ca.

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PTC to Acquire SaaS PLM Leader Arena Solutions

JMI Equity

Combination of Onshape and Arena to Enable PTC to Deliver Complete CAD + PLM SaaS Solution

PTC Reaffirms Cash Flow Targets for FY’21

BOSTON, Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Arena Solutions, Inc. (Arena Solutions) the industry’s leading “software as a service” (SaaS) product lifecycle management (PLM) platform provider. The acquisition will further PTC’s strategy to be the leader in the rapidly-growing market for SaaS-based product development software, enabling the company to deliver a complete CAD + PLM SaaS solution. Under the terms of the agreement, PTC will acquire Arena Solutions for $715 million in cash. Subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review, the acquisition is expected to be completed in PTC’s fiscal Q2 2021.

“A year ago, PTC entered the SaaS world for product development software with our acquisition of Onshape,” said Jim Heppelmann, president and CEO, PTC. “That move reflected our strong conviction that our market is nearing a tipping point in its willingness to adopt SaaS technology, following the trend seen in many other software markets. The effects of COVID-19 have dramatically accelerated this inevitable shift, with PTC customer surveys indicating a 25% increase in readiness for SaaS PLM since the pandemic started. We expect the acquisition of Arena will significantly extend our leadership position as we continue to redefine the future of our industry.”

With headquarters in Foster City, California, Arena Solutions serves more than 1,200 customers across the electronics, high-tech, and medical-device industries, including world-class innovators such as Nutanix, Peloton, Sonos and Square. In addition, Arena will broadly extend PTC’s presence in the attractive mid-market, where SaaS solutions are becoming the standard.

“As the SaaS PLM pioneer, we were first to see that engineers and product developers would benefit from a new paradigm in the way they collaborate and drive product innovation,” said Craig Livingston, Arena Solutions president and CEO. “We were ahead of the market in the early days, but in the past several years we’ve seen an acceleration of market receptivity and demand. This acquisition validates our original vision, and we are pleased to be joining an established leader in CAD and PLM capable of hastening the movement of our market to SaaS.”

The Arena Solutions product realization platform unifies PLM, quality management, and requirements management, allowing every participant throughout the product design and manufacturing process – as well as across an extended supply chain – to work together in a secure, high availability cloud environment.

“This acquisition is the logical next step in PTC’s strategy to be the industrial SaaS leader,” continued Heppelmann. “A big first step was the acquisition of Onshape, the SaaS leader in CAD and collaborative design capabilities. Arena will enable us to round out the solution with full PLM capabilities and deliver the only complete CAD + PLM SaaS solution in the industry.”

Financial Impact
Arena Solutions is expected to end calendar year 2020 with approximately $50 million in annualized recurring revenue, reflecting double-digit growth over 2019. The transaction is expected to be neutral to PTC’s FY’21 cash flow from operations target of $365 million and free cash flow target of $340 million (which reflects the deduction of approximately $25 million of capital expenditures from cash flow from operations) and accretive to FY’22 and beyond. The transaction will be funded with cash on-hand and amounts borrowed under PTC’s existing credit facility.

PTC management will provide additional details about the transaction at its Investor Day virtual meeting scheduled for Tuesday, December 15.

Advisors
Centerview Partners LLC is the exclusive financial advisor to PTC and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP is acting as its legal counsel. Barclays is the exclusive financial advisor to Arena and JMI Equity, and Goodwin Procter is acting as their legal counsel.

Additional Resources

Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains statements about future events and expectations, including the closing of the acquisition, the effect of the acquisition on our future growth and financial results, including our cash flow from operations and free cash flow, the expected value of the acquired technology to our business, and market adoption of industrial SaaS solutions. These statements are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including that the closing conditions may not be satisfied when or as we expect or may be waived; the acquired technology may not provide the access to new customers and markets that we expect if those customers and markets are not receptive to the technology; we may be unable to integrate the acquired technology when or as we expect, which could adversely affect our ability to offer additional SaaS solutions; customers may not adopt SaaS solutions for product development as we expect, which would adversely affect our revenue; key Arena Solutions employees may not stay with PTC, which could disrupt the Arena Solutions business and our ability to successfully integrate and operate the Arena Solutions business; we may incur unanticipated costs associated with the integration of Arena Solutions, which would impact our earnings and free cash flow; and other risks and uncertainties described in PTC’s filings with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

About PTC (NASDAQ: PTC)
PTC enables global manufacturers to realize double-digit impact with software solutions that enable them to accelerate product and service innovation, improve operational efficiency, and increase workforce productivity. In combination with an extensive partner network, PTC provides customers flexibility in how its technology can be deployed to drive digital transformation – on premises, in the cloud, or via its pure SaaS platform. At PTC, we don’t just imagine a better world, we enable it.

PTC.com         @PTC         Blogs

Investor Contact

Media Contact

Tim Fox

Greg Payne

tifox@ptc.com

gpayne@ptc.com

(617) 515-0774

(508) 207-7794

SOURCE PTC Inc.

Related Links

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4iQ and Alto Analytics Merge and Rebrand as Constella Intelligence

C5 Capital

Constella to Help Organisations Anticipate and Defeat Digital Risk

Press Release via PRNewswire –

Los Altos, Calif. and Madrid, Spain, December 15, 2020 – 4iQ, the leader in identity intelligence, and Alto Analytics, a leader in applying AI & data science to the digital public sphere, today announced the two companies have merged and rebranded as Constella Intelligence (“Constella”), effective immediately. With advanced analytics, deep human expertise, and broad data sets — from surface to dark web, including the largest breach data collection on the planet with over 100 billion attributes and 45 billion curated identity records spanning 125 countries and 53 languages — Constella will help organisations anticipate digital risks and safeguard critical business interests.

Kailash Ambwani, CEO of 4iQ, will serve as CEO of Constella. Alejandro Romero, Founder and CEO of Alto Analytics, will serve as COO. Under their guidance, Constella will empower organisations and intelligence professionals with comprehensive digital risk protection that covers brand, executive, fraud, geopolitical, and identity threats.

“Constella combines 4iQ’s investigation platforms and proprietary data lake, which archives more than 45 billion identity records, with Alto’s vast trove of public sphere data, advanced proprietary technology, and best-in-class analytics to enable organisations to anticipate and mitigate risks to their business, their people, and their reputations.” said Ambwani. “We look forward to empowering those on the cyber frontlines with better anticipation of emerging threats, proactive analysis, and adversary identification — so they can act before any harm is inflicted.”

“Our combined capabilities enable us to take on some of the most important missions that our customers are pursuing as they combat new forms of digital risk,” said Romero. “We’re not just keeping our customers secure, we’re making the world a safer place.”

To defeat digital risk, Constella ensures that knowledge flows and teams work together across all areas of risk to safeguard key interests. The combination of artificial intelligence-enabled software, security analysts and data scientists, and exceptionally deep datasets translates directly into Constella customers being more empowered with unprecedented digital risk visibility and control.

“Through successful 4iQ Series C funding and the powerful combination of two market-leading organisations, Constella has incredible tools and resources to tackle the fast-evolving security landscape,” said Alberto Yepez, Constella Board chair and co-founder and managing director of ForgePoint Capital, a leading investor. “I’m confident the synergies will drive seamless integration and I look forward to continued work with Kailash and the team.”

As a global leader in Digital Risk Protection, Constella is determined to make the world a safer place. Already protecting more than 25 million users and over 100 organisations worldwide through a workforce of more than 200 employees, the new organisation has its sights set on broadening its solution portfolio and growing its geographic footprint and customer base. Its diverse multinational team currently operates in more than 10 countries and is fully committed to becoming the most trusted partner for defeating digital risk. Learn more about Constella by visiting constellaintelligence.com.

About Constella Intelligence
Constella Intelligence is a leading global Digital Risk Protection business that works in partnership with some of the world’s largest organizations to safeguard what matters most and defeat digital risk. Its solutions are broad, collaborative and scalable, powered by a unique combination of proprietary data, technology and human expertise—including the largest breach data collection on the planet, with over 100 billion attributes and 45 billion curated identity records spanning 125 countries and 53 languages.

Media Contacts

US/UK
Adam Curtis
acurtis@levick.com

Spain
Jonathan Nelson
jonathan.nelson@constellaintelligence.com

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MinervaX raises upsized EUR 47.4M (USD 57M) Series B to advance its novel Group B Streptococcus vaccine through mid-stage clinical trials

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Industriefonden

On the back of highly promising Phase Ib data, MinervaX has raised financing from leading investors to accelerate development of its novel vaccine through the end of Phase II trials and preparations for Phase III pivotal trials

– Sanofi Ventures, Wellington Partners, Adjuvant Capital, and Industrifonden join existing investors Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund, Sunstone Life Science Ventures and LF Investment

– Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the leading causes of stillbirth and infant mortality representing a significant unmet need globally, including in the US and Europe; nearly one in five women globally are colonized by GBS

News provided by

MinervaX

Dec 15, 2020, 02:00 ET

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Dec. 15, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — MinervaX, a privately held Danish biotechnology company developing a novel vaccine against Group B Streptococcus (GBS), announced today that it has raised an upsized EUR 47.4 million Series B financing. The round included new investors Sanofi Ventures, Wellington Partners, Adjuvant Capital, and Industrifonden, along with existing investors Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund, Sunstone Life Science Ventures, and LF Investment. Proceeds will advance the clinical development of MinervaX’s novel GBS vaccine through Phase II clinical trials, as well as manufacturing and regulatory preparation for Phase III.

Concurrent with the financing, Christopher Gagliardi from Sanofi Ventures, Karl Nägler from Wellington Partners, Kabeer Aziz from Adjuvant Capital and Bita Sehat from Industrifonden will join MinervaX’s board of directors.

GBS is responsible for nearly half of all life-threatening infections in newborns. MinervaX’s protein-only GBS vaccine targets pregnant women for the prevention of adverse pregnancy outcomes and life-threatening neonatal infections associated with GBS. Globally, 15-25% of women are colonized with GBS, and they run the risk of transmitting the bacteria to their child in utero, during birth and / or during their first months of life. GBS colonization may lead to late-term abortions, premature delivery or stillbirth; and in newborn children may result in sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis, all of which carry a significant risk of severe morbidity, long-term disability or death.

Currently, the only preventative strategy available involves the use of intravenously delivered prophylactic antibiotics, which does not comprehensively prevent GBS infection in utero or protect against late-onset infection in newborns. As this approach is expensive and logistically challenging, it fails to cover all, including the most severe cases in the US and Europe, nor is it available in resource-limited settings.

Commenting on the financing, Per Fischer, CEO of MinervaX, said: “Prevention of GBS infections in pregnant women and newborns represents a large unmet medical need. The current preventive strategy is insufficient and involves excessive use of prophylactic antibiotics, which has resulted in the emergence of wide-spread antibiotic resistance.”

“We are pleased to have received funding from such a strong investment syndicate. It is a significant endorsement of the potential of our vaccine. We look forward to advancing our novel vaccine candidate through Phase II clinical trials to develop a new standard of care in preventing GBS infections.”

Commenting on the investment, Christopher Gagliardi, Director of Investments at Sanofi Ventures, said: “Sanofi Ventures is tremendously excited by the first and best in class potential of MinervaX’s GBS vaccine. We are thrilled to invest alongside a top-tier investor syndicate while supporting Sanofi’s strategic goals and commitment to early stage companies advancing global public health.”

Karl Nägler, Managing Partner at Wellington Partners said: “We are proud and excited to back MinervaX’s GBS program that will address an unmet high medical need and represents a blockbuster commercial opportunity. Beyond prevention of GBS infections in newborns, we are eager to explore important further indications for this much needed vaccine.”

Emmanuelle Coutanceau, Partner at Novo Seeds and Board Member at MinervaX, added: “MinervaX is developing an important vaccine against a potentially fatal pathogen and, in doing so, is furthering the battle against antimicrobial resistance.  This is a landmark for the Novo Holdings REPAIR Impact Fund with the first company in the fund moving to Phase II. We are also delighted to help bring together such a strong syndicate in a company where Novo was one of the first investors.”

MinervaX has completed Phase I studies across 300 healthy female subjects, generating compelling data to support advancing its novel vaccine candidate to Phase II trials. Studies to date have demonstrated a favourable safety profile, while generating high levels of long-lasting antibodies, which are capable of mobilizing the immune system against GBS bacteria and preventing invasion of epithelial and endothelial cell barriers.

The development of MinervaX’s novel GBS vaccine candidate is also endorsed by Group B Strep Support and Group B Strep International, and GBS has been prioritised by a number of public health organisations. Both increased uptake of immunisation among pregnant women and greater awareness of the implications of GBS suggest that a safe and effective vaccine targeting GBS would be well suited to address this unmet need.

About MinervaX

MinervaX is a Danish biotechnology company, established in 2010 in order to develop a prophylactic vaccine against Group B Streptococcus (GBS), based on research from Lund University. MinervaX is developing a GBS vaccine for maternal immunization, likely to have superior characteristics compared with other GBS vaccine candidates in development. The latter are based on traditional capsular polysaccharide (CPS) conjugate technology. By contrast, MinervaX’s vaccine is a protein-only vaccine based on fusions of highly immunogenic and protective protein domains from selected surface proteins of GBS (the Alpha-like protein family). Given the broad distribution of proteins contained in the vaccine on GBS strains globally, it is expected that MinervaX’s vaccine will confer protection against virtually 100% of all GBS isolates. www.minervax.com

About Group B Streptococcus (GBS)

GBS is responsible for nearly 50% of all life-threatening infections in newborns. At any given time, some 15-25% of women are spontaneously colonized with GBS, and they run the risk of transmitting the bacteria to their child in the womb, during birth and/or during the first months of life. GBS colonization may lead to late abortions, premature delivery or stillbirth and, in the newborn child, may result in sepsis, pneumonia or meningitis, all of which carry a significant risk of severe morbidity, long-term disability or death.

About Sanofi Ventures 

Sanofi Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Sanofi. Sanofi Ventures invests in early-stage biotech and digital health companies with innovative ideas and transformative new products and technologies of strategic interest to Sanofi. Among these areas are vaccines, oncology, immunology, rare diseases, potential cures in other core areas of Sanofi’s business footprint, and digital health solutions. For more information, visit www.sanofiventures.com.

About Novo Holdings A/S

Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets. Further information: http://www.novoholdings.dk

About REPAIR Impact Fund

The Fund invests in start-ups, early-stage companies and corporate spin-outs around the world. It gives priority to first-in-class therapies, covering small molecules, biologics and new modalities, from the early stage of drug development (lead optimization) to later stages of clinical development (into Phase 2). It can invest as the sole investor or in a syndicate, with investments ranging from EUR 1 million to EUR 12 million.

The projects are selected through an investment process with support from a highly qualified Scientific Selection Board, comprising ten world-class experts. For more information about members of the Scientific Selection Board, see www.repair-impact-fund.com/people.

The Fund focuses on priority pathogens as defined by the World Health Organization and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a catalogue of 18 families of bacterial and fungal pathogens that pose the greatest threat to human health. For more details about the investment process, see www.repair-impact-fund.com/investment-process.

REPAIR is an acronym: Replenishing and Enabling the Pipeline for Anti-Infective Resistance

About Wellington Partners

Wellington Partners is a leading European venture capital firm investing in early- and growth-stage life science companies. Wellington Partners is focused on investing in the most promising life science companies in the fields of biotechnology, therapeutics, medical technology, diagnostics and digital health. With funds totaling more than €1 billion, thereof €430 million committed to Life Sciences, Wellington Partners has been actively supporting world class private companies translating true innovation into successful businesses with exceptional growth. To date, Wellington Partners has invested in 46 innovative life science companies, including Actelion (acquired by J&J), Definiens (acquired by AZ), Invendo (acquired by Ambu), Rigontec (acquired by MSD), Symetis (acquired by Boston Scientific), and Themis (acquired by MSD). www.wellington-partners.com

About Adjuvant Capital

Adjuvant is a New York– and San Francisco-based life sciences investment fund built to accelerate the development of new technologies for the world’s most pressing public health challenges. Backed by prominent healthcare investors such as Novartis, Merck, the International Finance Corporation, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Adjuvant draws upon its global network of scientists, public health experts, biopharmaceutical industry veterans, and development finance professionals to identify new investment opportunities. Adjuvant invests in companies developing promising new vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for historically overlooked indications targeting high-burden infectious diseases, maternal and child health, and antimicrobial resistance, with a commitment to make these interventions accessible to those who need them most in low- and middle-income countries. For more information, visit www.adjuvantcapital.com

About Industrifonden

Industrifonden is a Nordic venture capital investor based in Stockholm that invests in early-stage growth companies. Our areas of expertise include Life Sciences, Deep Tech and Transformative Tech. In the life science space, our focus is on biotech, heathtech and medtech, and our life-science portfolio includes companies like Oncopeptides, Calliditas and Bonesuppport. www.industrifonden.com

About Sunstone Life Science Ventures

Sunstone Life Science Ventures is an independent European venture capital investment firm founded in 2007 by an international team of industry experts with combined entrepreneurial, operational and financial experience. Sunstone Life Science Ventures focuses on developing and expanding early-stage Life Science companies with strong potential to achieve global success in their markets. Since the inception, Sunstone Life Science Ventures has invested in more than 50 companies in the areas of pharmaceuticals, medical technologies and diagnostics, and has completed more than 20 successful IPOs and large M&A transactions. Managing total funds of approx. €500 million, Sunstone Life Science Ventures is one of the largest Nordic venture capital investors. https://sunstone.eu/

LF Investment

LF Investment is an investment company fully owned by The Lauritzen Foundation. www.lauritzenfonden.com

SOURCE MinervaX

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SPH Analytics Strengthens its Focus and Innovation in Consumer Experience and Engagement Space

Stg Partners

SPH Analytics (SPH), the leading healthcare measurement and analytics platform for consumer experience and engagement, today announced the merger of its population health division with Azara Healthcare to operate as an independent, standalone company.  This newly combined company will leverage the Azara Healthcare brand and create the industry-leading population health management company.

“We are excited to merge our population health division with Azara Healthcare to create a standalone company with a relentless focus on improving care quality and patient outcomes while responsibly managing costs.  This united business will leverage the unrivaled analytics of the legacy companies to improve population health, solving material challenges across healthcare in the United States,” said Amy Amick, President and Chief Executive Officer of SPH Analytics. “And just as the newly merged Azara Healthcare will be optimally positioned to drive value for our population health clients, the more focused attention of SPH Analytics on consumer experience and engagement will only serve to accelerate the pace of innovation and impact for our experience and engagement clients.  This is a win for all of our clients and for the healthcare industry as a whole.”

Read the full story at SPHAnalytics.com.

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DIF Capital Partners sells its 50% stake in US solar project Lone Valley to Munich Re

DIF

DIF Capital Partners (“DIF”) is pleased to announce that DIF Infrastructure III (“DIF III”) has signed an agreement to sell its 50% stake in Lone Valley to Munich Re, represented by Munich Re’s global asset manager MEAG. Closing of the transaction is expected to take place in Q1 2021.

Lone Valley consists of two single-axis tracking utility scale solar photovoltaic projects: Lone Valley I, which is a 10 MWac facility, and Lone Valley II, which is a 20 MWac facility, both located next to each other in San Bernardino County, California, USA.

Andrew Freeman, Head of Exits at DIF, said: “We are very pleased with the successful exit of DIF’s first renewable energy investment in the USA and are confident that MEAG will be a strong steward of the project going forward.”

Holger Kerzel, Member of MEAG’s Management Board, said: “By further expanding our renewable energy portfolio, we contribute to avoiding climate-damaging emissions near one of the world’s largest conurbations. With the solar energy produced in these plants, around 10,000 households can be supplied with electricity.“

DIF was advised by Fifth Third Securities (financial) and Stoel Rives LLP (legal). MEAG was advised by Ballard Spahr (legal).

 

About DIF Capital Partners

DIF Capital Partners is a leading global independent fund manager, with €8.5 billion of assets under management across nine closed-end infrastructure funds and several co-investment vehicles. DIF Capital Partners invests in greenfield and operational infrastructure assets located primarily in Europe, the Americas and Australasia through two complementary strategies:

  • DIF Infrastructure funds target equity investments with long-term contracted or regulated income streams including public-private partnerships (PPP/PFI/P3), concessions, utilities, and (renewable) energy projects.
  • DIF CIF funds target equity investments in small to mid-sized economic infrastructure assets in the telecom, energy and transportation sectors.

DIF Capital Partners has a team of over 150 professionals, based in nine offices located in Amsterdam (Schiphol), Frankfurt, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Paris, Santiago, Sydney and Toronto. Please visit www.dif.eu for further information.

About MEAG

MEAG manages the assets of Munich Re and ERGO. It has representations in Europe, Asia and North America and offers its extensive know-how to institutional and private customers. MEAG currently manages assets to the value of around €334 billion, around €67 billion of which in its business with institutional investors and private customers.

MEAG invests in alternative assets in North America on behalf of investors from the Group and institutional investors. MEAG’s most recent investments in the US comprise a timberland investment in Oregon, the infrastructure investment Astoria Energy Partners in N.Y.C. and the real estate investment 330 Madison Av. in Manhattan.

 

Contact DIF: Allard Ruijs, Partner a.ruijs@dif.eu.

Contact MEAG: Josef Wild, Spokesperson j.wild@meag.com.

 

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Vink Groep finds new partner in FIELDS Group for joint future

Fields Group

Vink Group is a family business with 145 permanent employees and more than 200 external employees who together realise a turnover of 40 million euros. The company was founded in 1971 by Mr Ed Vink Sr and has grown over the years to become the market leader in the Netherlands in design, production, supply and installation of climate solutions for various end markets.

As a result of the company’s solid growth, the shareholders have jointly requested Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions to look for a strong financial partner who can guide and professionalise the company in the next growth phase.

Nico van Duijn of Vink Groep: “With the help of a team of passionate experts, we enabled this company to grow both in size and in services. This has resulted in a strong and dynamic company that serves as a foundation for further growth. With confidence we pass the baton to FIELDS Group”. Dealmaker Fredrik Jonker of Marktlink Mergers & Acquisitions: “Given the current size and market position of the company, the current shareholders have created a strong foundation to realise the next phase of growth. In doing so, the company is faced with a number of strategic choices that will determine its future direction of growth”.

As of 9 December, Dick Kremers (56) will take up the position of new CEO of the Vink Group. Dick has been working in engineering for more than 30 years and has had numerous high level positions both nationally and internationally in the field of technical installations, project organisations and production companies.

Dick Kremers: “Vink Groep has enormous potential to grow in turnover and performance in the current and future market for air and climate technology. The demand for an optimal indoor climate for both people and goods is becoming even more important and relevant. Project efficiency, innovation, sustainability and flexibility are the main drivers of this development”. Joris van Gils, partner at FIELDS Group, adds: “Vink Group has undergone strong development in recent years and there is a solid foundation on which we can build. The current economic climate as well as the strong focus on air quality offer opportunities for Vink Group to further strengthen and expand its position in the market in the coming period”.

In FIELDS Group, the Vink Group finds an entrepreneurial hands-on investor with offices in Amsterdam and Munich. Together with the company’s management, FIELDS supports the further development of its portfolio companies.

The subsidiary VHS Ventilation- and Hoogwerksystemen in Woerden is not part of the deal. The interest in this company held by Vink Groep B.V. was transferred to its co-shareholder, the Van der Voort family, in March.

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Nordstjernan divests its holding in Nordic Nest

Nordstjernan

Nordstjernan has signed an agreement to divest its holding in Nordic Nest, a leading Swedish e-commerce company that sells design and furnishings online to BHG Group.

Nordic Nest was founded in 2002, and Nordstjernan has been an owner since 2016 with 20 percent of the shares in the company. Nordic Nest has about 200 employees and conducts sales in countries such as the Nordic region, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and South Korea.

“Nordstjernan has been an owner of Nordic Nest alongside Nicklas Storåkers and Karl‑Johan Persson. During our period as owner, the company has grown strongly and maintained a healthy profitability. The company is now entering the next stage of expansion, and I would like to extend my deepest thanks to management and employees for their efforts. I am pleased that an experienced company like BHG will become a new owner of Nordic Nest,” says Peter Hofvenstam, CEO of Nordstjernan.

Peter Hofvenstam
President and CEO
Nordstjernan AB
Questions will be answered by:

Peter Hofvenstam, CEO, Nordstjernan
E-mail: peter.hofvenstam@nordstjernan.se

Stefan Stern, Head of Communications, Nordstjernan
Telephone: +46 70 636 74 17
E-mail: stefan.stern@nordstjernan.se
Nordstjernan is a family-controlled investment company whose business concept is to be an active owner that creates long-term value growth. More information about Nordstjernan can be found on www.nordstjernan.se.

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CapMan Real Estate exits office building located north of Helsinki CBD to Castellum

Capman

CapMan Real Estate press release 14 December 2020 at 9.30 a.m. EET

CapMan Real Estate exits office building located north of Helsinki CBD to Castellum

CapMan Nordic Real Estate Fund has agreed to sell Hämeentie 15, an office building located in the Sörnäinen district of Helsinki, to listed Swedish real estate company Castellum. The purchase price amounts to approximately EUR 23 million.

CapMan acquired the building in 2016. During its ownership, CapMan has completed an extensive refurbishment of the property and transformed it to fit with the neighbourhood’s profile. The previously outdated office layout has been modernised to flexible open-office space to accommodate the quality-conscious tenant base. The majority of the 7,880 sqm leasable area has been re-leased during CapMan’s ownership.

Hämeentie 15 was built in 1956 with an extension in 1990. The historic property is strategically located just north of Helsinki CBD where the post-industrial environment and creative atmosphere meets the demand for accessible and increasingly central offices and business premises. Hämeentie has undergone significant re-development during recent years to accommodate for public and light transport and to increase the attractiveness of the area.

“We have completed significant updates to Hämeentie 15 during our four years of ownership and are very pleased with the transformation that this property has undergone. During our ownership we have brought in high-quality tenants, updated the tenant mix completely and increased the net operating income significantly. Now is the perfect timing for a new owner to take over,” says Sampsa Apajalahti, Investment Director at CapMan Real Estate.

Hämeentie 15 is the 14th exit of the 2013 vintage value-add fund, which has nine assets left in the portfolio. The team’s third Nordic value-add fund, CapMan Nordic Real Estate III, was established in September 2020 and has raised EUR 449 million to date with a target size of EUR 500 million.

CapMan Real Estate currently manages a total of EUR 2.8 billion in real estate assets. The CapMan’s Real Estate team comprises over 40 real estate professionals in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo. The team was awarded UK & European Opportunistic Property Manager of the Year at the 2020 Professional Pensions Investment Awards.

For further information, please contact:
Sampsa Apajalahti, Investment Director, CapMan Real Estate, tel. +358 40 575 2363

About CapMan

CapMan is a leading Nordic private asset expert with an active approach to value creation. We offer a wide selection of investment products and services. As one of the Nordic private equity pioneers, we have developed hundreds of companies and real estate assets and created substantial value in these businesses and assets over the past 30 years. Our objective is to provide attractive returns and innovative solutions to investors. We have a broad presence in the unlisted market through our local and specialised teams. Our investment strategies cover Private Equity, Real Estate and Infra. We also have a growing service business that includes procurement services, wealth management, and analysis, reporting and back office services. Altogether, CapMan employs around 150 people in Helsinki, Stockholm, Copenhagen, London and Luxembourg. We are a public company listed on Nasdaq Helsinki since 2001 and a signatory of the UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) since 2012. Read more at www.capman.com.

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