Category Archives: News

3d investors holds 98.35% of the shares in Zenitel through its subsidiary House of Thor and launches a squeeze-out bid

3D Investors

Following the voluntary reopening of its public takeover bid (the Bid) on all shares in Zenitel NV (the Target), 3d investors now holds, through its subsidiary House of Thor BV (the Bidder), 3,256,331 (98.35%) of the shares in Zenitel. The threshold that allows the Bidder to launch a simplified squeeze-out bid has thus been reached.

Frank Donck, CEO of 3d investors and representative of the Bidder: “We are pleased to have been able to bring the bid to a successful conclusion. With this squeeze-out bid and subsequent delisting, Zenitel can now fully concentrate on rolling out an ambitious investment strategy. Working towards an improved market position and striving for long-term growth remain key objectives for Zenitel.”

Shareholders who had not yet tendered their shares in the Bid, will have the opportunity to obtain the bid price of EUR 25.50 per share through their financial intermediary, from Friday 28 May 2021 until Thursday 17 June 2021 at 4 p.m. (Belgian time). Shares not tendered by the end of this acceptance period will be deemed to have automatically transferred to the Bidder. The funds required to pay the bid price for these shares will be deposited with the Deposit and Consignment Office. At the end of the squeeze-out bid, Euronext will proceed to the delisting of the Zenitel shares.

The Bidder will already pay the bid price on Thursday 27 May 2021 to the shareholders who tendered their shares during the voluntary reopening. On the same day, the shareholders who had already accepted the bid will receive the price increase of EUR 2.25 per share.

The prospectus (incl. supplement) and the acceptance forms can be obtained free of charge at the counters of KBC Bank NV/SA, or by telephone from KBC Bank NV/SA on +32 78 152 153 (KBC Live). The digital versions of the prospectus (incl. supplement) and the acceptance forms can also be consulted on the internet at the following websites: www.kbc.be/zenitel, www.bolero.be/nl/zenitel, www.bolero.be/fr/zenitel and on the websites of 3D NV/SA and Zenitel (www.zenitel.be/bid).

About House of Thor

House of Thor is a subsidiary of 3d investors, incorporated with a view to launching the public takeover bid on Zenitel. It currently holds 98.35% of the shares in Zenitel.

3d investors is a family investment company that chooses to support the growth of solid companies, in partnership with entrepreneurs and management. They always start from the core values: entrepreneurship, empathy, integrity, passion and agility.

3d investors is a long-term shareholder in a number of listed groups (KBC, Ackermans & van Haaren, Atenor, Barco and Zenitel), non-listed companies (including Care Cosmetics, Pauwels Consulting, Plastiflex, Studio 100 and 3P) and 3d Real Estate.

More information can be found on www.3d-investors.be

Contact: Anthony Callaert, Communications Manager Growth Inc., anthony@growth-inc.be, +32 468 20 52 65

About Zenitel

Zenitel is a major global player in the development and marketing of intelligent communication solutions where security, guaranteed availability and sound quality are essential. With nearly 120 years of experience, Zenitel has proven to be a reliable and quality provider of broadcast systems, intercom solutions and two-way radio. These systems interface with other security devices, enabling end users and integrators to build a comprehensive and integrated security solution that combines access control, video surveillance, digital messaging and other solutions. Today, Zenitel’s customers include security services providers, companies and organisations active in the transportation and shipping sectors, healthcare institutions and industrial companies.

Zenitel employs approximately 300 people worldwide, is headquartered in Norway and sells its solutions under the Vingtor-Stentofon and Phontech brands.

More information can be found on www.zenitel.com

Disclaimer

This notice is also published in Dutch. If this should create uncertainty, the Dutch version will prevail.

This press release does not constitute a bid to purchase the securities of Zenitel nor a solicitation by any person in any jurisdiction thereof. The bid is only made on the basis of the prospectus approved by the FSMA. No action has been taken to enable a public takeover bid in any jurisdiction other than in Belgium. Neither this press release nor any other information in respect of the matters contained herein may be supplied in any jurisdiction where a registration, qualification or any other obligation is in force or would be with regard to the content hereof or thereof. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the financial laws and regulations of such jurisdiction. House of Thor BV/SRL and its affiliate persons explicitly decline any liability for breach of these restrictions by any person.

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Capricorn Fusion China Fund announces intermediate closing bringing commitments to over € 30 million

Capricorn

Leuven, Belgium: 30 April 2021 – Capricorn Partners, the Leuven-based independent manager of venture capital and equity funds, announces the intermediate closing of its Capricorn Fusion China Fund (“CFCF”) securing more than € 30 million of commitments.

The Capricorn Fusion China Fund is the newest investment fund being managed by Capricorn Partners. Capricorn Partners took over the management of this fund from Fusion Partners on 1 October 2020.

The fund focuses on investments in companies which establish a link between the European and Chinese markets. The fund is looking for, on the one hand, innovative European companies which see a clear role for the Chinese market in their development (in sourcing, supply, production or commercialization). On the other hand, the fund will also invest in Chinese companies who want to enter the European market.

The CFCF fund can invest over the financing continuum — from scale-up to unlisted growth companies — and now has two participations:

  • XenomatiX, a Belgian technology company which develops Lidars (a technology that uses laser pulses to determine the distance to objects) for the mobility market and who wants to be a key player in the race for autonomous vehicles, where the Chinese market offers enormous potential;
  • Xi’an Thiebaut, a Belgian-Chinese joint venture which, as supplier for the Chinese pharma and cosmetics industry, makes and commercializes aluminium tubes in northern China (Xi’an).

The interim closing increases the fund’s capital from € 12,925,000 to € 30,300,000. This is a key step on the way to the fund’s objective of raising € 75 million before the end of 2021. The Capricorn Fusion China Fund is strengthening its capital with the entry of Quest for Growth and the Federal Participation and Investment Company (FPIM), which will also have a seat on the Board of Directors, as well as with the entry of several private investors.

Paul Van Eynde, Senior Investment Manager at Capricorn Partners, said: “We are grateful for the intermediate closing of the fund as it shows confidence in our rather unique investment strategy, and as the increased size of the fund allows us to participate in more sizeable investment opportunities on the bridge between Europe and China”.

Steven Levecke, Senior Investment Manager at Capricorn Partners, added: “We are very happy with the first investments in (China-based) Xi’An Thiebaut and (Belgium-based) XenomatiX, and are confident that the growth of the fund, alongside our expanding network, will help us to execute some of the other promising investment opportunities that we are currently analyzing”.

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Valokuitunen secures strong lender financing for roll-out of fibre networks in Finland

Capman

CapMan Infra press release
25 May 2021 at 12.00 noon EEST

Valokuitunen secures strong lender financing for roll-out of fibre networks in Finland

Valokuitunen Oy, a joint venture between CapMan Infra and Telia, has secured 5-year loan facilities with Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken (SEB) and Nordic Investment Bank (NIB) for financing the roll-out of new fibre-to-the-home network connections in Finland.

The financing will continue to support Valokuitunen’s investments into new digital infrastructure and services, and expand the coverage of high-speed fixed line connections in residential neighbourhoods in Finnish growth centres and surrounding areas. Valokuitunen’s fibre network roll-out plan is estimated to enable high-speed internet access to more than 70,000 new customers by 2025.

Valokuitunen’s investment plan contributes to Finland’s national digital infrastructure strategy of providing a minimum of 100 Mbps internet connections to all households by 2025.

“Given the immense increase in the amount of data being transferred, the need for people and business to have access to fast and reliable network connections is clear. The establishment of new network infrastructure has crucial importance and a key role in guaranteeing that our member countries stay at the forefront of digitalisation“, says André Küüsvek, President and CEO of NIB.

“Valokuitunen is proud to partner with strong lenders in SEB and NIB, to continue its extensive roll-out plans in Finland. The last twelve months have illustrated the importance of high-speed and reliable connections, which allow people to work and study remotely. We look forward to continue improving the fibre infrastructure in Finland,” says Juha-Pekka Weckström, chairperson of the board.

 

For further information, please contact:

Sauli Antila, Investment Director at CapMan Infra, 040 658 9708, sauli.antila@capman.com

CapMan is a leading Nordic private assets fund manager, headquartered in Finland and listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. CapMan is invested in Valokuitunen through its CapMan Nordic Infrastructure I fund. CapMan Infra invests in sustainable energy, transportation and telecommunications infrastructure across the Nordics.

Telia Company AB is a Swedish multinational telecommunications company and mobile network operator present in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Telia Company is headquartered in Sweden and is listed in Nasdaq Stockholm and Helsinki.

NIB is an international financial institution owned by eight member countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. The Bank finances private and public projects in and outside the member countries. NIB has the highest possible credit rating, AAA/Aaa, with the leading rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s.

SEB is a leading northern European financial services group offering financial advice and a wide range of financial services. In Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany and the United Kingdom, the bank’s operations have a strong focus on corporate and investment banking based on a full-service offering to corporate and institutional clients. The international nature of SEB’s business is reflected in its presence in some 20 countries worldwide.

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EQT Exeter and Grupo Moraval form EUR 500m joint venture to deliver portfolio of purpose-built student accommodation assets in Spain

eqt
  • EQT Exeter, the global real estate solutions provider, and Group Moraval, a leading Spanish developer, have formed a joint venture to create a portfolio of high-quality, sustainable and affordable student accommodation facilities in Spain
  • The joint venture has already secured two initial sites in Seville and Málaga comprising approximately 1,500 beds and is actively working on a strong pipeline of future opportunities
  • The joint venture constitutes EQT Exeter’s first investment in Spain and combines its ‘business to consumer’ strategy, which is focused on taking advantage of demographic changes occurring across Europe, and its social impact approach to value creation

EQT Exeter is pleased to announce that the EQT Real Estate II fund (“EQT Exeter”) has launched a joint venture (the “JV”) with Grupo Moraval (“Grupo Moraval”), a leading Spanish developer with an approximate 30 percent market share of the “purpose-built student accommodation” (“PBSA”) facilities that have been or are currently being developed in Spain between 2020 and 2022. The JV is expected to have an initial capacity to establish an investment portfolio valued at over EUR 300 million and has aspirations to ultimately grow the portfolio to a value in excess of EUR 500 million.

The student housing market in Spain has experienced rapid growth due to favorable demographic trends such as a steadily growing population of 18-24-year-olds and an increase of young people pursuing higher education. Despite this, many of the country’s university cities suffer from a lack of high-quality student housing with large groups of young people in need of accommodation. The population of people within this age group has increased consistently since the 2015/2016 academic year at a compound annual growth rate of 5.7 percent1.

The JV will focus on delivering a portfolio of PBSA facilities in Spanish cities with growing student housing demand and a relatively low percentage of the respective city’s students who can be accommodated under currently available student housing, also referred to as the provision rate. An example of this is Málaga, where the educational offering is expected to grow even further as the municipality recently offered public land for the establishment of two new universities. Through Grupo Moraval’s in-house market intelligence platform that analyzes the need for student accommodation in university cities across Spain together with EQT’s digitization team, the JV expects it will be able to identify important market trends and future housing demand in an efficient and concise fashion.

The JV’s two initial sites in Seville and Málaga comprise approximately 1,150 and 350 beds, respectively. Located next to two of University of Sevilla’s largest campuses, Pirotecnia and Ramón y Cajal, the Seville site is also within walking distance to the main faculties and the city center and next to the San Bernardo public transportation hub. The Málaga site will be located in the University of Málaga Teatinos campus and is within walking distance to the main faculties and to the public transportation hub which provides easy access to the city center. Construction of the Seville site has already commenced and is expected to be finished by the beginning of the 2022/2023 academic year while the Málaga site is currently anticipated to be delivered by the beginning of the 2024/2025 academic year.

The JV’s assets will be let at market-rate rents under the newly created “Nodis” brand. Nodis expects to embody strong values of dynamism, vitality and safety in its operations. As such, the residences will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, high-quality amenities and premium services including but not limited to gyms, private lounges, living and gaming areas, libraries, work and study spaces, cinemas, parking, free high-speed internet and rooftop terraces.

Consistent with other EQT Exeter transactions, the JV’s assets will be developed with strong sustainability credentials and seek to achieve green certifications such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and GRESB (Global ESG Benchmark for Real Assets). The buildings will promote sustainable living practices and utilize photovoltaic panels on the roof, provide electric vehicle charging stations and spaces for carpool vehicles, use native or adapted plants which don’t require a permanent irrigation system and employ high efficiency- low consumption fixtures and fittings.

Carlos Molero, Managing Director, Investment Advisor to EQT Exeter, said, “We are excited to enter the Spanish student housing market alongside market leader Grupo Moraval. This joint venture is an excellent example of EQT Exeter’s ‘local with locals’ approach of sourcing attractive opportunities and investing in thematic trends which are decoupled from the financial cycle. We see a clear opportunity to deliver a portfolio of high social impact, purpose-built student accommodation in Spanish cities which are experiencing a supply-demand imbalance. In addition to the joint venture’s initial sites in Seville and Málaga, we are evaluating a growing pipeline of projects to build a large-scale, resilient and downside-protected portfolio.”

Rob Rackind, Partner and Investment Advisor to EQT Exeter, said, “This joint venture with Grupo Moraval marks a landmark entrance into Spain for EQT Exeter. It is an example of our ‘business to consumer’ efforts which are focused on taking advantage of the demographic transformations that are occurring across Europe. This strategy is manifesting itself through the delivery of over 8,000 beds across Europe over the next few years via a number of additional platforms that we have established. These include the delivery of a GBP 1bn+ private rented residential portfolio in Greater London, a EUR 400m+ mobility-impaired rental housing portfolio across France and a EUR 300m senior care portfolio in Northern Italy, all of which are expected to benefit from continued favorable supply-demand dynamics, urbanization and population growth.”

Alvaro Soto, CEO of Grupo Moraval, said, “Grupo Moraval is delighted to partner with EQT Exeter, which is well-known for its hands-on value creation strategies, in this ambitious project. Together, we will aim to further advance the purpose-built student housing offering in one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing higher education markets in Europe. Students both nationally and internationally are increasingly seeking tailored, cost-efficient housing options and EQT Exeter and Moraval share the same vision on how to build and manage sustainable and digitally innovative accommodation for this segment.”

Berta Guillamón, Chief Marketing Officer of Nodis, said, “Nodis student residences will be aligned with today’s youth: dynamic, vibrant and with a spirit of self-improvement. With a team experienced in managing accommodation for students, Nodis creates spaces to live, learn and create new connections in an enriching and creative environment with sustainability at its core.”

1Source: JLL, “Student Housing: From Consolidation to Institutionalization” (2020).

Contacts
EQT Exeter media enquiries:
UK: Greenbrook, eqt@greenbrookpr.com, +44 20 7952 2000
Spain: Grupo Albion, Maribel Alonso, malonso@grupoalbion.net, +34 91 531 23 88
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

Grupo Moraval media enquiries:
Christopher Bjork, christopher.bjork@bjork-brown.com, +34 60 639 60 93

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with more than EUR 67 billion in assets under management across 26 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas with total sales of approximately EUR 29 billion and more than 175,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

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

About EQT Exeter
EQT Exeter, a part of EQT, is a global real estate solutions provider serving both consumer and tenants with scope and scale. EQT Exeter is among the largest real estate investment managers in the world and is focused on acquiring, developing and managing logistics / industrial, office, life science and residential properties in Europe, the Americas and Asia. EQT Exeter was created through the combination of EQT Real Estate and Exeter Property Group.

The EQT Exeter Team comprises around 260 experienced professionals, including investment and leasing officers, asset managers and operational professionals, operating in close to 40 regional offices around the globe. Collectively they have consummated over 830 real estate investments. As part of EQT, the team has access to the full EQT Network including more than 500 industry advisors across the globe as well as the EQT’s industry-leading sustainability credentials and framework, and in-house digitalization skills.

About Grupo Moraval
Grupo Moraval is the leading developer of student residences in Spain with a portfolio of around 6,600 beds representing investment volume of EUR 300 million and located in Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Bilbao, San Sebastian, Pamplona, Salamanca, Seville and Zaragoza. It pioneered new models of accommodation for students and co-living spaces over the past decade together with leading institutional and private wealth investors. With a track record of over 400,000 sqm developed in real assets of different kinds, Grupo Moraval specializes in the design and execution of state-of-the-art accommodation focusing on new technologies and student welfare. Committed to continuous improvement, its developments introduce innovations in areas such as sustainability and digitalization.

About Nodis
Nodis is a newly created brand which embodies the strong values of dynamism, vitality and sustainability, allowing its residents to lead the lifestyle they are looking for and offering residences with state-of-the-art facilities in a completely safe environment: fully equipped studios, common areas cared for down to the last detail, gym, private lounges, living areas, gaming area, library, work and study spaces, cinema, parking and more.

More info: www.nodis.es

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Walker Edison, a Leading E-commerce Furniture Company, Receives a Significant Minority Investment from Blackstone

Blackstone

WEST JORDAN, Utah, May 24, 2021 — Walker Edison, a leading supplier of furniture with an exclusive focus on the e-commerce channel, announced today that funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities (NYSE: BX; “Blackstone”) have made a significant minority investment in the Company. The Company’s Founders, Brad Bonham and Matt Davis, and controlling investor Prospect Hill Growth Partners maintain a majority stake.

Walker Edison designs and supplies affordable, ready-to-assemble furniture. Their extensive logistical network and data-driven business model provides an end-to-end solution to leading global e-commerce platforms – allowing their partners to seamlessly offer a wide variety of products with fast shipping to consumers.

Brad Bonham, Co-Founder and CEO of Walker Edison, said: “We’ve made tremendous progress since partnering with Prospect Hill Growth Partners in 2018. Adding Blackstone as a partner alongside Prospect Hill is an exciting step in our evolution as a data-centric e-commerce enabler. Our hyper-growth has been driven by our pivot to data, and we believe that growth will only accelerate by partnering with Blackstone’s unique offerings in data science, logistics, and supply chain as we continue to expand across the globe.”

Jasvinder Khaira, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “Walker Edison is a pioneer in its sector and trusted partner to many of the world’s leading e-commerce platforms. The continued shift toward online purchasing and strengthening consumer recovery are two of Blackstone’s highest conviction investment themes – and the company is poised for significant further expansion. We are excited to work with their first-class management team to help further accelerate their growth in the years ahead.”

Ann Chung, a Managing Director at Blackstone, said: “Walker Edison’s combination of scale, technology, and product offerings have made it a leader in the fast-growing online furniture industry. We believe their business is well positioned to benefit from strong tailwinds moving forward as e-commerce adoption continues to rise – particularly among younger furniture customers.”

David Fiorentino, a Partner at Prospect Hill Growth Partners, said: “We continue to believe strongly in the value proposition of Walker Edison as a data-driven, e-commerce enablement solution. We are excited to continue our partnership with the Founders, Brad and Matt, and welcome Blackstone’s expertise in e-commerce as we continue to build a category-leading company across the globe.”

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Ropes & Gray served as legal advisor and Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Lincoln International, LLC served as financial advisors to Walker Edison. Simpson Thacher Bartlett served as legal advisor to Blackstone.

About Walker Edison
Since its establishment in 2006, Walker Edison has become a leading partner and drop-ship solution for the biggest names in e-commerce. Driven by data, they strive to cultivate a culture that inspires customers to Live Outside the Box™ with innovative furniture. Walker Edison is a global organization with operations in Brazil, Asia, the UK, and Germany. To learn more visit www.walkeredison.com. Follow Walker Edison on Instagram @WalkerEdisonCo.

About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $649 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.

About Blackstone Tactical Opportunities
Tactical Opportunities (Tac Opps) is Blackstone’s opportunistic investment platform. The Tac Opps team invests globally across asset classes, industries and geographies, seeking to identify and execute on attractive, differentiated investment opportunities. As part of the strategy, the team leverages the intellectual capital across Blackstone’s various businesses while continuously optimizing its approach in the face of ever-changing market conditions.

About Prospect Hill Growth Partners
Prospect Hill Growth Partners is a Boston-area private equity firm that makes equity investments of up to $100 million in North American consumer and healthcare growth companies. The partners of Prospect Hill Growth Partners have invested $2.8 billion of capital in 37 portfolio companies while working together over the last two decades. The partners’ successful investment track record has been built on a sector-focused strategy, a robust operational value-add model, and strong alignment of interests. For more: www.prospecthillgrowth.com.

Contact
Matt Anderson
518-248-7310
matthew.anderson@blackstone.com

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Confluent Medical Technologies Expanding, Adding Capacity for Nitinol Processing and Catheter Manufacturing

Ampersand

Confluent Medical Technologies Announces Expansion of the Confluent Costa Rica Manufacturing Location To Meet Growing Demand in Nitinol Processing & Specialized Catheters

Confluent offices

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Confluent Medical Technologies (Confluent), today announced a significant expansion of their Costa Rica manufacturing by adding a new facility to accommodate the increase in customer demand for specialized medical devices utilizing Nitinol components and complex catheters.

This new facility will be co-located with the existing Confluent Costa Rica facilities and is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2022. The new site will greatly expand Confluent’s capacity to process Nitinol components, as well as produce complex catheters using a combination of clean rooms and white-space manufacturing.

“Confluent has been experiencing consistent and strong growth in recent years,” says Confluent President & CEO, Dean Schauer. “This expansion will support our new product pipeline that is significantly stronger than anything Confluent has previously experienced.”

Confluent supports some of the fastest growing medical device markets such as interventional Neurovascular, Electrophysiology, Structural Heart and Peripheral Vascular. As a result of the double-digit growth of these currently served markets, a substantial number of new products are coming into production and will utilize this new facility space immediately. Additionally, Confluent is considering additional expansion options beyond this new facility.

About Confluent Medical Technologies

Confluent Applies Materials Science to MedTech Innovation. Confluent’s engineered solutions to the most challenging design problems enable our OEM medical device customers to offer life-saving implantable products. Our customers rely on Confluent for materials science and associated manufacturing expertise which is critical to the function and value of their most demanding, high growth products – proprietary expertise which spans processing of high purity Nitinol, ultra-high density knitting of biomedical textiles and precision laser treatment of specialty polymers. Confluent partners with leading OEM’s to create a selective product portfolio which includes such complex applications as transcatheter heart valves, neurovascular implants, endovascular stent grafts and advanced smart catheters. With facilities in Fremont and Laguna Niguel, California; Warwick, Rhode Island; Windham, Maine; Austin, Texas; Chattanooga, Tennessee; and San Jose, Cost Rica, Confluent has earned the confidence of the leaders in the medical device community through a proven track record of innovative materials science, engineering and manufacturing.

For information please contact Confluent Medical, https://confluentmedical.com/.

Contacts
Brittany Mai
Brittany.Mai@confluentmedical.com

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British artificial intelligence company Faculty raises £30m of growth funding to deliver “AI as a Service” globally

Apax Digital

Faculty, a leading British artificial intelligence (AI) company, today announced that it has raised £30m in growth funding from the Apax Digital Fund (“ADF”). It is the largest investment Faculty has accepted to date, and brings total investment to nearly £40m.

The funding will be used to drive the expansion of Faculty’s pioneering “AI as a Service” model. From helping companies optimise marketing spend and more accurately forecasting demand for consumer goods, to predicting pressures on the healthcare system during a pandemic, Faculty’s “AI as a Service” model can be applied to a broad range of problems for both public and private sector organisations. It enables customers to customise powerful AI solutions to their needs, with the ongoing training and support that guarantees safe and high-performance AI over the long term.

The investment will support the next phase of the company’s growth over the coming years. In delivering its vision for “AI as a Service”, Faculty will continue to enhance its technology offering and expects to create over 400 new jobs across its engineering, product and delivery teams. The investment will also be put towards the rollout of Faculty’s new learning and development programme that will sit at the centre of the business to help develop technical and commercial talent as the company scales.

Marc Warner, CEO & Co-Founder of Faculty, said:

“It’s an incredibly exciting time for artificial intelligence, and for Faculty in particular. Too many organisations haven’t been able to realise the value of AI, because they haven’t had the tools to integrate it successfully into their business. Customers are rightly demanding high performance technology to unlock the power of data and maximise impact. Faculty can help elevate an organisation’s performance, whether this enables better operational decisions, or increasing ROI. Apax’s expertise and global network means we will continue to grow at pace, bringing the power of AI to even more customers, helping them to make effective, robust decisions with real-world impact.”

The funding will also accelerate Faculty’s international expansion. The company is already working across five continents and is seeing growing global customer demand for its safe and customised AI solutions.

Founded in 2014 by Dr Marc Warner, Dr Angie Ma and Andrew Brookes, Faculty has grown rapidly to become one of the world’s most experienced teams of AI and ML specialists, able to support any organisation to make AI effective and drive value. The company has a specialist team that includes over 50+ PhDs with experience of working with over 230 customers across the globe.

Faculty has sustained strong growth during the COVID-19 pandemic, winning 52 new customers in the last financial year including the National Crime Agency, Red Bull, Virgin Media, Moonpig, and a two-year partnership with NHS England and NHS Improvement to help them to build forecasting capabilities and improve data-driven decision-making. The company recently made headlines for its critical work enabling the NHS to divert resources to areas worst affected by the pandemic ahead of time.

Mark Beith, Partner at Apax Digital, who joins Faculty’s board of directors, said:

“Faculty is a world-leading AI company with cutting-edge technology, inspiring people and culture, and with phenomenal customer feedback. They enable customers to realise the tremendous value of AI quickly but responsibly, providing robust, fair and explainable AI, with advanced data privacy. We have seen the power and impact of their solutions first-hand, as a client, and are thrilled to partner with Marc, Angie, Andy and the team to support their global expansion.”

The Apax Digital Fund joins Faculty’s existing investors, including GMG Ventures LP, LocalGlobe, and Jaan Tallinn, one of Skype’s founding engineers.

About Faculty

Faculty is a leading British AI company that helps organisations who have the scale, data, and foresight to adopt AI into their business. We’re helping make AI real across society by providing a unique combination of strategy, software, and skills to our customers: everything needed to successfully create value from AI. Founder-led and with over 50 PhDs, we are a team of specialists that has worked with over 230 organisations to make AI real.

Faculty is headquartered in London and is backed by investors that include GMG Ventures LP, LocalGlobe and Jaan Tallinn, one of Skype’s founding engineers. Faculty is one of the fastest growing private British technology companies and is recognised for its sales growth in The Sunday Times 2020 Tech Track 100 list.

About Apax and Apax Digital

The Apax Digital Fund, which is advised by Apax Partners LLP (“Apax”) specializes in growth equity and buyout investments in high-growth enterprise software, consumer internet, and technology-enabled services companies worldwide.

The Apax Digital team leverages Apax’s deep tech investing expertise, global platform, and specialized operating experts, to enable technology companies and their management teams to accelerate the achievement of their full potential. For further information, please visit: apaxdigital.com.

Apax is a leading global private equity advisory firm. For nearly 50 years, Apax has worked to inspire growth and ideas that transform businesses. The firm has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of more than $60 billion. The Apax Funds invest in companies across four global sectors of Tech, Services, Healthcare and Internet/Consumer. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For more information see: apax.com.

Company

Faculty

Global media contact

Katarina Sallerfors

t: +44 20 7872 6300

Luke Charalambous

t: +44 20 7872 6300

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KKR Acquires Three Building Industrial Portfolio in Phoenix

May 24, 2021

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the acquisition of a three building industrial portfolio totaling approximately 419,350 square feet located in highly infill locations in Phoenix, Arizona. The Seller was a Joint Venture between PCCP, LLC and Hopewell Development LP.

All three assets were built in 2020 and are located approximately twenty to thirty minutes’ driving distance from Phoenix’s Central Business District. The buildings feature state-of-the-art physical characteristics, including 28’ to 32’ clear heights and offer flexible configurations for both single and multi-tenant occupancy. The newly delivered portfolio is currently in lease-up with a rent roll that is approximately 70% leased at acquisition.

The acquisition expands KKR’s industrial real estate footprint in the greater Phoenix market to nearly 2.6 million square feet.

“Phoenix has been one of the fastest growing major markets in the US over the past several years and we’re very excited to add these high quality assets which are complementary to our footprint in the market,” said Ben Brudney, a Director in the Real Estate group at KKR. “These newly built assets offer us the opportunity to take advantage of strong leasing momentum in the Phoenix market with near term upside through the lease up of the remaining vacancy.”

KKR is making the investment through its Americas opportunistic equity real estate strategy. Across its funds, KKR owns nearly 36 million square feet of industrial property in strategic locations across major metropolitan areas in the U.S.

Since launching a dedicated real estate platform in 2011, KKR has grown its real estate assets under management to approximately $28 billion across the U.S., Europe and Asia Pacific as of March 31, 2021. KKR’s global real estate team consists of approximately 100 dedicated investment professionals, spanning both the equity and credit business, across 11 offices and eight countries.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and 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 The 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 and on Twitter @KKR_Co.

Media:
Cara Major or Miles Radcliffe-Trenner
212-750-8300
media@kkr.com

Source: KKR

Categories: News

Bridgepoint to acquire global fruit genetics, R&D and licensing company Sun World

Bridgepoint

PALM DESERT, CA – Sun World International LLC (Sun World), the global fruit genetics, R&D and licensing company, today announced an agreement to be acquired by Bridgepoint, an international private equity group. Bridgepoint will become controlling shareholder alongside management and succeed a transformative and successful period of ownership from Renewable Resources Group LLC and Vision Ridge Partners.

The Bridgepoint investment will support Sun World’s plans to accelerate its growth strategy by building a broad-based genetics and technology platform for specialty fruit growers.

CEO David Marguleas, who will serve on the company’s new board and hold an equity position in the company, said:

“Our connection with the Bridgepoint team was undeniable from the first conversation. They understand and appreciate the extraordinary head start we enjoy in the sector after 30 years of breeding superior produce. And they share our vision of the many ways we can grow. To say we’re ‘excited’ undersells what this new partnership means for Sun World.”

“In partnering with Sun World, our ambition is for it to become a broader based platform investment in fruit genetics with a considerable runway for long term growth,” said Andrew Sweet, a Partner at Bridgepoint who leads the firm’s investment activities across North America.

“Sun World was part of the first wave of genetic innovation for produce, establishing a recurring royalty business model that has enabled it to prioritize its R&D innovation. Today it enjoys a market-leading reputation with the largest growers, distribution partners and retailers globally thanks to its cutting-edge molecular techniques, and breeding processes. We expect to continue to invest in new technologies that benefit growers and consumers alike,” Sweet concluded.

In addition to enhancing its intellectual property portfolio and core grape and stone fruit breeding operation, Sun World has begun work in a number of under-served crops and technology solutions that have strong global appeal. The anticipated growth will be both organic and through investment and acquisition of new genetics and emerging technologies, all of which have the potential to add meaningful value for Sun World growers worldwide.

To facilitate the company’s expansion, last year Sun World opened its new Center for Innovation in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The complex features a sophisticated fruit breeding and variety development operation, including specialized facilities for tissue culture and molecular breeding, and a 160-acre experimental research farm. Sun World currently holds 300+ plant patents and the company views the Center for Innovation as an important advantage in advancing their pipeline of fruit genetics.

Sun World divested of its substantial farming, packing and marketing operation in 2019 to concentrate more fully on its breeding and licensing business.

Bridgepoint was advised by RaboBank and HSBC (corporate finance) and Davis Polk (legal). The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to customary conditions and terms were not disclosed.

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Altor acquires a minority stake in global fashion house Totême

Altor

Altor Fund V (“Altor”) has signed an agreement to acquire a minority stake in Totême and enter into a partnership with the founders and other existing shareholders. Altor will support the founders and the company on its continued international growth journey. The founders will remain as majority shareholders and continue in their current roles in the development of Totême.

Founded by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman in 2014 in New York City, Totême is a fast-growing fashion label in the modern luxury universe, widely known for their iconic uniforms. The company is headquartered in Stockholm with a strong Swedish heritage but with a true global presence. Sales are evenly split between Asia, North America and Europe, with a predominantly online presence via its own web shop and online retailers. The company has grown rapidly and reached sales of ca SEK 350m.

Elin Kling and Karl Lindman will continue in their current roles as Creative Director and Brand Director with the company. “Ever since the start, we’ve had a clear sense of who we are and where we’re going” say Totême’s founders, “It was important for us to find the right partner for the next chapter in our global growth journey, without compromizing our brand values. We firmly believe that Altor’s extensive experience in relation to technology, E-commerce and sustainability in key markets will strengthen our business, and we are looking forward to achieving the next phase of our journey at Totême with Altor.”

Altor has a track record of partnering with founder-led consumer brands to successfully support these companies on their international growth journeys. “We are very impressed by what Totême, the management team and the employees have achieved to date. Totême has been built to a global fashion brand focused on high quality products and slow fashion consumerism”, says Stefan Linder, Partner at Altor, “We are excited to partner with the visionary founders, Elin Kling and Karl Lindman, and the CEO Johanna Andersson to support their vision of developing a world class luxury fashion house”.

For more information, please contact:
Christina Budarkiewicz, PR Manager at Totême, christina@toteme-studio.com, +46 738 05 90 60
Tor Krusell, Head of Communications at Altor, tor.krusell@altor.com, +46 705 43 87 47

About Totême

Totême was founded in 2014 by Elin Kling and Karl Lindman. From the studio in Stockholm, the label creates ready-to-wear, shoes, bags and accessories. Totême explores the appeal of a modern uniform through distinct design cues, meticulous craftsmanship and methodic repetition. Pieces are subtly refined and tweaked over time for a well-curated wardrobe that transcends trends. Totême employs a digital-first and direct-to-consumer business model which is mixed with selected online retailers and department stores. With a strong emphasis on local context and the physical space, the label completes their digital presence with a growing number of Totême retail stores.

For more information visit toteme-studio.com

About Altor

Since inception, the family of Altor funds has raised some EUR 8.3 billion in total commitments. The funds have invested in excess of EUR 5 billion in more than 75 companies. The investments have been made in medium sized predominantly Nordic companies with the aim to create value through growth initiatives and operational improvements. Among current and past investments are Aarke, Dustin, Helly Hansen, RevolutionRace and Rossignol.

For more information visit www.altor.com

Author: Katarina Karlsson
Date: 2021.05.21
Categories: News

Categories: News

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