3i European Operational Projects Fund agrees to acquire a portfolio of eight projects in France and completes investment in AGESA

3I

3i Group plc (“3i”) announces that the 3i European Operational Projects Fund (“3i EOPF” or “the Fund”) has agreed to acquire a portfolio of eight operational projects (the “Portfolio”) in France from DIF Infrastructure III. The Fund has also completed its €70m investment in AGESA, the project company for the Gerediaga-Elorrio motorway PPP in Spain, which was announced on 28 October 2019. Following these transactions, the Fund has deployed c.60% of its total commitments.

Completion of the Portfolio transaction, which is subject to certain conditions including customary antitrust and third party approvals, is expected by the end of Q1 2020.

The Portfolio consists of two batches of three prisons each, three educational projects, one wastewater collection concession, one train station and a batch of 12 fire stations. All projects are fully operational. The projects are availability-based and are backed by strong public counterparties. The wastewater collection concession has a moderate level of demand risk.

Stephane Grandguillaume, Partner at 3i in charge of origination for the Fund, commented: “This is a high quality portfolio with an attractive yield profile consistent with the Fund’s mandate, providing further risk diversification for the Fund.”

3i EOPF, which is managed by 3i’s infrastructure team, is a €456m fund investing in operational projects across Europe, with a focus on France, the Benelux, Germany, Italy and Iberia.  It targets a wide range of sub-sectors, primarily social infrastructure and transportation, but also telecoms and utilities. It aims to provide long-term yield to institutional investors.

 

Categories: News

Tags:

The Carlyle Group Completes Conversion to a Corporation

Carlyle

Washington, DC – The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) announced today that it has completed its previously announced  conversion to a corporation from a publicly traded partnership. Existing Carlyle shareholders will receive a final Schedule K-1 in late March 2020. Following today’s conversion, distributions will generally be dividends for U.S. tax purposes and shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV.

“We are pleased to have completed our conversion to a corporation,” said Carlyle Co-CEOs Kewsong Lee and Glenn Youngkin. We believe our structure and approach, which is simple, transparent in governance, and aligned with our investors, sets the stage for Carlyle to further drive sustainable value over the long-term for our shareholders.”

About The Carlyle Group
The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across four business segments: Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions. With $222 billion of assets under management as of September 30, 2019, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of its investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest. The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,775 people in 33 offices across six continents.

Contacts
Public Market Investor Relations
Daniel Harris
+1 (212) 813-4527
daniel.harris@carlyle.com

Media
Leigh Farris
+1 (212) 813-4815
leigh.farris@carlyle.com

OR

Christa Zipf
+1 (212) 813-4578
christa.zipf@carlyle.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Bark Partners AB’s ownership in EQT AB

eqt

EQT AB has today been informed by four of its Partners – Conni Jonsson, Thomas von Koch, Harry Klagsbrun and Per Franzén – that they have formed a company called Bark Partners AB to which they will transfer, at respective acquisition cost, the majority of their shares in EQT AB. Bark Partners AB will, after the transfer, own in total 15.2 percent and become the second largest shareholder in EQT AB.

EQT AB has also been informed by Bark Partners AB that their ownership is long-term and that the company assumes responsibility for the lock-up commitments the four owners individually had on the shares to be transferred, and that the four owners through their ownership via the jointly owned company will strive at securing EQT’s culture which has been developed over a long time, as well as support EQT’s long-term strategy.

Contact
Nina Nornholm, Head of Communications, press@eqtpartners.com +46 70 855 03 56
EQT Press Office,  +46 8 506 55 334
Harry Klagsbrun, spokesperson Bark Partners AB +46 8 506 55 300

About EQT
EQT is a differentiated global investment organization with a 25-year track-record of consistent investment performance across multiple geographies, sectors and strategies. With a strong brand and distinct corporate culture, EQT manages and advises funds and vehicles that invest across the world with the mission to generate attractive returns to the fund investors.

EQT’s talent base and network allow it to pursue a unique value creation approach and thematic investment strategy, with the aim of future-proofing the companies which EQT invests in, creating superior returns and making a positive impact with everything EQT does.

EQT has more than EUR 62 billion in raised capital since inception, currently around EUR 41 billion in assets under management across 20 active funds within three business segments – Private Capital, Real Assets and Credit. EQT is a thought leader within the private markets industry with deep expertise in responsible and long-term ownership, corporate governance, operational excellence, digitalization and sustainability. EQT has offices in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and North America with more than 675 employees.

The EQT AB Group comprises EQT AB (publ) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, which includes entities advising EQT funds as well as general partners and fund managers of EQT funds.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com

Categories: News

Tags:

Tikehau Capital partners with Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking to offer private market solutions to HNWI

Tikehau

Paris, 19 December 2019 – Tikehau Capital, the alternative asset management and investment group, announces a fundraising of over €400 million for a fund aimed at offering European private markets investment solutions to HNW individuals, clients of Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking, Italy’s largest private banking network.
This initiative leverages Tikehau Capital’s investment platform and established track record to deliver a flexible solution that extracts value across cycles. The fund offers a bespoke, multi-asset solution aimed at providing high net worth individuals with diversified exposure to European private markets. The fund will invest across Private Debt, Private Equity, Real estate, and Special Opportunities.

The fund is the fourth generation of the Fideuram Alternative Investments (“FAI”) platform, and has been subscribed to by almost 3,000 Italian investors, clients of Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private banking networks.
Gianluca La Calce, CEO of Fideuram Investimenti SGR: “For this fourth edition of the FAI platform, we decided to partner with Tikehau Capital, a leader in the alternative asset management industry throughout Europe. The quality of our platform, combined with Tikehau Capital’s rigorous and diversified investment capabilities, enables us to offer a unique and differentiated investment solution to our private clients.”

Thomas Friedberger, Co-Chief Investment Officer and Chief Executive Officer of Tikehau Investment Management states: “We are proud that Fideuram – Intesa Sanpaolo Private Banking, the leader in the Italian private banking sector, has decided to partner with us to develop this innovative initiative aimed at offering private markets investment solutions to its private clients. This initiative will enable us to further deploy our investment expertise across the European economy and provide a service to high net worth clients.”

About Tikehau Capital:
Tikehau Capital is an asset management and investment group with €24.3bn of assets under management (as at 30 September 2019) and shareholders’ equity of €3.1bn (as at 30 June 2019). The Group invests in various asset classes (private debt, real estate, private equity and liquid strategies), including through its asset management subsidiaries, on behalf of institutional and private investors. Controlled by its managers, alongside leading institutional partners, Tikehau Capital employs more than 500 staff (as at 30 September 2019) in its Paris, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, New York, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo offices.
Tikehau Capital is listed on the regulated market of Euronext Paris, Compartment A (ISIN code: FR0013230612; Ticker: TKO.FP)
www.tikehaucapital.com

Press Contacts:
Tikehau Capital: Julien Sanson – +44 20 3821 1001
Finsbury: Arnaud Salla & Charles O’Brien – +44 207 251 3801
press@tikehaucapital.com
Shareholders and Investors Contact:
Louis Igonet – +33 1 40 06 11 11
shareholders@tikehaucapital.com

Disclaimer
This document is not an offer of securities for sale or investment advisory services. This document contains general information only and is not intended to represent general or specific investment advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results and targets are not guaranteed.
Certain statements and forecasted data are based on current expectations, current market and economic conditions, estimates, projections, opinions and beliefs of Tikehau Capital and/or its affiliates. Due to various risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those reflected or contemplated in such forward-looking statements or in any of the case studies or forecasts. All references to Tikehau Capital’s advisory activities in the US or with respect to US persons relates to Tikehau Capital North America.

Categories: News

Tags:

Truffle Capital successfully raises nearly €400 million for new Venture Capital funds. Funds backed by top-tier French and international institutional investors

Truffle Capital

Paris, France, December 18th, 2019 – Truffle Capital, a major European Venture Capital fund, announces the closing of its new BioMedTech and Fintech-InsurTech institutional funds, after having successfully raised close to €400 million from French and international institutional investors.

Truffle Capital has received €250 million in commitments for its BioMedTech funds and €140 million for its new Fintech-Insurtech funds. The closing of these new funds marks a milestone for Truffle Capital, demonstrating a strong acceleration in its development (compared to the €750 million raised in the past 15 years) and the success of sector-specific funds with institutional investors, as previous Truffle funds were non sector-specific and mostly retail funds. The new BioMedTech fund will create and fund a dozen companies, mainly in France, developing medical devices and medications aiming to revolutionize mini-invasive medicine and health based on disruptive technologies sourced by Truffle from the top 50 US and European universities. The new Fintech-Insurtech fund will create and fund between 12 to 15 companies designing and building disruptive services and products for the banking and insurance industries, which will be developed around AI and blockchain technologies.

Created in 2001, Truffle Capital sets itself apart from other Venture Capital funds thanks to its unique business model of Business Builders. Truffle Capital is systematically the main investor in its participations, often the founder and majority shareholder during several years, and supports its companies until an advanced stage of their development. During the last 15 years, Truffle Capital has supported more than 70 companies, of which 80% were created by or with the support of Truffle Capital’s teams. Truffle Capital has successfully undertaken 13 IPOs and 17 divestitures for its portfolio companies, generating attractive returns on investment and supporting international growth of the companies.

About 60% of the amount raised for the new Truffle Capital funds comes from French investors and 40% from international investors. Obratori (l’Occitane Group), Guerbet Group, Agrica Group, la Cipav, BPCE, Caisse Centrale de Réassurances (CCR), ProBTP, Sopra Steria and many French and international family offices have invested in the BioMedTech or Truffle Financial Innovation funds. In 2017, the French pension fund Fonds de Réserve pour les Retraites (FRR) had notably given a mandate, one of the first dedicated to French Venture Capital, to Truffle Capital. Investments have already been made to create and support a dozen of promising companies:

• In BioMedTech, Truffle Capital has already created five startups, that rely on exclusive and global licensing agreements negotiated with prestigious international research centers and universities, with its new funds: HoliStick Medical, aiming to treat cardiac pathologies (PFO) without open-heart surgery, relying on technologies from Harvard and the MIT; Skinosive, which develops dermo-cosmetics technologies to prevent skin cancers based on a Yale University Technology; Artedrone, whose autonomous microrobots could prevent and treat cerebrovascular pathologies or treat tumors; PKMed, which develops smart bioactive implants; and finally, Bariatek, which works on non-invasive medical devices to treat obesity and diabetes.

• In FinTech-InsurTech, Truffle Capital is supporting the development of five startups with its new funds: MoneyTrack, which revolutionizes directed payment (especially in insurance reimbursement) by using blockchain technologies developed in partnership with INRIA (Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique) and ENS (Ecole Normale Supérieure); RollingFunds, which develops an automated scoring technology allowing SMEs to benefit from instant cash advance; IPaidThat, which automates SMEs’ invoice processing; Monisnap, which simplifies and digitalizes money transfer in underbanked countries; and finally, Sharegroop, which has invented group payment systems on websites.

The three managing partners of Truffle Capital, Patrick Kron, Philippe Pouletty, and Bernard-Louis Roques, comment:

Patrick Kron, Chairman of Truffle Capital states: “The success of this ambitious fundraising is a great source of pride for Truffle Capital and its teams. The confidence of these top-tier investors is further proof of the relevance and the efficiency of our unique model. Our position as entrepreneur-investors has enabled us to create genuine global leaders, able to use disruptive technologies to propose new offers and address unmet needs. Thanks to the unique experience we have acquired, we are convinced that we will be able to structure and grow particularly promising investments.”

Philippe Pouletty, M.D., Co-founder, CEO of Truffle Capital, head of the BioMedTech Team adds: “With €250 million new funds, we are now among the top BioMedTech players in Europe, especially in the interventional medical devices segment. Our investment strategy is designed to allow clinicians to treat patients more effectively and in a less traumatic way with revolutionary products, allowing patients to enjoy better and longer lives, and payers to reduce health costs. Disruptive innovations sourced by Truffle Capital will combine smart implants, mini-invasive surgery, interventional radiology, AI, micro-robotics and the harnessing of human physiology. Medical needs and market potential are very important, especially in cardiology, neurology, dermo-cosmetics, oncology, gastroenterology, and orthopedics. We are working hand in hand with the top 50 universities and research centers based in Europe and the US. Following a stringent selection process, we aim to in-license and transform their disruptive inventions into major technological innovations and medical products. Our proven experience as entrepreneur-investors and our investment fire power allow us to build future world leaders within the excellent French ecosystem, from creation to clinical and commercial stage.”

Bernard-Louis Roques, Co-founder, CEO of Truffle Capital, head the FinTech-InsurTech team says: “In 2014, we felt that the combination between deregulation and rise of ‘deep techs’, mainly with AI and blockchain, would deeply and sustainably transform the world of finance. While FinTechs accounted for only 2% in Venture Capital, we decided to focus on this segment by creating the first French FinTech incubator, thus giving birth to seven companies, of which three were rapidly sold successfully. As we were encouraged by the success of this first phase, during which we invested €30 million and realized good exit multiples, we built an ecosystem around our network of entrepreneurs, scientists, and financial institutions, created by our major institutional fundraisings. FinTechs now represent 20% of Venture Capital, and we plan to deploy €140 million over the next six years to create future leaders who will help transform the financial industry.”

Categories: News

Tags:

Gryphon Investors Announces the Close of Gryphon Mezzanine Partners II, L.P. at $300 Million in Commitments

Gryphon Investors

Firm’s Second Junior Debt Fund Closes At Its Cap

San Francisco, CA – December 17, 2019 —

Gryphon Investors (“Gryphon”), a San Francisco-based private equity firm, today announced that it held a final closing of Gryphon Mezzanine Partners II, L.P. (“the Fund”) at its cap, achieving $300 million of aggregate commitments. The Fund was oversubscribed and closed above its $225 million target with commitments from new and existing LPs.

This is Gryphon’s second junior debt fund. The firm’s first junior debt fund, Gryphon Mezzanine Partners, L.P., closed in August 2017 at its cap of $105 million. Gryphon has also raised six control private equity funds since 1997.

The Fund will participate on a minority basis in the junior debt financings of Gryphon portfolio companies, in all cases led by leading independent third-party lenders. The Fund will be managed by existing Gryphon professionals.

Gryphon founder and CEO David Andrews commented, “Our mezzanine strategy was initiated to satisfy the demand of a number of the firm’s limited partners seeking attractive risk adjusted yields in the junior debt securities of Gryphon portfolio companies. We viewed this as an opportunity to add a complementary strategy to our primary strategy of control equity investing. We are pleased that the Fund has been well-received, both by existing investors and investors not previously invested in Gryphon funds. As always, we very much appreciate their enthusiastic support.”

For the past 25 consecutive quarters, Gryphon has placed on Preqin’s “Consistent Performers” quarterly North American buyout rankings for its private equity investing strategy. Gryphon’s most recent private equity buyout fund, Gryphon Partners V, L.P., which closed in April 2019 with $2.1 billion in commitments, now includes eight portfolio company investments and is approximately 80% committed with the December close of Heartland Veterinary Partners.

About Gryphon Investors
Based in San Francisco, Gryphon Investors (www.gryphoninvestors.com) is a leading private equity firm focused on profitably growing and competitively enhancing middle-market companies in partnership with experienced management. The firm has managed over $5.0 billion of equity investments and capital since 1997. Gryphon targets making equity investments of $100 million to $300 million in portfolio companies with sales ranging from approximately $100 million to $500 million. Gryphon prioritizes investment opportunities where it can form strong partnerships with owners and executives to build leading companies, utilizing Gryphon’s capital, specialized professional resources, and operational expertise.

Contacts

Categories: News

Tags:

Kames Capital to move to fully-integrated global model

Kames Capital

Posted on 03 December 2019

bas_dec2019

Today we announced to clients some exciting changes at Kames Capital, as we enhance our client proposition and move to a globally-integrated model as part of our parent group, Aegon Asset Management.

This move will provide Kames Capital’s clients with access to a wider selection of best-of-breed products and services from across Aegon Asset Management, while allowing our investment teams in Edinburgh and London to leverage the expertise and research capabilities from the global group.

There will be no changes to the way we manage clients’ portfolios or the investment managers who run them. We will also maintain current local relationships and client servicing.

The integration will, however, see the Kames Capital brand retired in mid-2020 as the business moves to the globally-recognised Aegon Asset Management brand.

The new structure will create a global investment business with assets under management of £303 billion that maximises the full potential of our teams from across the world.

The new structure, which will take effect from 1 February 2020, will see the global business create four distinct investment platforms in line with the uniquely differentiated capabilities for which Kames Capital and Aegon Asset Management are globally recognised and competitive. These are Fixed Income, Real Assets, Equities and Multi-Asset & Solutions.

Each platform will be led by a global chief investment officer with responsibility for our multi-site investment teams. Each global CIO will also sit on the newly formed global operating management board headed by Aegon Asset Management chief executive Bas NieuweWeme

This integration will provide our investment teams with access to all the resources, expertise, and knowledge of the Aegon Asset Management group across its multiple locations. It also means we can offer our clients best-of-breed products and services from across the group.

Kames Capital is proud of its UK heritage and we are confident our new global structure will enable us to take an important step in enhancing our product offerings, service and overall client experience.

If you would like any further information or have any questions please contact your usual Kames Capital representative.

Categories: News

Tags:

Earlier success fuels oversubscription: Lifeline Ventures raises EUR 130 million for a new fund

Tesi

Investments in funds15.11.2019

Venture capital firm Lifeline Ventures has raised EUR 130 million for a new fund, an amount that sets a new record for fundraising in Finland. The company invests in Finnish technology companies in all their development stages: from first-round investments in the angel or seed stage through to large-scale, follow-on investments in later-stage financing rounds. Lifeline Ventures also invests in funds; including insurance funds Ilmarinen, Varma and Elo, state-owned investment company Tesi and FoF Growth III fund, Nordea Life Assurance and Taaleri Kasvurahastot.

The Lifeline Ventures IV fund will invest in some 40 companies over the next five years. An angel or seed investment from the fund will range from EUR 200,000 to EUR 2 million in size. Lifeline is well-known for its connection with early-stage technology and software companies. The company’s most successful earlier investments include those in Supercell, Applifier and Nonstop Games, while the company’s current investments include those in Wolt, Oura, Sulapac and ICEYE. Recently, Lifeline has focused more on science-based companies operating in sectors such as optics, virtual reality and materials technology.

“In 2012, in its first year of operation, our fund proved to be exceptionally successful. In a global comparison of our peers for that year, we easily ranked in the top quartile in terms of gains,” says Lifeline’s partner Samuli Leppänen.

Last year Finnish startups raised a record EUR 480 million in total. Lifeline estimates that its portfolio companies account for some 30% of this capital.

A number of investments in Finland’s venture capital market are starting to mature and to launch financing rounds that are tens of millions of euros in size. Financing rounds of this size mostly require international investors, and almost all such rounds consist of numerous investors.

“We want to be the first investor in a startup. Our most successful investments have mainly been those in which we were an angel investor. This new, much larger, fund allows us to extend our horizon in portfolio companies’ development. The landscape has changed drastically: the level of startups has risen sharply, and the best of early-stage companies are also able to recruit the most skilled talent,” points out Timo Ahopelto, well-known co-founder of Lifeline.

“It’s great to see a fund raised in Finland of a size that enables investing in the best crop of early-stage portfolio companies through their later-stage financing rounds also. The fund is managed by an experienced player with strong international networks. That, in itself, attracts international investors to Finnish companies, especially in larger-scale financing rounds,” says Tesi’s Investment Director Riitta Jääskeläinen.

For further information:

Lifeline Ventures

Timo Ahopelto, timo@lifelineventures.com

Samuli Leppänen, samuli@lifelineventures.com

Team photo: Kai Backman, Timo Ahopelto, Samuli Leppänen, Petteri Koponen and Juha Lindfors.

Lifeline Ventures is a Finland-based, early-stage venture capital firm that invests widely in sectors ranging from biotech to mobile gaming. Lifeline Ventures founded is first fund in 2012. The company’s head office is located in Helsinki, Finland.  So far, Lifeline Ventures has invested in over 70 companies in Finland, including Aiven, Oura, Varjo, Sulapac, Dispelix, Smartly.io, Swappie, Altum Technologies, Solar Foods, Iceye and Wolt. www.lifelineventures.com

Categories: News

Tags:

The Carlyle Group Raises €6.4 billion for Carlyle Europe Partners V

Carlyle

  • Leverages Carlyle’s deep regional expertise and global platform to source assets
  • More than 70% larger than previous fund

London, UK – Global investment firm The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ:CG) today announced that it has raised €6.4 billion for its latest Carlyle Europe Partners fund, exceeding its target by almost €1.0 billion. In total over 300 investors from 37 countries have made commitments to the new Carlyle Europe Partners V fund.

Carlyle Europe Partners V is managed by a team of 40 professionals across 5 European offices and continues its successful strategy of investing in European upper mid-market opportunities across a wide range of sectors and industries where there is significant potential for business transformation. The fund is the fifth in the Carlyle Europe Partners franchise which over the past twenty-two years has invested €15.2bn in 78 investments across Europe.

Marco De Benedetti  and Gregor Boehm, co-Heads of the Carlyle Europe Partners advisory team, said, “We are both humbled and excited by the strong showing of support and continued confidence from our limited partners. This latest successful fundraise reflects the strength of the Carlyle Europe Partners franchise and we are confident in our team’s demonstrated ability to work alongside companies in Europe to execute on their strategic goals. Our fund leverages Carlyle’s global network, cross-sector expertise and locally embedded teams to drive growth across all our portfolio companies and to create value for our investors and all our key stakeholders.”

Kewsong Lee, Co-CEO of The Carlyle Group said, “Europe continues to be an important strategic market for Carlyle.  In a time of immense complexity and change, our country-specific and sector-driven approach positions us well to find interesting opportunities to partner with management teams and build companies. We want to thank our limited partners for the significant commitment and confidence they have placed in Carlyle for more than 20 years to support the growth of our investment activities throughout the region. “

Carlyle Europe Partners V has already made 5 investments in companies located in Spain, Italy and The Netherlands: Forgital, a manufacturing company producing large forged and machined components for the aerospace and industrial industries; Cepsa, Spain’s largest independent multinational integrated energy company; Nouryon, a market leader in the manufacture of chemical components and solutions; Design Holding, a global high-end interior design group; and Jeanologia, a supplier of cutting-edge environmentally-friendly technologies.

******

About The Carlyle Group

The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG) is a global investment firm with deep industry expertise that deploys private capital across four business segments: Corporate Private Equity, Real Assets, Global Credit and Investment Solutions.  With $223 billion of assets under management as of June 30, 2019, Carlyle’s purpose is to invest wisely and create value on behalf of our investors, portfolio companies and the communities in which we live and invest.  The Carlyle Group employs more than 1,775 people in 33 offices across six continents.
Web: www.carlyle.com

 

Contacts
Rory Macmillan
+44 207 894 1630
roderick.macmillan@carlyle.com

 

Categories: News

Tags:

Investor’s ownership in EQT

Investor

2019-09-24 08:15

In conjunction with today’s first day of trading of EQT AB on Nasdaq Stockholm, Investor AB has, as communicated on September 2, 2019, pro-rata together with partners, sold a limited share of its holding in EQT AB in order to secure a free float of the share. Following the sale, Investor’s ownership amounts to 176,739,596 shares in EQT AB, equivalent to 18.5 percent of the company. Proceeds to Investor will amount to SEK 1.6bn.

In October, Investor may come to sell an additional maximum of 2,451,580 shares at the listing price dependent on the advisory banks’ utilization of the over-allotment option. Investor, being the largest owner, has in accordance with market practice, entered into a securities lending agreement with the advisory banks encompassing 10,396,188 shares for one month in order to facilitate the handling of the over-allotment option.

The sale and the lending of Investor’s shares in EQT AB will be reported to the Swedish FSA’s PDMR transactions register.

Investor’s engagement in EQT is long-term.

Categories: News

Tags: