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Private Equity Begins To Re-Awaken In Egypt
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 So what’s a private equity fund manager to do? Up to now, the answer was close the office door. In a statement Reuters reported on Thursday, the Egyptian firm Citadel Capital said it would resume full operations on Sunday. Citadel believes the “difficult period will result in a more stable and faster growing Egypt and region,” the firm said. This is good news for...
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Universities Regain Mojo; PE Allocations Rise
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 Endowments grew on average by 11.9 percent in fiscal year 2010, which ended June 30th, according to a study released by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and Commonfund, a big investor for non-profit institutions. That gain is a stark reversal from FY2009, when the average endowment lost 18.7 percent. Adding to the improving picture, universities had a slightly easier time raising new funds in 2010. They received about $7 billion in gifts destined specifically for their endowments, representing about a quarter of the $28 billion in overall donations that universities took in last year, according to Ann Kaplan, author of a separate study from the Council for Aid to Education, or CAE. Giving was up 0.5 percent during 2010, a stark change from the previous year when donations slipped by 11.9 percent. Read more »
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peHUB Second Opinion
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 Having It Their Way: TPG, Bain and GS Capital make 5x their initial investment on Burger King. Earth Shattering: Starbucks unveils its new larger size, the Trenta cup, which holds 31 ounces. Sold Out: Verizon Wireless has sold out preorders for its Apple iPhone. But you can still order online on Feb. 9. Read more »
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After Maxing Out A Dozen Credit Cards, Is Pandora Headed For An IPO?
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 “Do what it takes, get people to work for free, and go in debt if you believe in your company,” said Westergren, who delivered this message while giving a keynote speech at Vator Splash at Cafe du Nord in San Francisco last night. Westergren, a onetime r...
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Are Tablets, and Murdoch’s The Daily, Media Game Changers?
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Tony Conrad: If You Sell Your Startup, Don’t Be a Punk About it Afterward
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 It’s the kind of run that many entrepreneurs dream about, and...
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Biggest January for M&A in More than 10 Years — Report
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 January posted the fastest month in mergers since 2000, according to Dealbook, citing data from Thomson Reuters (publisher of peHUB). Globally, M&A rose 69% to $309.6 billion in January from the same period a year earlier, DealBook reported. In the United States, strategic M&A surged last month to $167.7 billion, up 299% from January 2010, while PE-backed M&A shot up 218% to $5.7 billion in that same period, the story said. Apax’s $...
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GTCR’s 10th Fund Coming in at $3.5B — UPDATED
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 A source, confirming an earlier report from LBO Wire, says the Chicago PE firm is wrapping up marketing for GTCR Fund X LP with a $3.5 billion hard cap. Read more »
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Once You Get Behind the Wheel of Car Sharing, Do you Know Where to Park?
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 Streetline Networks says it can help find that spot. Using ultra low-powered sensors buried city streets networked with a 1.99-cent iPhone app named “Parker,” San Francisco-based Streetline can steer motorists to the nearest empty patch of asphalt in real time. Streetline, which raised $3.7 million in debt and equity funding from Sutte...
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Private equity groups TPG Capital and Credit Suisse Private Equity are preparing to exit European bathroom equipment maker Grohe, Reuters reported. A trade sale or initial public offering could come as early as the second half of 2011, Reuters wrote. TPG and Credit Suisse bought Grohe for 1.5 billion euros in 2004. Read more »
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Genetic analysis company IntegenX has raised $15.6 million in venture capital, and acquired biotech company GenVault Corp. Life science investor Domain Associates led the round, which included participation from previous investors In-Q-Tel and RONAholdings LLC. GenVault’s existing investors QuestMark Partners, Cross Creek Partners, and Greenspring Associates now join the syndicate backing IntegenX. Pleasanton, Calif.-based IntegenX designs, manufactures and markets automated DNA and RNA based sample preparation. Read more »
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Boulder Wind Power has raised $8 million in a Series A financing round led by Menlo Park, Calif.-based New Enterprise Associates. Individual investor James Maguire Jr. also participated in the round. The money will be used for development, testing and commercialization of the company’s wind turbine technology. Read more »
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Two private equity consortia placed second-round bids for medical diagnostics company Beckman Coulter Inc., Reuters reported. Blackstone Group and TPG Capital submitted a bid, as did a second consortium made up of Apollo Management and The Carlyle Group, Reuters said. Beckman Coulter has a market valuation of more than $5 billion. Read more »
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Buyout shop Blackstone Group will begin fundraising this year for its next real estate fund, which could reach as high as $10 billion, Reuters reported. The firm raised $10 billion for a similar fund in 2008. That fund, Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI, is about 70 percent invested, Reuters reported. Read more »
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Troy Aikman, a Hall of Fame quarterback and Fox Sports analyst has joined the board of directors for private equity-backed restaurant chain Wingstop. Roark Capital Group, an Atlanta-based private equity firm with more than $1.5 billion under management, acquired the chicken wing chain in 2010. Wingstop is based in Richardson, Texas. Read more »
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Private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management will pay $94.4 million in cash to buy timeshare operator Silverleaf Resorts, Reuters reported. The firm will pay $2.50 per share for Silverleaf, representing a 75% premium over the company’s closing price Thursday. Cerberus, which has $23 billion under management, has agreed to provide equity financing for the full amount of the deal, Reuters said. Read more »
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Biotie, a Finland-based drug development company, has agreed to pay 93.6 million euros ($127 million) for Switzerland-based biotherapeutics company Synosia Therapeutics, providing an exit for a slew of venture investors. 5AM Ventures, Aravis SA, Investor Growth Capital, Novo A/S, Swiss Helvetia Fund, UCB S.A., Versant Venture Management and Abingworth Management had backed Synosia. Read more »
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Fulida Group Holdings has acquired Neucel Specialty Cellulose from a consortium of investors led by Wellspring Capital Management. Financial terms of the deal were not released. Fulida is one of the world’s largest producers of rayon. Neucel produces hemlock based chemical cellulose that is used in manufacturing processes including rayon filament for garments, pharmaceuticals, consumer products, film, food thickeners and LCD screens. Read more »
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London-based Cellnovo, which develops a mobile diabetes management system, has raised £30 million ($48.4 million) in a Series B financing round led by Paris-based Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners. Forbion Capital Partners, Auriga Partners, NBGI Ventures and Credit Agricole Private Equity also participated, as did Series A investors Advent Venture Partners, HealthCare Ventures and NESTA. Read more »
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Investment bank and asset manager Richmond Park Capital has acquired fund-of-hedge-funds firm Olympia Capital from investors including Sagard Private Equity Partners, Reuters reported. Financial terms of the deal were not released. Olympia Capital is based in Paris. Read more »
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Online auction marketplace Reply.com has inked a $10 million investment from Saints Capital. The company also acquired mobile application developer adHUBs. Financial terms of the acquisition were not released. As part of the deal adHUBs co-founder Reza Hajebi joins Reply.com as chief technology officer. Reply.com is based in San Ramon, Calif. San Francisco-based Saints Capital acquired its stake from existing shareholders, the company said. Read more »
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Winona Capital Management and Longview Merchant Banc have invested an undisclosed amount in Tacoma, Wash.-based Johnny’s Fine Foods. The company is a manufacturer and marketer of dry seasonings, bottled dressings and marinades. Winona Capital Management focuses on acquisitions and growth capital, and has offices in Chicago and Seattle. Longview Merchant Bank is based in Evanston, Illinois. Read more »
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Atlanta-based Twitpay has inked an undisclosed amount in financing from TomorrowVentures and CompuCredit Holdings Corp. Formed in 2008, Twitpay develops social media payment software. Currently its software is designed to help nonprofits raise funds over Twitter, help social gaming developers offer virtual currency, and help retailers facilitate social commerce. The company will use the new money to expand its services. Read more »
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