High-tech start-ups in Israel raised $569 million during the second quarter, Reuters reported, citing a report from the Israel Venture Capital Research Center. The amount was up 19% from the first quarter and up 66% from a year earlier, Reuters wrote. This Israel Venture Capital Research Center attributed the jump to increases in mid and late-stage investments.
2 min read · 13 July 2011
NewSpring Capital led a mezzanine investment in CODi, a maker of laptop computer carrying cases and accessories, the firm announced. Terms of the deal were not released. CODi is based in Harrisburg, Penn., and will use the new capital for expansion.
1 min read · 13 July 2011
Sun Capital Partners and fashion design company Kellwood will acquire Amsterdam-based fashion brand Scotch & Soda. Terms of the deal, which is expected to close in August, were not released.
2 min read · 13 July 2011
Boston-based venture firm Volition Capital has promoted Sean Cantwell to the post of partner, focusing on software, technology-enabled services and Internet investments. Cantwell presently sits on the boards of Volition portfolio companies iPipeline, G5 Search Marketing, Ping Identity and EnterpriseDB. Before joining Volition, Cantwell was a vice president at Fidelity Ventures. He began his career at Arthur Andersen and has degrees from the University of Notre Dame and Harvard Business School.
2 min read · 13 July 2011
Jeffrey Altman has joined New York-based investment bank Houlihan Lokey as a managing director in the firm’s newly formed Real Estate Strategic Advisory Group. Altman spent the past 13 years at Lazard Ltd. In his new role, he will focus on merger and acquisition advisory, capital raising and other strategic advisory mandates for public and private real estate companies, lenders and investors, the firm said.
3 min read · 13 July 2011
Private equity firm TA Associates has completed its investment in Stadion Money Management, a 20-year-old investment management firm. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. As a result of the financing, M. Roy Burns, a principal at TA Associates; and Roger B. Kafker, a managing director at TA Associates, joined the company's board.
2 min read · 13 July 2011
Li Keping, vice chairman of China's $130 billion national pension fund, has been named executive director and chief investment officer of the country's $300 billion sovereign wealth fund, Reuters reported Wednesday. He replaces Gao Xiqing, who remains president of the fund.
1 min read · 13 July 2011
Apax Partners and two Canadian pension funds will pay $4.98 billion to buy medical device maker Kinetic Concepts Inc., taking the company private, Reuters reported. At $68.50 per share, the purchase price represents a premium of 6 percent to Kinetic's close on Tuesday, Reuters said.
1 min read · 13 July 2011
The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is planning to increase its majority stakes in two Chilean water utilities: Essbio S.A. and Esval S.A., Reuters reported. The government is auctioning off its stakes in both utilities. Following the auction, the government will hold 5% of each. Teachers' currently owns about 51.1% of Essbio and 69.8% of Esval, Reuters wrote.
1 min read · 12 July 2011
Tandem has opened a mobile industry incubator program in Burlingame, Calif., the fund and incubator announced Tuesday. Tandem, which was formed in June 2007, plans to invite eight teams per year into the program, which will provide funding and support. Tandem will initially invest $200,000 in each business through a convertible note.
3 min read · 12 July 2011
