Silverwood Partners has added Brad Barnhorn as an industry advisor in the food, beverage and consumer products sectors. Barnhorn served previously as founder and chief executive of Fantasia Fresh Juice Company, which was later sold to North Castle Partners and eventually merged with Naked Juice. Sherborn, Mass.-based Silverwood Partners is an investment bank.
2 min read · 02 February 2011
Seattle-based Big Fish Games has added Geoff Entress to its board. Entress is a venture partner with Voyager Capital and a former venture partner with Madrona Venture Group. He serves on a handful of other boards, including publicly traded drugstore.com, as well as Liquid Planner and Dashwire. Founded in 2002, Big Fish Games develops and distributes casual games.
3 min read · 02 February 2011
Baird Capital Partners Europe, the UK-based fund of Baird Private Equity, has exited its investment in London-based recruiting company Aston Carter Group. The firm sold Aston to staffing company Allegis Group. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, though the firm said that it generated a 2.5x gross return and a 27% gross IRR. Baird led the buyout of Aston Carter in April 2007, investing £13 million.
3 min read · 02 February 2011
Cambridge, Mass.-based vaccine development company Genocea Biosciences has named Chip Clark president and chief executive officer. Clark joined the company last August as chief business officer. Genocea is backed by investors including Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, Skyline Ventures, MP Healthcare Venture Management and Polaris Venture Partners.
3 min read · 02 February 2011
DC Brands International Inc., which is traded on the over-the-counter Bulletin Board, has closed on $10 million in equity financing from Centurion Private Equity. The company will use the money for production and for general corporate purposes. DC Brands manufactures health products including energy drinks and nutritional supplements.
3 min read · 02 February 2011
Private equity firm H.I.G Capital has raised its purchase price for shares of healthcare company Matrixx Initiatives by 9.4% to $8.75 per share, Reuters reported. The firm previously offered $8 per share. Miami-based H.I.G. Capital has more than $8.5 billion of equity capital under management.
1 min read · 02 February 2011
Thermon Group Holdings Inc., which is backed by private equity firm CHS Capital LLC, plans to raise up to $143.8 million in an initial public offering, Reuters reported. CHS Capital owns a 50% stake in San Marcos, Texas-based Thermon, which develops of thermal products for industrial customers.
1 min read · 02 February 2011
Match.com, the online dating site owned by Barry Diller's IAC, has acquired New York-based dating company OkCupid for $50 million in cash. The deal also includes potential future payments contingent upon performance. Sam Yagan, the co-founder and chief executive of OkCupid will continue to run the business. OkCupid previously raised at least $6 million from angel investors.
3 min read · 02 February 2011
Saudi Telecom Company and competitor Mobily may sell a majority stake in a combined $2.5 billion merged towers business, Reuters reported. Swedish company Ericsson is considering a bid alongside Saudi private equity firm Abraaj Capital and SREI Infrastructure, Reuters added. Other potential bidders include a partnership between Indian group GTL Infrastructure and Abu Dhabi investment fund Mubadala.
2 min read · 02 February 2011
Healthcare companies Physician Oncology Services and Vantage Oncology plan to merge. Financial terms of the deal were not released. The combined company will be known as Vantage Oncology, and is backed by private equity firm Oak Hill Capital Partners. Physician Oncology Services has been a portfolio company of Oak Hill Capital since January 2007.
5 min read · 01 February 2011
