DW Healthcare Partners (DWHP) announced that Gabriel Becher will join its investment team as a principal. Becher is joining the firm from Alberta Investment Management Corp (AIMCo), where he served for close to four years as a private equity portfolio manager. He previously worked as an associate at Canadian private equity firm TorQuest Partners. DWHP, a healthcare-focused private equity investor, has offices in Toronto and Park City, Utah.
2 min read · 09 August 2016
A consortium of Axium Infrastructure, Alberta Teachers' Retirement Fund Board and Manulife Financial Corp have acquired a one-third interest in the K2 Wind Facility, a 270 megawatt wind power facility located near Goderich, Ontario. The consortium acquired the stake from Samsung Renewable Energy for an undisclosed amount. K2, which became commercially operational last year, is also owned by Pattern Energy Group Inc and Capital Power Corp. Pattern, an affiliate of U.S. private equity firm Riverstone Holdings, acquired its interest for US$128 million plus debt in mid-2015.
3 min read · 09 August 2016
Kepler Communications Inc has raised $5 million in a seed-stage financing. U.S. venture capital firm IA Ventures led the round and was joined by Liquid 2 Ventures, Techstars, Globalive Capital, BDC Capital and a number of angel investors. Based in Toronto, Kepler is a satellite telecommunications service provider that is launching a real-time network for connecting terrestrial and in-space assets via low-cost small satellites. It plans to use the funds raised to launch satellites and deploy an initial service by the second half of 2017. Kepler is led by CEO Mina Mitry, who helped establish the company last year.
2 min read · 09 August 2016
The Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) has agreed to acquire a 20 percent stake in Plenary Group Holdings, which controls all of Plenary Group's Australian operating businesses and infrastructure assets portfolio. No financial terms were released. Melbourne-based Plenary will as part of the deal issue new shares to secure capital for future projects. CDPQ has previously partnered with Plenary, investing more than A$200 million in seven Australian projects since 2012. Last year, CDPQ opened an office in Australia that operates under its subsidiary, CDPQ Sydney.
3 min read · 09 August 2016
Montréal-based business messaging app Smooch Technologies Inc has secured $10 million in seed-stage financing. The round was led by Canadian venture capital firms Real Ventures and iNovia Capital, and joined by TA Associates and the startup's founders. Spun out of Radialpoint last year, Smooch provides a messaging platform that allows businesses to converse with users on mobile and the web, creating customer engagement and mobile commerce opportunities. It will use the funds raised to expand support for consumer messaging channels and business software vendors, and to build its team. Smooch is led by CEO and Co-Founder Hamnett Hill.
3 min read · 08 August 2016
BCE Inc (TSX, NYSE: BCE) has agreed to acquire the equity it does not already hold in Q9 Networks Inc, a Toronto-based outsourced data centre operator. BCE, which currently owns a 35.4 percent stake in Q9, said it will pay about $675 million to Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Providence Equity Partners and Madison Dearborn Partners, which own the rest of the company's equity. The deal is expected to close before the end of the year. BCE, Ontario Teachers', Providence and Madison jointly bought Q9 for $1.1 billion in late 2012. BCE said its acquisition of 100 percent of the business will help it compete in the growing outsourced data services industry.
4 min read · 08 August 2016
Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan has partnered with RedBird Capital Partners and Aethon Energy Management LLC in the acquisition of J-W Energy Co's upstream and midstream oil and gas assets located in northeast Texas and north Louisiana. As part of the deal, the terms of which were not disclosed, Haynesville and Rockies assets acquired in partnership by Aethon and Redbird are being consolidated with the J-W assets. The result is a new joint partnership called Aethon United. With the acquisition, it now holds more than 350,000 net acres and 166 million of cubic feet equivalent per day (MMcfe/d) of production.
4 min read · 08 August 2016
Canadian private equity firm PRIVEQ Capital Funds has invested in lntegracare Inc, a Toronto-based provider of private nursing care services to individuals in their homes, hospitals, retirement residences and long-term care facilities. The deal's financial terms were not released. PRIVEQ Partner Lee Grunberg has been appointed the company's new president and CEO, while Martha Russel and Philip Russel, Integracare's founders, will continue to participate in the growth of the business. PRIVEQ Managing Partner Brad Ashley said lntegracare is "extremely well poised to further enhance its service offerings and expand geographically."
2 min read · 08 August 2016
Canadian private equity firm Birch Hill Equity Partners has sold educational materials supplier Carson-Dellosa Publishing LLC to Guardian Capital Partners. The announcement was made by investment bank Lincoln International, Birch Hill's exclusive financial advisor in the sale. It did not disclose the deal's financial terms or closing date. Based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Carson-Dellosa is a provider of K-8 supplemental education content for parents, teachers and students. Birch Hill Partner John Loh served as the company's chairman.
3 min read · 05 August 2016
2 min read · 05 August 2016
