Private Equity
Venture capital investment in Canadian technology companies continued at a strong pace in 2017, with $4 billion deployed to 502 financings, according to final data released by Thomson Reuters. In dollar terms, this represented a 12 percent increase from 2016. Deal-making appeared to slow in Q4 2017, when VC funds invested only $890 million in the domestic market, marking the end of a four-quarter run of values exceeding $1 billion. Foreign investors played a key role in 2017 trends, accounting for more than half of all disbursements. Canadian IT companies captured most VC investment, or $2.5 billion, the highest level of activity in the sector since 2001.
4 min read · 05 February 2018
Onex Corporation has acquired Laces Group, a provider of home fashions operating under the Maytex and Banyo–Decolin brands, with offices in New York, Montreal, and China. The deal was made in partnership with Laces Group's current management team. The company has been backed by Fondaction and Novacap since 2014. Financial terms were not disclosed; however, the investment was made by ONCAP IV, Onex's US$1.1 billion fund.
2 min read · 28 December 2017
Brookfield Infrastructure announced this week that it has come to an agreement to sell its 28 percent minority stake in ETC Transmission Holdings to China Southern Power Grid International for approximately US$1.3 billion. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2018. Santander GCB and Scotiabank are serving as financial advisers to Brookfield Infrastructure while Goodmans LLP is providing legal advice. ETC Transmission Holdings is the parent company of Transelec, a Chilean power transmission company.
2 min read · 28 December 2017
Venture capital investment in Canadian technology companies continued at a robust pace in the first half of 2017, with $2.1 billion invested in 237 financings, according to final data released by Thomson Reuters. In dollar terms, this was the most active first half since 2001, with Q2 2017 marking the third consecutive quarter in which disbursements exceeded $1 billion. H1 2017 deal volumes, however, were down by 27 percent year over year. The second quarter accounted for only 100 rounds, the fewest since Q3 2012. Canadian venture capital fundraising, while falling short of the record-setting levels of last year, nonetheless saw 13 funds raising $617 million in the first half.
4 min read · 02 August 2017
Deal-making activity in Canada’s buyout and private equity market showed a marked decline in dollar terms in the first quarter of 2017, according to data released by Thomson Reuters. Led by Restaurant Brands International Inc's acquisition of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc, the domestic market saw transaction values of $3.2 billion, down 43 percent year over year. Deal volumes, on the other hand, increased 25 percent from Q1 2016. Canadian investors were highly active in overseas markets between January and March, joining 28 deals valued at $26 billion. On the fundraising front, 10 Canadian private equity funds collected $2.5 billion this time around.
3 min read · 03 May 2017
Venture capital investment in Canadian technology startups continued at a strong pace in the first quarter, with a total of $804 million invested in 115 financing rounds, according to final data released by Thomson Reuters. While in dollar terms these results mark a year-over-year decline of 10 percent, Q1 2017 was the second most active first quarter in the domestic market since 2001. The number of deals done was reduced more considerably, or 27 percent below the volume reported in Q1 2016. Fundraising activity was also slower between January and March, as seven Canadian venture capital funds accounted for only $169 million in commitments.
3 min read · 03 May 2017
Venture capital investment in Canada continued at a rapid pace in the first three quarters of 2016, with a total of $2.5 billion invested in 446 deals, according to data released by Thomson Reuters. That is the best result since 2001. Growth accounted for slower trends in Q3 2016, when $774 million was invested. Year-to-date activity was driven by large rounds, with Thalmic Labs and 10 other companies raising $50 million or more, which is close to breaking an all-time record in Canada. Fundraising returned to strength in Q3 2016, with $725 million in committed capital. That brings total domestic funds raised to $1.7 billion at the end of September.
3 min read · 02 November 2016
Deal-making activity in Canada’s buyout and related private equity market showed a marked decline in the first nine months of 2016, according to data released by Thomson Reuters. Disclosed values of transactions (announced and completed) totaled $14.3 billion as of September 30th, down 26 percent from the same time last year. Additionally, a total of 229 deals was done in the first nine months, the fewest in that period since 2010. Canadian oil and gas companies continue to drive 2016 activity, with 38 deals so far collecting $3.6 billion. Fundraising remained strong as of September 30th, with $42.9 billion in total new commitments.
3 min read · 02 November 2016
BBOXX, a London, UK-based provider of off-grid solar energy solutions, announced this week it has raised a US$20 million round of financing from a consortium of investors including MacKinnon, Bennett & Company (MKB), ENGIE Rassembleurs d'Energies and KawiSafi Ventures, the Khosla Impact Fund, Bamboo Finance and DOEN Foundation. The investment will support the company's expanding presence in sub-Saharan Africa.
4 min read · 31 August 2016
5 min read · 31 August 2016
