Deal round-up 21/05/01

Aberdeen Murray Johnston PE buys into Link Up Mitaka

The UK translation company has received a £5 million investment from the private equity group as a first round of funding. Link Up Mitaka provides translation services for software and operates the translation website The BigWord.com . It acquired Mitaka in 1999 to extend its translation services in Asia and intends to use the new funds to further expand its products and services worldwide.

Dooyoo.com gets E10m in third round

The German web company has closed a third round with both existing investors 3i and EarlyBird Venture Capital contributing alongside new investors CNET Networks and Syntek Capital. This takes the total raised by the company to E33 million. Dooyoo.com is the pan-European web portal that carries product and service reviews from its users. The company plans to use the new funds for product development and expanding its market research services. The company reported that its post money valuation of between E39 million and E50 million was determined using a multiple of five on its projected 2001 revenues of between E8 million and E10 million.

CapMan invests in Danish distribution company

Finnish private equity investor CapMan Capital Management Oy has agreed to invest in SMEF Group , which aims to become one of the leading distributors of machinery, fittings and services to the woodworking industry in the Nordic countries. This is CapMan’s first investment in Denmark made in co-operation with Nordic Private Equity Group (NPE) which it acquired in April 2001.

Cambridge Broadband closes $15 million funding round led by Gilde IT Fund

Cambridge Broadband, a leading broadband wireless equipment developer, today announced that it has closed $15 million in second round funding. The funding was secured from a group of four European venture firms: Gilde IT Fund , based in the Netherlands, Amadeus Capital Partners , based in the UK, Kiwi II , advised by Pino Partecipazioni , based in Milan and TVM , based in Munich and Boston. Amadeus Capital Partners led the first round investment in early 2000.

Next generation Murdoch's Shine Entertainment lands £6m first round

Shine Entertainment, the TV and film production company founded by Rupert Murdoch's daughter Elisabeth alongside TV producer Waheed Ali in March this year, has received £6 miilion in first round financing from a group of investors led by 3i. Working on the post-money valuation of £22.5 million cited by Shine, the new investors have acquired a 26 per cent stake. Previously Elisabeth Murdoch owned 80 per cent, Waheed Ali 15 per cent and one of Ruper Murdoch 's companies, satellite TV company BSkyB, held the balance. The company said the new funds will be used for rights management and potential acquisitions.