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Sunstone Life Science Ventures Fund IV invests in DiogenX, a biotech company developing a first-in-class regenerative treatment for type 1 diabetes

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Sunstone Life Science

Copenhagen, Denmark and Marseille, France, Oct 31, 2023 – Sunstone Life Science Ventures
(Sunstone), a leading European venture capital firm focused on life science therapeutics, today
announced that Sunstone’s Fund IV has invested in the Series A financing round of DiogenX now
increased to €33.5 million ($33.8M). In May, DiogenX, a biotech company focused on regenerating
insulin-producing beta cells for the treatment of diabetes, had announced its initial Series A financing
round.

DiogenX was founded in 2020 based on the groundbreaking research of Professor Patrick
Collombat, a world-renowned expert in pancreatic beta cell regeneration. The Company’s lead
program is a first-in-class recombinant protein that aims at replicating insulin-producing beta
cells in the pancreas. This novel approach has the potential to offer a disease-modifying therapy
for type 1 diabetes, a chronic and life-threatening condition that affects millions of people
worldwide.

In this Series A round, Sunstone LSV Fund IV joins lead investors Roche Venture Fund and
Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund (BIVF), alongside new investors Eli Lilly and Company and
Omnes and existing investors JDRF T1D Fund and AdBio partners. The funding will enable
DiogenX to advance its lead candidate towards clinical development.
“We are very impressed by the scientific achievements and the vision of DiogenX’s team. We
believe that their approach to regenerate beta cells has the potential to transform the treatment
landscape for type 1 diabetes and to improve the lives of millions of patients” said Claus
Andersson, General Partner at Sunstone and board member of DiogenX. “We are delighted to join
this strong syndicate of specialized investors and to support DiogenX in its next phase of growth.”
“Sunstone is a highly respected and experienced investor in the European biotech ecosystem.
We are thrilled to have them on board as we work towards the clinic with our lead program,” said
Benjamin Charles, co-founder and CEO of DiogenX. “We are grateful for the continued support
of our existing investors and the trust of our new investors. Together, we share a common vision
to bring innovative solutions for patients with type 1 diabetes.”

About Sunstone
Sunstone is an independent European venture capital investment firm founded in 2007.
Sunstone focuses on scientifically advanced assets, and invests to develop and expand preclinical stage life science companies with strong potential to achieve global success within their
therapeutic fields. Sunstone has invested in more than 50 companies and has completed more
than 23 successful exits and IPOs. Sunstone ranks among the most active European investors in
life science therapeutics. For more information, please visit sunstone.eu.

About DiogenX
DiogenX is a biotech company focused on regenerating insulin-producing beta cells for the
treatment of diabetes.
Founded in 2020 based on the research of leading type 1 (T1D) diabetes scientist Patrick
Collombat on pancreatic beta-cell regeneration, DiogenX is developing first-in-class
recombinant proteins designed for the treatment of T1D.
DiogenX’s lead program is focused on modulating the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway to
regenerate pancreatic insulin-producing beta cells to offer a disease-modifying therapy for type
1 diabetes. It is currently in preclinical development.
DiogenX is supported by a network of world-leading experts in diabetes and a consortium of
investors including diabetes and biopharma leaders Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund, Roche
Venture Fund, Eli Lilly and Company, Omnes, JDRF T1D Fund, Sunstone and AdBio partners. The
company founded by Patrick Collombat, Jean-Pascal Tranié and Benjamin Charles, is based in
Marseille, France, with research labs in Nice, France.
www.diogenx.com

Contact
Sunstone: Claus Andersson, PhD, General Partner, andersson@sunstone.eu, +45 22 70 50 65
DiogenX: Andrew Lloyd & Associates / SaƯiyah Khalique – Celine Gonzalez
saƯiyah@ala.associates / celine@ala.associates, UK: +44 1273 952 481, US: +1 203 724 595.
@ALA_Group

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Licensed-Fintech QI Tech Raises $200M Series B Led By General Atlantic, With Participation From Across Capital

General Atlantic

With the goal of decentralizing credit from major banks, the fintech is pursuing strategic acquisitions and continued growth

São Paulo – October 31, 2023 – QI Tech, the first Direct Credit Company (SCD) approved by the Brazilian Central Bank, today announced an investment of US$200 million (R$1 billion) in a Series B round led by General Atlantic, a leading global investor, with participation from existing investor Across Capital, which is doubling its initial investment in the company. QI Tech plans to leverage the new capital to further expand its leading product position and explore strategic M&A opportunities.

Founded in 2018 by Pedro Mac Dowell, Marcelo Bentivoglio, and Marcelo Buosi, QI Tech is transforming the credit market by simplifying the loan process, with a mission to decentralize credit away from major banks. QI Tech offers a comprehensive set of APIs that allows any business to offer financial products to its customers. The company’s “one-stop-shop” solution provides digital registration tools, data validation, credit scoring, digital account opening, wire transfers, Pix, bank slips, and credit underwriting for various sectors of the economy. To complete the range of services offered, QI Tech also holds a brokerage license (DTVM), used to structure, administer, and safeguard investment funds in credit rights (FIDC). The fintech holds a top-tier Fitch rating of A+ (bra).

“This new partnership lays the foundation for the size of the opportunity we are pursuing. We plan to use the new capital to strengthen our leadership position in Brazil, keeping an eye on potential local opportunities and executing an aggressive growth strategy for each business unit,” continued Pedro Mac Dowell, founder and CEO of QI Tech.

In 2021, after two years of operation, QI Tech raised a Series A round of US$50 million (R$270 million at the time), led by the Sovereign Investment Fund of Singapore (GIC). The company has been profitable since its first year of operation.

“QI Tech is a unique company; we have cutting-edge technology, solid fundamentals, and an experienced, ambitious team operating in a high-performance culture. We do everything with purpose, ensuring that our clients receive the highest level of support and our community gets the best product,” said Marcelo Bentivoglio, co-founder and CFO of QI Tech.

Luiz Ribeiro, Managing Director and Co-Head of the Brazil office at General Atlantic, added, “We have tracked QI Tech for several years and are impressed by the vision of the leadership team. By building native connectivity with the national financial system, as well as through a modular API, QI Tech has enabled the development of credit, payment, and banking solutions for a range of asset managers, corporates, and fintechs. As digital payments and credit adoption in Brazil continues to accelerate, QI Tech is capturing an exciting opportunity to power high-quality financial infrastructure for their customers. We look forward to supporting the company in its continued expansion.”

“In a world where fintechs continue to proliferate and companies want to offer financial solutions to their end customers, we create opportunities for these businesses to offer a complete range of financial products, increasing engagement with their customers and also creating new revenue streams,” Mac Dowell added.

QI Tech engaged J.P. Morgan as its leading placement agent, Vinci Partners as its financial advisor, and Freitas e Leite Advogados as its legal counsel.

About QI Tech

QI Tech is a one-stop-shop platform for financial, credit, banking, and anti-fraud services. With both SCD and DTVM licenses granted by the Brazilian Central Bank, it provides all the technological infrastructure for its clients and partners to monetize and engage their ecosystem of stakeholders. The company combines an intelligent platform with all regulatory compliance, so its clients can offer payment and credit services securely and in a way that best fits their business model.

About General Atlantic

General Atlantic is a leading global investor with more than four decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 500 growth companies throughout its history. Established in 1980 to partner with visionary entrepreneurs and deliver lasting impact, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with great entrepreneurs and management teams to scale innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic has more than $77 billion in assets under management inclusive of all products as of September 30, 2023, and more than 220 investment professionals based in New York, Amsterdam, Beijing, Hong Kong, Jakarta, London, Mexico City, Miami, Mumbai, Munich, San Francisco, São Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stamford and Tel Aviv. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.

Media Contacts

Emily Japlon
General Atlanticmedia@generalatlantic.com

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Het Gastenhuis and Amvest team up to provide sustainable Gastenhuizen

NPM Capital

Het Gastenhuis and Amvest team up to provide sustainable Gastenhuizen

In partnership with property owner Amvest, Het Gastenhuis is realizing sustainable guest houses. Most of these houses are fully independent from natural gas and are equipped with solar panels and heat pumps. Only a few locations still remain connected to the gas network solely as a backup for the heat pumps. A few older buildings that have been converted to Gastenhuizen are currently also in the process of becoming more sustainable. Low energy consumption (low CO2 emissions) and a comfortable indoor climate are key aspects that are taking into account.

 

Furthermore, the Amvest Living & Care Fund, the developer and owner of het Gastenhuis, has been named the most sustainable healthcare real estate fund in Western Europe for the fourth time. The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB), the global standard for sustainability in real estate, announced this in October 2023.

 

With this Het Gastenhuis is working with Amvest to continue to build a more sustainable future.”

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Johan Lilliehöök appointed new CEO of Nordstjernan

Nordstjernan

The Board of Directors of Nordstjernan AB has appointed Johan Lilliehöök as the new CEO of Nordstjernan. Johan Lilliehöök, 41, is currently Managing Director, Investments at A.P. Moller Holding – a foundation-owned investment business and the parent company of A.P. Moller Group. Johan Lilliehöök has previously worked as Managing Director in Private Equity at asset manager Blackstone, based in London and Hong Kong. The current CEO Peter Hofvenstam will continue in his role until the new CEO takes office in the first quarter of 2024. Thereafter, Peter Hofvenstam will continue to work at Nordstjernan, serving as senior advisor.

 

“I am immensely proud of this vote of confidence by the Board, and am very much looking forward to meeting and getting to known all of the employees and companies in the Group. Nordstjernan commands a unique position with its illustrious history and greater purpose combined with its ownership structure that ensures long-term and flexible capital. I see many opportunities to continue the renewal of Nordstjernan, both as an investment organization and as an owner, as well as to develop Nordstjernan both in existing and in new environments,” says Johan Lilliehöök.

 

“I am delighted that we have been able to attract and bring in an investor like Johan Lilliehöök with his international experience. In recent years, Johan has worked with creating value and long-term ownership in a foundation-owned business, which means that he can see and leverage the strengths in this form of ownership. Together with our employees, he will build on, develop and renew Nordstjernan’s operations, with an unwavering focus on high-quality companies. The entire Board and I welcome Johan and we look forward to working together with him,” says Viveca Ax:son Johnson, Chairman of Nordstjernan.

 

Outgoing CEO Peter Hofvenstam will continue to work at and for Nordstjernan as senior advisor.

 

“I would like to thank Peter Hofvenstam who has worked at Nordstjernan for 25 years, and served as CEO since 2019. Peter has done a fantastic job at leading and developing our operations over these years which have included a pandemic and both geopolitical and macroeconomic turbulence. I am very grateful that Peter will continue to support Nordstjernan in working with our holdings,” says Viveca Ax:son Johnson.

 

 

 

Media contact:

Kajsa Andersson, Communications Manager, Nordstjernan, +46 76 148 82 84

 

About Nordstjernan:
Two foundations own Nordstjernan, of which the largest owner representing 85% of the capital is the Axel and Margaret Ax:son Johnson Foundation for Public Benefit that supports research and education. For more than 130 years, Nordstjernan has owned and developed hundreds of companies under the hallmarks of long-term perseverance, continuity and change. Thanks to our owner foundations, our capital is perpetual. Based on business as a positive force in society, we help develop Sweden. Today, Nordstjernan has investments in more than 20 companies that generate total sales of about SEK 130 billion and employ more than 50,000 people.

Categories: People

DIF Capital Partners and EDF Invest to acquire leading Norwegian electric ferry operator Fjord1

DIF

Fjord1

DIF Capital Partners (via its DIF Infrastructure VII fund), and EDF Invest (the investment arm of the EDF Group in real assets) have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Fjord1, the largest owner and operator of ferries in Norway.

The company will be acquired from Vision Ridge Partners, a global sustainable real assets investor, and Havila Holding, an investment company owned by the Sævik family in Norway. Vision Ridge and Havila Holding have been investors in Fjord1 since 2019 and 2011, respectively. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Operating under long term concessions and with a fleet of 81 vessels, Fjord1 is Norway’s largest ferry operator and the nation’s leading owner and operator of electrified ferry transportation. Ferries are an integral part of the Norwegian transportation infrastructure, with the company serving approximately 50% of all Norwegian passengers and providing critical high-frequency boat services between the mainland and islands, as well as across fjords that facilitate commuting, leisure, tourism, and goods transportation across the country.

Gijs Voskuyl, Partner at DIF, says: “We’re very excited to invest in Fjord1, which is operating under a concession-based model, and which is a leader in delivering environmentally friendly and reliable ferry transportation in Norway. We look forward to working with our partner EDF Invest and the company’s management team to continue to invest in new vessels as Fjord1 continues to grow its electrified fleet to support the energy transition of the ferry industry.”

Alexandre Pieyre, Head of EDF Invest, adds: “EDF Invest is thrilled to invest in Norway and become a shareholder of Fjord1, a company at the forefront of innovation and decarbonization. Alongside our partner DIF and with an experienced management team, we look forward to supporting the company and its employees to pursue this low carbon strategy and to bring even more innovation to the transportation industry.”

Following the close of the transaction, which is expected in early 2024, Fjord1 will continue to be led by CEO Dagfinn Neteland, supported by his current team of over 1,000 employees.

“Management is pleased that the sales process has been completed, which has been a long and thorough process, where we experienced significant interest in the company from a number of parties. The management team is excited and looking forward to working with the new owners of the company and jointly build on the strong position that Fjord1 has in the market to make the company even stronger in the years ahead.” says Dagfinn Neteland, CEO of Fjord1.

Under Vision Ridge’s and Havila Holding’s ownership, the proportion of vessels within Fjord1’s fleet that operate on electricity has increased by over 50%. As a result, Fjord1’s operating fleet today is approximately 60% electric – the highest proportion in Norway – and comprises approximately half of all electric ferries currently operating in Norway, serving 44 routes across 16 contracts in the Norwegian market.

“Having been part of a transitional period for Fjord1, where the company has been at the forefront of implementing electric ferries, we are happy to have found a new owner for Fjord1 who can help develop the company further. The last tender win where Fjord1 is to deliver autonomous operations is a testament to the competence in the company. There is no doubt in my mind that Fjord1 will continue to be a world leader in zero emission transportation and operational excellence,” comments Vegard Sævik, Chairman of Fjord1 AS & Board of Director at Havila Holding.

“Since investing in Fjord1 in 2019, we have worked closely with Havila Holding to strategically scale the company’s operations and increase fleet electrification to help cement its position as the nation’s leading owner and operator of electrified ferry transportation. Vision Ridge is proud to have executed our mission of mobilizing capital to address climate change and the tremendous progress Fjord1 has made over the last five years as a result. We are confident that DIF and EDF Invest are the ideal partners to help further grow Fjord1’s market share of the Norwegian fleet sector and look forward to the company’s continued success,” concludes Reuben Munger, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer of Vision Ridge.

Rothschild & Co. served as financial advisor, and Ropes & Gray LLP and Schjødt served as legal advisors, to Vision Ridge and Havila Holding. DIF and EDF Invest are advised by Deutsche Bank and Cantor Fitzgerald (financial advisors), Jefferies and Cantor Fitzgerald (debt advisors), Wikborg Rein (legal advisor), Allen & Overy (legal advisor – financing), Roland Berger (commercial advisor), Arup (technical advisor), PWC (financial and tax advisor) and Deloitte (operational advisor).

 

Press contacts:

For DIF Capital Partners

press@dif.eu

For EDF Invest

jessica.goncalves@edf.fr

For Havila

Vegard Sævik

vegard@havila.no

For Vision Ridge Partners

Amanda Shpiner/Sara Widmann

Gasthalter & Co.

(212) 257-4170

Vision-Ridge@gasthalter.com

 

About Fjord1

Fjord1 is the leading floating bridge operator in Norway, providing critical high-frequency ferry and express boat services with a large fleet of modern and electric ferries. Since starting operations in 1858 in Florø, Fjord1 has extended its fleet to 81 vessels (including 39 electric projected as of end of year) and now operates 44 routes across 16 contracts. Revenues are underpinned by long-term availability-based contracts which have no volume risk and Fjord1 is leading the shift to zero-emission ferry connections. For more information, please visit: www.fjord1.no/eng.

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Deutsche Beteiligungs AG invests in ProMik: A commitment to enhancing efficiency in the electronics manufacturing industry

Deutsche_Beteiligungs_AG
  • ProMik is a leading global provider of programming and testing solutions for the electronics manufacturing industry
  • Demand for electronic components driven by increasing needs of consumers, industry and the mobility sector
  • Another smooth succession arrangement for a family-owned business

Frankfurt/Main, 31 October 2023. Deutsche Beteiligungs AG (DBAG) has decided to invest in ProMik Programmiersysteme für die Mikroelektronik GmbH (ProMik), a leading global provider of programming and testing solutions for series production in the electronics industry. A fund advised by DBAG will acquire the majority of the shares held by the founding family, and a subsequent reinvestment will see the family retain minority ownership. Alexander Rosenberger and Jens Rosenberger, members of the founding family, will stay with the company as CTO and CMO, respectively.

ProMik: a champion from Nuremberg serving a global market
ProMik was founded in Nuremberg in 1995. With over 5,000 successful projects completed during the course of its history and more than 60 employees, the family-owned business has evolved into a global leader for sophisticated software solutions. ProMik is serving a market boasting double-digit growth rates and covering a broad range of applications. This range includes the mobility sector, where ProMik is supporting clients in autonomous driving, energy management and electric vehicles. ProMik is also active in the consumer goods, e-bike and home appliances sectors. Industrial applications, along with solutions for electronic components manufacturing that allow clients to optimise their own testing and programming processes, complete ProMik’s profile.

“ProMik is active in a flourishing market. We are glad that our network allows us to access exciting investment opportunities like this one, with an excellent product portfolio and attractive potential. There is every reason to look forward to helping ProMik evolve”, said Jannick Hunecke, member of the Board of Management of Deutsche Beteiligungs AG. “We are seeing interesting opportunities for strategic acquisitions in this market. This is where we can leverage our extensive M&A experience.”

Winfried Rosenberger, founder of ProMik, commented: “We are looking forward to joining forces with DBAG, and there is excitement at the prospect of growing our portfolio together. We have invested three decades into ProMik. With DBAG at our side, we have found the ideal investor for our succession planning and can look ahead with confidence.”

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Energy Exemplar to be Acquired by Blackstone and Vista Equity Partners

Vista Equity

Investment will help accelerate growth and drive platform innovation to support grid reliability and the energy transition

SALT LAKE , UTAH, UNITED STATES, October 31, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ — Energy Exemplar, a leading global provider of energy market simulation software, today announced it has agreed to be acquired by private equity funds affiliated with Blackstone (”Blackstone”) and Vista Equity Partners (“Vista”). With the backing of Blackstone and Vista, Energy Exemplar gains new resources to help accelerate growth and drive platform innovation in support of grid reliability and the energy transition.

“We are tremendously excited about this partnership and how it will accelerate our investment in our leading SaaS platform providing accurate simulation and decision support for our customers in today’s rapidly changing energy landscape,” said David Wilson, CEO of Energy Exemplar. “The combination of Blackstone and Vista brings a unique level of expertise in both the energy and software industries which will continue to propel Energy Exemplar as the go-to solution for the energy transition for all our clients around the world who are leading this charge.”

Energy market participants worldwide rely on Energy Exemplar’s platform to optimize decision-making across both new asset development and existing operations. Utilities, power producers, grid system operators, and others in the energy transition ecosystem use the software to forecast market operations, drive long-term investments, and optimize ongoing operations across their assets and systems. Energy Exemplar’s solutions offer best-in-class functionality, allowing users to model and understand the increasingly complex energy transition landscape in a single unified platform. Energy Exemplar has grown at 30% CAGR since 2018 and currently serves over 500 customers in 79 countries.

“Energy Exemplar is an established category leader with outsized growth potential in a rapidly evolving global energy market,” said Ryan Atlas, Managing Director at Vista Equity Partners. “Its platform provides a holistic view of the impact traditional and emerging energy systems have on the businesses of those leading the energy transition. Together with Blackstone, we look forward to partnering with David and the executive team, leveraging our experience in scaling transformative enterprise software companies to further accelerate innovation and customer value.”

Bilal Khan, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone Energy Transition Partners, added: “We’re thrilled to be backing Energy Exemplar, a mission-critical software provider supporting the growth of renewable energy, battery storage, and transmission grid investment required for the energy transition. Blackstone’s energy market expertise and network of connections can enhance the company’s growth trajectory. We couldn’t be more excited to work with Vista, David, and the management team to drive the next stage of development for Energy Exemplar and its technology solutions supporting grid reliability and decarbonization. This investment is the latest in a series demonstrating Blackstone’s conviction in the energy transition.”

Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel, and William Blair served as financial advisor to Blackstone and Vista. Lazard acted as sole financial advisor, and Jones Day and Herbert Smith Freehills served as legal counsel to Energy Exemplar.

About Energy Exemplar

Energy Exemplar is a market leader in the technology of optimization-based energy market simulation. Our cloud software suite, headlined by PLEXOS® and Aurora, is used across every region of the world for a wide range of applications, from short-term analysis to long-term planning studies. It is relied upon by hundreds of organizations worldwide to inform multi-million-dollar decisions. Our people continually think of novel approaches and more realistic simulations that enhance decision making, create market opportunities and enable utilities and regulatory authorities to become smarter, more energy efficient and profitable. Energy Exemplar continues to ‘push the envelope,’ being first-to-market with the latest advances in programming and energy market simulations, as it strives to offer the most comprehensive Energy Analytics Platform to its customer base.

Blackstone Energy Transition Partners

Blackstone Energy Transition Partners is Blackstone’s energy-focused private equity business, a leading energy investor with a successful long-term record, having invested over $21 billion of equity globally across a broad range of sectors within the energy industry. Our investment philosophy is based on backing exceptional management teams with flexible capital to provide solutions that help energy companies grow and improve performance, thereby delivering cleaner, more reliable, and affordable energy to meet the needs of the global community. In the process, we build stronger, larger scale enterprises, create jobs and generate lasting value for our investors, employees and all stakeholders.

About Vista Equity Partners

Vista is a leading global investment firm with more than $101 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2023. The firm exclusively invests in enterprise software, data and technology-enabled organizations across private equity, permanent capital, credit and public equity strategies, bringing an approach that prioritizes creating enduring market value for the benefit of its global ecosystem of investors, companies, customers and employees. Vista’s investments are anchored by a sizable long-term capital base, experience in structuring technology-oriented transactions and proven, flexible management techniques that drive sustainable growth. Vista believes the transformative power of technology is the key to an even better future – a healthier planet, a smarter economy, a diverse and inclusive community and a broader path to prosperity. Further information is available at vistaequitypartners.com. Follow Vista on LinkedIn, @Vista Equity Partners, and on Twitter, @Vista_Equity.

Victoria Pearson
Sonder London
+44 20 3286 3965
email us here

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Oakley Capital invests in Spanish transport and logistics software business Alerce

Oakley

Oakley Capital (“Oakley”), a leading pan-European, mid-market private equity investor, is pleased to announce that Oakley Capital Origin Fund I (“Origin” or “the Fund”) has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Alerce, a leading Spanish provider of transport and logistics software solutions. Origin will invest alongside Alerce’s founding family, including CEO Pablo Pardo Garcia, who will retain a significant stake in the business, underscoring their continued commitment to the company’s success.

 

Alerce News Post

Founded in 1989 by the Pardo family, Alerce has established itself as a leading transport management software (“TMS”) provider to Spanish courier, carrier and haulage businesses operating in the “less-than-truckload” market.

Its solutions improve customer service as well as cost and environmental efficiency by providing customers with increased visibility and control over core transportation workflows associated with the shipment of physical goods. It offers a product suite centred around its carrier TMS “Alertran”, with a comprehensive and modular portfolio of adjacent products such as “Senda”, a market leading last mile delivery module. Alerce’s solutions are mission critical to its customers as evidenced by minimal churn and high levels of net retention. Alerce has market leading positions across Spain, Latin America and France through longstanding relationships with blue-chip customers.

 

 

Oakley’s Investment

Oakley’s investment in Alerce reflects its strategy of partnering with founder-owned businesses to accelerate growth and facilitate international expansion. As a trusted partner with more than 30 years track record of continuous customer-led innovation and a modern product architecture, Alerce is ideally placed to expand its product offering, both through organic product development and targeted bolt-on acquisitions, and to continue its track record of profitable growth while increasing its proportion of recurring revenues. The highly fragmented European transport and logistics software market presents an opportunity for Alerce to leverage Oakley’s expertise in buy-and-build strategies to expand into complementary markets.

 

 

Ecommerce One Statistic

Alerce’s potential for geographic growth, go-to-market acceleration and product extension aligns well with Oakley’s successful track record of scaling software businesses, demonstrated through investments, including Grupo Primavera (which was strategically combined with Cegid) WebPros, and ECOMMERCE ONE.

This transaction also highlights Oakley’s commitment to Iberia, expanding its portfolio of existing investments in the region, such as vLex, Idealista, Seedtag, Grupo Primavera (Cegid) and several higher education assets.

The completion of this transaction is contingent upon FDI approval.

Quote Peter Dubens

We are pleased to be partnering with the Pardo family on Alerce, a company which has all the characteristics we seek in a typical Oakley investment. Carrier TMS is a mission critical vertical software segment that is well positioned for innovation, and Alerce’s track record and vision align with our strategy of driving growth and technological advancement. Together, we will deliver an ambitious growth plan, enhancing efficiency and value for all stakeholders

Peter Dubens

Founder and Managing Partner — Oakley Capital

We are excited to partner with Oakley, an investor with a strong track record in driving growth, innovation and operational excellence. This collaboration will empower Alerce to introduce transformative changes and deliver even greater value to our clients, expanding our offering and driving excellence in the transport and logistics sector, while allowing us to further internationalise the company and provide access to the global market.

Pablo Pardo Garcia

CEO — Alerce

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KKR Announces Completion Of Acquisition Of Simon & Schuster From Paramount

KKR

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced the successful completion of the previously announced acquisition of Simon & Schuster from Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) in a $1.62 billion all-cash transaction. With the closing of the deal, Simon & Schuster is now a standalone private company, and the only independent major trade publisher in the U.S. It continues to be led by Jonathan Karp, President and CEO, and his talented executive team.

“This is an exciting moment for us—both a return to our roots as a standalone company and an opportunity for all of us to forge a new path together,” said Jonathan Karp, President and CEO of Simon & Schuster. “With KKR’s resources and support, we intend to become an even stronger company and a more dynamic force in our industry, while still maintaining our well-established record of editorial excellence and independence, and our unceasing focus on doing the best for our authors and their books. I know that we will build on that legacy going forward.”

“Today, Simon & Schuster and KKR are officially one family. The company is in a strong position to capture the opportunity ahead, and we look forward to building on Simon & Schuster’s reputation for delivering engaging and compelling books to readers all over the world,” said Ted Oberwager, a Partner who leads the gaming, entertainment, media and sports verticals within KKR’s Americas Private Equity business.

“In recent years Simon & Schuster has built an impressive track record of commercial success to go along with its 100-year legacy of publishing excellence. We are thrilled to work on the next phase of Simon & Schuster’s growth with Jon and the entire Simon & Schuster team. As part of that we are delighted employees will now have the opportunity to participate in the benefits of ownership in the company,” said Richard Sarnoff, Chairman of Media at KKR.

“After a highly competitive process, this is an ideal outcome for both Simon & Schuster and Paramount. Simon & Schuster is positioned well for future growth, and the transaction itself demonstrates significant value capture for Paramount and meaningfully advances our de-levering plan. It has been an honor to have Simon & Schuster as part of our Paramount family for nearly 50 years, and we wish Jon and the entire team continued success as they begin their new chapter with KKR,” said Bob Bakish, President & CEO, Paramount Global.

KKR is supporting Simon & Schuster in implementing a broad-based employee ownership program. This strategy is based on the belief that employee engagement and a strong ownership culture are key drivers in building stronger companies. Since 2011, KKR portfolio companies have awarded billions of dollars of total equity value to over 60,000 non-senior management employees across more than 35 portfolio companies.

About Simon & Schuster

Simon & Schuster is a global leader in general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for readers of all ages, and in all printed, digital and audio formats. Its distinguished roster of authors includes many of the world’s most popular and widely recognized writers, and winners of the most prestigious literary honors and awards. It is home to numerous well-known imprints and divisions such as Simon & Schuster, Scribner, Atria Books, Gallery Books, Adams Media, Avid Reader Press, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing and Simon & Schuster Audio and international companies in Australia, Canada, India and the United Kingdom, and proudly brings the works of its authors to readers in more than 200 countries and territories. For more information about Simon & Schuster, please visit www.simonandschuster.com.

About Paramount

Paramount Global (NASDAQ: PARA, PARAA) is a leading global media, streaming and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount’s portfolio includes CBS, Showtime Networks, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV. Paramount holds one of the industry’s most extensive libraries of TV and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, the company provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution, and advertising solutions.

For more information about Paramount, please visit www.paramount.com and follow @ParamountCo on social platforms.

About KKR

KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

For Simon & Schuster
Adam Rothberg
Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Simon & Schuster
(917) 270-1717
adam.rothberg@simonandschuster.com

For KKR
Liidia Liuksila and Emily Cummings
(212) 750-8300
media@kkr.com

For Paramount
Media:
Justin Dini, Executive Vice President, Head of Communications
(212) 846-2724
justin.dini@paramount.com

Allison McLarty, Senior Vice President, Corporate and Financial Communications
(630) 247-2332
allison.mclarty@paramount.com

Investors:
Jaime Morris, Executive Vice President, Investor Relations
(646) 824-5450
jaime.morris@paramount.com

Source: KKR

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Blue Owl Capital Announces Agreement to Acquire Funds Managed by Cowen Healthcare Investments from Cowen Investment Management (CIM)

Blue Owl logo

Acquisition of life sciences investment manager’s funds will add ~$1 billion in assets under management and bolster Blue Owl’s presence in the sector.

NEW YORK, New York, October 30, 2023 — Blue Owl Capital Inc. (NYSE: OWL) (“Blue Owl”) today announced an agreement to acquire funds managed by Cowen Healthcare Investments (“CHI”), a life sciences investment manager, from CIM. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023.

The acquisition will add approximately $1 billion in assets across several funds and further strengthen Blue Owl’s market presence in the life sciences sector with an emphasis on mid-to-late-stage equity investments into biopharmaceutical and healthcare companies. As part of the transaction, the CHI team will become full-time Blue Owl employees, including senior leaders Kevin Raidy, Tim Anderson and Rob Sine. Upon completion of the transaction, CHI’s funds will be rebranded to Blue Owl Healthcare Opportunities.

“The rapid level of innovation within science and technology is driving a deep need for private capital solutions to support the life sciences sector’s exponential growth,” said Marc Lipschultz, Co-CEO of Blue Owl Capital. “Adding CHI to Blue Owl expands our ability to better meet the needs of our investors and users of our capital who are focused on the life sciences sector.”

“CHI is a well-respected team within Life Sciences whom I’ve had the privilege of getting to know over the years,” said Sandip Agarwala, Managing Director at Blue Owl Capital. “We believe the addition of this team to our platform is highly complementary to our current investment strategy in terms of domain expertise, network, and breadth of life science capabilities.”

Blue Owl’s Life Science efforts are focused on credit, royalty and growth equity investments in innovative biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and healthcare companies and products. Recent transactions include the acquisition of a royalty interest in Novartis’ PLUVICTO (Lutetium 177Lu vipivotide tetraxetan) for the treatment of metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer, and an economic interest in Horizon Therapeutics’ TEPEZZA (teprotumumab-trbw) for the treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease.

As part of Blue Owl, CHI will continue to invest primarily in mid-development stage biotherapeutics. Adding CHI’s team and capabilities allow Blue Owl to further develop a multi-strategy Life Sciences offering, investing across growth stages and capital structure with shared resources and relationships.

SMBC served as financial advisor to Blue Owl Capital.

Investor Contact 
Ann Dai
Head of Investor Relations
blueowlir@blueowl.com

Media Contact 
Nick Theccanat
Principal, Corporate Communications & Public Policy
nick.theccanat@blueowl.com

Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements made in this release are “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “future,” “propose,” “target,” “goal,” “objective,” “outlook” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions available under applicable securities laws and speak only as of the date made. Blue Owl assumes no obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements except as required by law. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Blue Owl’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements.

Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include the inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of strategic acquisitions; costs related to acquisitions; the inability to maintain the listing of Blue Owl’s shares on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”); Blue Owl’s ability to manage growth; Blue Owl’s ability to execute its business plan and meet its projections; potential litigation involving Blue Owl; changes in applicable laws or regulations; and the possibility that Blue Owl may be adversely affected by other economic, business, geo-political and competitive factors.

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