SAN FRANCISCO – Thoma Cressey Equity Partners in November promoted associate Orlando Bravo to principal. The promotion was made “in recognition of how well he has done since he joined us, in terms of identifying good investment opportunities and completing them,” said Partner Lee Mitchell. The new title will not change Bravo’s primary responsibilities at […]
NEW YORK – Internet incubator and venture firm Orbit Capital appointed Bruce Katz as corporate vice president last fall and expected to hire four or five more investment professionals in anticipation of launching a $100 million-targeted vehicle early this quarter. The still unnamed fund will back early-stage e-commerce companies and, accordingly, the firm will look […]
MENLO PARK, Calif. – Trinity Ventures hired Kathy Murphy in November to fill the newly created post of administrative partner and chief financial officer, a move prompted by Trinity’s efforts to keep up with today’s fast-paced venture environment. Toward that end, the firm recently hired Patricia Nakache and Tom Cole as principal and associate, respectively, […]
SAN FRANCISCO – Venture catalyst Greg Stikeleather became a managing director at Sofinnova Inc. in November, joining the firm on the road to help raise Sofinnova V. Stikeleather has an information-technology background and will work on information technology deals for the venture firm with Managing directors Alain Azan and Robert Carr. Carr and Stikeleather have […]
NEW YORK – Determined to become a leader in the private equity space, investment bank Salomon Smith Barney has expanded its Financial Entrepreneurs Group to 75 people, up from 25 in 1995. The group is responsible for raising capital for private equity investing. “We fundamentally believe that [private equity] is a class that will continue […]
LONDON – With plans to launch its first dedicated third-party technology fund this year, 3i will be going to market without Jim Martin, its director of technology investment for the last two years. Instead, Martin will be in the market himself as head of Add Partners, a new independent venture firm seeking to raise between […]
GREENWICH, Conn. – Brand Equity Ventures at press time was anticipating a mid-January first close on about $100 million for Brand Equity Ventures II. The fund, launched last fall (VCJ, October 1999, page 22), targets $200 million and will be invested in branded consumer companies, from restaurants to e-commerce businesses. Managing Partner Chris Kirchen said […]
TORONTO – New Millennium Venture Partners Inc., a Canadian venture firm, in November was awaiting approval from the Ontario Securities Commission to raise the first Canadian vehicle to back early-stage e-commerce and Internet companies in the country. The venture firm expected the Commission’s approval on the labor-sponsored fund in December. New Millennium Internet Ventures Fund, […]
LONDON – As information delivery reorients to a digital infrastructure, how will content be valued? The partners at ProVen Private Equity Ltd. are bullish on content becoming king of the digital market. To that end, the London-based investment firm is raising as much as $250 million to invest in intellectual properties through Global Rights Fund […]
STOCKHOLM, Sweden – The Swedish Cooperative Union and Banc of America Equity Partners, along with six Swedish institutions, are forming Nordico Invest, a private equity fund. The vehicle held a first and final close in December on SEK 1 billion ($120 million) and acquired a portfolio of 15 companies from Cooperative Union, said Hkan Sderbck, […]