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Yahoo Inc. (Nasdaq: YHOO) has agreed to acquire Kelkoo SA, a Paris, France-based provider of online comparison shopping services. Under terms of the agreement, Yahoo will acquire up to 100% of outstanding Kelkoo shares for approximately €475 million (approx. $578 million) in cash. Kelkoo has raised around $31 million in VC funding since its 1999 inception, from investors like Banexi Venture Partners, Societe Generale, Innovacom, Netjuice, BBVA and Kistefos. www.kelkoo.com
3i Group said yesterday that Brian Larcombe has resigned as chief executive, effective after the group’s annual meeting in July. The Financial Times reports that 3i denied charges that its decision was related to fund-raising difficulties, but did acknowledge that it was struggling in its efforts to secure third-party commitments for a new €3 billion buyout fund. 3i originally had hoped for €1.5 billion in outside capital, but now has revised that figure down to just €800 million, and will make up the shortfall with internal capital. www.3i.com
Fairpoint Communications Inc., a Charlotte, N.C.-based provider of telecom services, has filed to raise $750 million via an IPO of common stock on the NYSE under a still-undetermined ticker symbol. The company had originally filed for an IPO in May 2000, but pulled the offering later that year due to adverse market conditions. Controlling shareholders are listed as buyout firms Kelso Equity Partners and Thomas H. Lee Partners. www.fairpoint.com
Precision I/O Inc., a Palo Alto, Calif.-based developer of server I/O architecture based on Ethernet, has raised $10 million in its first institutional round of VC funding. Investors include Advanced Technology Ventures, 3i Group and Foundation Capital. The company was spun out of Packet Design LLC in March 2003, and received seed funding from Packet Design. www.precisionio.com
Fenway Partners has completed its previously announced acquisition of American Achievement Corp. from Castle Harlan. AAC is an Austin, Texas-based provider of class rings and yearbooks. No deal terms were disclosed.www.cbi-rings.com
Brooktrout Inc. (Nasdaq: BRKT) has agreed to acquire SnowShore Networks Inc., a Chelmsford, Mass.-based provider of voice-over-IP communications infrastructure products. The deal is valued at $10 million in cash, and is expected to close early next month. SnoeShore has raised around $38 million in VC funding since its 2000 inception, from investors like 3i Group, Matrix Partners, Charles River Ventures and St. Paul Venture Capital. www.snowshore.com
Design With Reach Inc., a San Francisco-based provider of modern design furnishings and accessories, has filed to raise $57.5 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol DWRI. The company received VC funding from Prism Capital last year. www.dwr.com
Empi Inc., a St. Paul, Minn.-based medical device company focused on pain management, has filed to raise $150 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol EMP. The company originally became public in 1980, until being bought out by an affiliate of The Carlyle Group in August 1999. Current significant shareholders include Carlyle and GE Equity. www.empi.com
TriMas Corp., a Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-based manufacturer of engineered products, has filed to raise $230 million via an IPO of common stock on the NYSE under a still-undetermined ticker symbol. TriMas operated as an independent company beginning in 1987, but was acquired in 1998 by Metaldyne Corp. (then known as MascoTech Inc.). In November 2000, Matladyne was acquired by an investor group led by Heartland Industrial Partners, which later spun the company out on its own. www.trimascorp.com
Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc., a Mandeville, La.-based owner and operator of deepwater-capability offshore supply vessels, will begin trading on the NYSE today under ticker symbol HOS. The company yesterday priced six million shares of common stock at $13 per share (low end of its $13-$15 offering price range), for a total IPO take of $90 million. Company shareholders include Rock Creek Partners and SCF Partners. www.hornbeckoffshore.com
Anadys Pharmaceuticals Inc., a San Diego-based drug company focused on the treatment of Hepatitis C and bacterial infections, will begin trading on the Nasdaq today under ticker symbol ANDS. The company yesterday priced 6.25 million shares of common stock at $7 per share (low end of both its $11-$13 original offering price range and revised $7-$8 range), for a total IPO take of $43.75 million. Company shareholders include Rock Creek Partners and SCF Partners. The company has raised over $120 million in VC funding since its 1993 inception, with major shareholders including SG Cowen Securities, HBM BioVentures, Care Capital, Shire BioChem Inc. and Biomedicine LP. Other investors have included Accel Partners, Advent International, Atlas Venture, CDP Capital-Technology Ventures, Coastview Capital, MPM Capital, New Enterprise Associates, Pacific Rim Ventures and Venrock Associates. www.anadyspharma.com
Memory Pharmaceuticals Corp., a Montvale, N.J.-based drug company focused on the central nervous system, reportedly has postponed its $65 million IPO offering. The company has raised over $70 million in VC funding from investors like Oxford BioScience Partners, Venrock Associates, Bioventures Investors, Alta Partners, OrbiMed Advisors, Global Biomedical Partners and Healthcare Ventures. www.memorypharma.com
Novacept Inc., a Palo Alto, Calif.-based medical device company focused on women’s health issues like excessive menstrual bleeding, has withdrawn its $86.25 million IPO offering. The reason given was Novacept’s recent $325 million acquisition by Cytec Corp. (Nasdaq: CYTC). Novacept raised around $68 million in total VC funding since its 1995 inception, with significant shareholders including Brentwood Venture Capital, Hambrecht & Quist Capital Management, Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., New Enterprise Associates, Prospect Venture Partners, Three Arch Capital and Vector Fund Management. www.novacept.com
Mark Lama and John Benitz have joined West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Crossbow Ventures as partners. Lama most recently served as a principal with UBS Capital Americas’ private equity group, and previously spent five years with Chase Capital Partners. Benitz comes to Crossbow from Odyssey Venture Group in Hong Kong, where he was a managing partner. www.crossbowventures.com
Josh Tanzer has been named a managing director in the corporate finance group at Lazard. He most recently co-founder Principia Capital Group, and before that supervised the private placement business for CSFB’s technology group.
Marco Bizzozero has joined Deutsche Bank as global head of private equity investments for the company’s private wealth management division. He most recently ran the private equity secondaries practice at LGT Capital Partners.
Roger McNamee, co-founder and managing director of Silver Lake Partners, is reducing his role on the firm’s second fund (which is currently being raised). He will now serve in an advisory capacity.
Prolong International Corp. (AMEX: PRL) has appointed Cary Fitchey and Robert Lautz to its board of directors. Fitchey is a senior managing director of St. Cloud Capital, a managing partner of FG II Ventures and chairman of European Capital Ventures PLC. Lautz is a managing director of St. Cloud Capital. www.prolong.com
NEWS FROM THURSDAY 3/25
CMGI Inc. (Nasdaq: CMGI) has agreed to acquire Modus Media Inc., a Westwood, Mass.–based provider of supply chain management solutions. CMGI will acquire all outstanding Modus stock for approximately $157.5 million in CMGI common stock and a net cash payment of around $73 million to retire indebtedness. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter. Modus Media had received VC backing from Bain Capital and Information Partners. www.modusmedia.com
MEG Energy Corp., a Calgary, Canada-based oil exploration and production company, has received a Cdn$59 million (approx. US$44 million) private equity investment from Warburg Pincus. The deal follows a Cdn$26 million investment last year that MEG Energy received from unnamed Boston-area investors. www.megenergy.com
Mirra Inc., a Menlo Park, Calif.-based provider of digital content protection, has raised $8 million in Series B funding. Sequoia Capital led the deal, and was joined by return backers Venture Strategy Partners and Sunrise Capital. www.mirra.com
Oblicore Inc., a Columbia, Md.-based provider of service-level management applications, has raised $9 million in Series C funding. Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP) and Favonius Ventures co-led the deal, and were joined by return backers Concord Ventures and Platinum Neurone Ventures. Oblicore has raised around $21 million in total VC funding since its 2000 inception. www.oblicore.com
VideoCodes, a Maryland-based provider of code domain processing software for digital video infrastructure vendors, has raised $2 million in Series A funding led by Jerusalem Global Ventures.
WellGen Inc., a New Brunswick, N.J.-based biotech company, has raised $3 million in new VC funding led by Amphion Capital Partners. www.wellgen.com
Evercore Partners and Golden Gate Capital are in talks to acquire vitamin maker Leiner Health Products Group Inc., according to The New York Post. The proposed deal is said to value Carson, Calif.-based Leiner at between $700 million and $750 million. Leiner is majority-owned by private equity firm North Castle Partners. www.leiner.com
LSI Logic Corp. (NYSE : LSI) has agreed to acquire Velio Communications Inc., a Milipitas, Calif.-based provider of ASSPs. The all-cash transaction is valued at approximately $20 million, and is expected to close in April. Velio had raised around $95 million in VC funding since its 1998 inception as Chip2Chip, including a $40 million Series B infusion in 2000 at a post-money valuation of approximately $310 million. Company investors included HarbourVest Partners, Institutional Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures and Sequoia Capital. www.velio.com
LSI Logic also announced the acquisition of CrossLayer Networks Inc., a Fremont, Calif.-based provider of Gigabit Ethernet switch ASSPs. No financial terms were disclosed. CrossLayer had raised around $6 million in VC funding from Alliance Ventures, Crescent Venture Investors, Galaxy Venture Partners and Solar Venture Partners. www.crosslayer.com
Leadis Technology Inc., a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based provider of mixed-signal semiconductors, has filed to raise $80 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol LDIS. The company has raised $16 million in total VC funding since its May 2000 inception, from investors like U.S. Venture Partners and Walden International. www.leadis.com
Ultra Clean Holdings Inc., a Menlo Park, Calif.-based provider of gas delivery modules for the semiconductor industry, will begin trading today on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol UCTT. The company yesterday priced its common stock at $7 per share (below its original $10-$12 offering price, which yesterday was reduced to a $7.50 per share max), for a total IPO take of around $45 million. The company is majority owned by Francisco Partners, which acquired Ultra Clean in November 2002 from Mitsubishi Corp. www.uctnow.com
NEWS FROM WEDNESDAY 3/24
Jazz Pharmaceuticals Inc., a Palo Alto, Calif.-based drug company focused on neurological and psychiatric disorders, has raised $250 million in Series B funding. Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. led the deal, and was joined by fellow new investors Adams Street Partners, EGS Healthcare Capital Partners and Lehman Brothers Healthcare Fund, Beeken Petty O’Keefe & Co., Golden Gate Capital and Thoma Cressey Equity Partners. Return backers Prospect Venture Partners and Versant Venture Partners also participated. Jazz Pharmaceuticals completed its $15 million Series A round in April 2003. www.jazzpharma.com
David L. Babson & Co., a member company of MassMutual Financial Group, has agreed to acquire Duke Street Capital Debt Management Ltd., a UK-based subsidiary of Duke Street Capital. No deal terms were disclosed. Duke Street Capital Debt had €1.5 billion in assets under management at the close of 2003, and invests in senior loans, mezzanine loans and buyout-related junk bonds. It also manages the Duchess I CDO SA and Duchess II CDO SA. www.dukestreetcapital.com
MetroPCS Communications Inc., a Dallas-based provider of wireless communications services, has filed to raise $250 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol MPCS. The company – which spent time in bankruptcy court during the late 1990s – has received significant private equity funding from such firms as Accel Partners, Battery Ventures, Clarity Partners, Columbia Capital, General Motors Pension Fund, INVESCO Investors, Los Angeles County Employee Retirement System, M/C Venture Partners, Mitsui & Co., Technology Ventures Associates, Wachovia Capital Partners and Whitney & Co. www.metropcs.com
Securify Inc., a Cupertino, Calif.-based provider of network security management software, has raised $15 million in Series C funding. New investor JPMorgan Partners led the deal, and was joined by return backers Benchmark Capital and Pequot Capital. The company has raised over $51 million in VC funding. www.securify.com
HyperRoll Inc., a Mountain View, Calif.-based provider of data aggregation software, has raised $12 million in Series C funding. New investor Bessemer Venture Partners led the deal, and was joined by return backers Greylock, Sequoia Capital, Microdent Ventures and Vertex Venture Capital. The company has raised $27.6 million in total VC funding since its 2000 inception. www.hyperroll.com
MaxCyte Inc., a Rockville, Md.-based biotech company developing cell-based therapeutics, has raised $10.7 million in Series B funding. Intersouth Partners led the deal, and was joined by fellow new investors Harbert Venture Partners and Tall Oaks Capital. www.maxcyte.com
Enigma Semiconductor Inc., a Santa Clara, Calif.-based fables semiconductor company, has raised $12.5 million in Series B funding. Investors included Techno Venture Management, Starttupfactory, Northzone Ventures, InnovationsKapital and Vaekstfonden. www.enigmasemi.com
Print Inc., a Kirkland, Wash.-based provider of outsourced printing services, has raised $7.4 million in new VC funding and an additional $4 million in venture debt funding. ABS Capital Partners led the equity deal, and was joined by Concert Capital Partners. The debt was provided by ORIX Venture Finance. www.printinc.com
Molecular Formulations LLC, a Woodridge, Ill.-based provider of formulation development and drug delivery advice to life sciences companies, has received seed funding from Flavin Ventures. www.molecularformulations.com
MessageGate Inc., a Bellevue, Wash.-based provider of e-messaging security, has acquired MessageFire LLP, a Burlington, Mass.-based provider of spam-blocking solutions. No financial terms were disclosed. MessageGate has raised over $7 million in VC funding, from investors like Polaris Venture Partners, Boeing & Co., Newbury Ventures and Northwest Venture Associates. www.messagegate.com
Duncan Chapman has joined Lexington Partners as a New York-based general partner. He most recently served as president and co-founder of Butler, Chapman & Co., and before that focused on M&A and LBOs with Lehman Brothers. www.lexingtonpartners.com
MortgageIT Holdings Inc., a New York-based residential mortgage lender, has filed to raise $250 million via an IPO of common stock on the NYSE under proposed ticker symbol MHL. The company raised $30.25 million over three rounds of VC funding since inception, with significant shareholders including ING Capital and Sandler Capital Management. www.mortgageit.com
Cabela’s Inc., a Sidney, Neb.-based retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and related outdoor merchandise, has filed to raise $230 million via an IPO of common stock on the NYSE under proposed ticker symbol CAB. Last September, the company completed a $200 million recapitalization led by JPMorgan Partners. www.cabelas.com
Shopping.com Inc., a New York-based provider of online shopping services, has filed to raise $75 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol SHOP. The company has raised over $70 million in VC funding from significant shareholders like Benchmark Capital, August Capital, Israel Seed Partners and Bain Capital.
NEWS FROM TUESDAY 3/23
Seven Networks Inc., a Redwood City, Calif.-based provider of wireless data services software, has filed to raise $115 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol SEVN. The company has raised $55.3 million in total VC funding since its December 2000 inception (as Leap Corp.) from investors like Greylock, Ignition Partners, Saints Capital and Softbank Asia Infrastructure Fund. www.seven.com
House of Blues Entertainment Inc., a Los Angeles-based entertainment company, has received a $30 million investment from Ares Management, as part of a $110 million recapitalization. The deal also included additional equity from existing investor JPMorgan Partners, and a new bank credit facility led by Banc of America Securities (arranger) and JP Morgan Chase (syndication agent). www.hob.com/recapitalization
DrugMax Inc. (Nasdaq: DMAX) has agreed to acquire Familymeds Group Inc., a Farmington, Conn.-based specialty drug company that locates pharmacies at or near a patient’s point of medical care. DrugMax will issue 11.5 million shares of common stock (valued at around $52.7 million), and also issue an unspecified amount of restricted stock and stock options to certain Familymeds employees. Familymeds has raised around $80 million in total VC funding from investors like ABS Capital Partners, HLM Venture Partners, Zesiger Capital Group, Landmark, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Pacific Venture Group, Conning, International Capital Partners and Coleman Swenson Hoffman Booth. www.familymeds.com
Red Bend Software Inc., a Framingham, Mass.-based developer of software delivery solutions, has raised $8.2 million in third-round VC funding. Pitango Venture Capital led the deal, and was joined by new investor Paolim Ventues and return backers Infinity and Carmel Ventures. www.redbend.com
SimTel Technologies Ltd., a Florence, Italy,-based provider of mobile networking technology, has raised €4 million in private equity funding from TLcom Capital Partners. www.simtelgroup.com
Shazam Entertainment Ltd., a London, UK-based developer of music recognition technology, has raised $5 million in new VC funding from new investor DN Capital and return backer IDG Ventures Europe. www.shazamentertainment.com
Informative Inc., a Brisbane, Calif.-based, has raised $8 million in new venture capital funding. Levensohn Venture Partners led the deal, and was joined by Apex Ventures, Crystal Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Nokia Venture Partners, Global Catalyst Partners and Walden International. The company has raised around $55 million in total VC funding since its inception, including a $26.6 million infusion in 2000 at a post-money valuation of approximately $100 million. In related news, the company has named Brad Justus as its new president and CEO. Justus comes from LEGO Corp., where he served as senior vice president and head of LEGO Direct. www.informative.com
BelAir Networks Inc. , an Ontario, Canada-based supplier of cellular LAN infrastructure solutions, has received a $2 million strategic investment from the T-mobile Venture Fund, which is managed by the VC investment arm of Deutsche Telekom AG. www.belairnetworks.com
Texas Pacific Group has sold 9.3 million shares of Denbury Resources Inc. (NYSE:DNR), which represents TPG’s entire remaining stake in the Dallas-based company ands 17% of Denbury’s total outstanding shares. TPG sold 8 million shares of Denbury stock last year.
Bain Capital is planning to sell portfolio company Interfer Steel AG, according to European press reports.
Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO) has agreed to acquire Riverhead Networks Inc., a Cupertino, Calif.-based developer of network security technology aimed at preventing distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Cisco already held a minority stake in Riverhead, and will pay $39 million in cash to acquire all other outstanding shares. Riverhead has raised over $12 million in total VC funding since its 2000 inception, from investors like Sequoia Capital, Gemini Capital, Intel Capital and Koor Corporate Venture Capital. www.riverhead.com
Square Enix Co. Ltd. , a Tokyo-based video gaming company, has agreed to acquire UIEvolution Inc., a Bellevue, Wash.-based software provider focused on simplifying wireless application development and deployment. Financial terms were not disclosed. UIEvolution has raised over $15 million in total VC funding from Ignition Partners and the Nissho Iwai Corp. www.uievolution.com
Luke Imperatore has joined the alternative investments group of Putnam Lovell NBF Securities as a managing director based in New York. He previously served as a managing director with a fixed income hedge fund and, before that, was a managing director with Wasserstein Perella Emerging Markets. www.PutnamLovellNBF.com
Jack Jenkins-Stark has joined Silicon Valley Bancshares as chief financial officer. He has spent over 25 years in senior executive roles with Itron Corp., GATX Capital Corp. and PG&E Corp.
C. Lloyd Mahaffey, managing partner of the Redleaf Group, has joined the board of directors of Sento Corp. (Nasdaq: SNTO). www.sento.com
ValueVision Media (Nasdaq: VVTV) has added three board members: Allen Morgan, managing director with Mayfield; John Buck, CEO of Whitefish Ventures; and Ron Herman, president and CEO of GE Equity.
Brightmail Inc., a San Francisco-based provider of email security software and solutions, has filed to raise $80 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol BRML. The company has raised over $45 million in VC funding since its 1998 inception, including a $38 million infusion in 2002 at a post-money valuation of approximately $160 million. Significant shareholders include Accel Partners, Technology Crossover Ventures and Symantec Corp. www.brightmail.com
Accent Optical Technologies Inc., a Bend, Ore.-based provider of process control and measurement tools, has filed to raise $60 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol AXNT. The company was founded in July 2000 with the purchase has raised VC funding from iVisionary, MCP Global Ltd., Mentmore Venture Partners, NetNet Ventures Fund, RS Coinvestment Fund, Tennyson Fund II and Winfield Capital Corp. www.accentopto.com
Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. has filed to raise $258.75 million via an IPO. The company has not received any significant private equity backing.
Dow Jones is reporting that Presidio I, an Italian mezzanine fund backed by Soros Funds Management, has raised € 500 million in subscriptions and is set to launch operations.
NEWS FROM MONDAY 3/22
US Oncology Inc. (Nasdaq: USON) has agreed to merge with Oiler Acquisition Corp., an affiliate of Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe that owns approximately 14.5% of US Oncology’s common stock. The going-private transaction’s total value is approximately $1.7 billion, including stock options and assumed debt. US oncology shareholders will receive $15.05 per outstanding share of common stock, which represents an 18.5 premium over Friday’s closing price of $12.70 per share. www.usoncology.com
Frazier & Co. is in the midst of raising its second technology-focused VC fund, with a target capitalization of $250 million. PE Week subscribers can read more on this exclusive story in the protected Weekly Headlines section of www.pewnews.com, or in today’s print edition.
Pantheon Ventures is in the midst of raising its 12th fund, which will focus on secondary investments. PE Week subscribers can read more on this exclusive story in the protected Weekly Headlines section of www.pewnews.com, or in today’s print edition.
Butterfly.net Inc., a Martinsburg, West Va.-based provider of software for online games, has raised $10 million in Series C funding. Jerusalem Venture Partners and Worldview Technology Partners co-led the deal, and were joined by fellow new investor Cisco Systems. Return backers Adena Ventures and Walker Ventures also participated. PE Week subscribers can read more on this story in the protected Weekly Headlines section of www.pewnews.com, or in today’s print edition. www.butterfly.net
Restore Medical Inc., a St. Paul, Minn.-based medical device company focused on sleep disorders, has raised $26.5 million in Series C funding. Bessemer Venture Partners led the deal, and was joined by fellow new investors GE Asset Management, Putnam Investments, NGEN Partners, DuPont Capital Management and 3V SourceOne Capital. Return backers include MPM Capital, Charter Ventures and Venturi Group. www.restoremedical.com
ChipX (f.k.a. Chip Express Corp.), a Santa Clara, Calif.-based provider of ASIC products, has raised $12 million in new VC funding. New investor VantagePoint Venture Partners led the deal, and was joined by return backers Elron Electronic Industries Inc., Wasserstein Venture Capital, UMC, Needham Capital Partners, Newlight Associates, Parker Rice Venture Capital and Insite Capital. The company has raised around $51 million over nine rounds of VC funding since its 1989 inception. www.chipexpress.com
Astute Networks Inc., a San Diego-based provider of protocol acceleration solutions, has raised $15 million in Series funding. New investor ComVentures led the deal, and was joined by return backers U.S. Venture Partners, BA Venture Partners, Windward Ventures and Dali Hook Partners. www.astutenetworks.com
Worksoft Inc., a Dallas-based provider of automated testing software solutions, has raised $7 million in Series C funding from Austin Ventures. www.worksoft.com
Anta Systems Inc., a Santa Clara, Calif.-based developer of voice-over-IP solutions, has raised $2.4 million in Series A funding. Investors include Versatile Venture, Daehong Corp., Eastar and Global Alliance. www.antasystems.com
Approva Corp., a Vienna, Va.-based provider of management software for ERP-enabled business processes, has raised $8.05 million in Series B funding. Return backers include Columbia Capital, New Enterprise Associates and Novak, Biddle Venture Partners. www.approva.net
EyeTel Imaging Inc., a Savage, Va.-based medical device company focused on eye diseases, has raised $10.67 million in Series B funding. Bain Capital Ventures and Radius Vetures co-led the deal. Brookside Capital Partners (a Bain Capital affiliate) and Eli Lilly & Co. also participated. www.eyetel-imaging.com
Warburg Pincus has agreed to purchase all outstanding shares of ScanSoft Inc. (Nasdaq: SSFT) held by Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) for approximately $80 million.
Neurogen Corp. (Nasdaq: NRGN) has sold $100 million of newly issued common stock at $7 per share. Warburg Pincus and Baker Brothers Investors co-led the PIPE deal, which is expected to close in the second quarter. www.neurogen.com
The Times of London is reporting that Permira has agreed to acquire the German mobile telecom business of Swisscom. The deal is said to value the unit at €979 million, even though Swisscom boought its stake for €3 billion.
The European Union Commission has approved the €1 billion buyout of New Look Group PLC by Permira and Apax Partners.
Tom Frederick, a former general partner with Venrock Associates, has joined the board of directors at Occam Networks Inc. (OTC BB: OCCM). www.occamnetworks.com
Ian Williams has joined Robert W. Baird & Co.’s London office as a managing director and co-head of international M&A. He most recently served as a managing director and head of the industrial manufacturing and automotive group at ABN AMRO in London. www.rwbaird.com
STI Knowledge Inc., an Atlanta-based provider of services to help desk of technical support companies, has acquired HPS Paradigm Inc., a Tifton, Ga.-based provider of healthcare administrative services. STI Knowledge has received over $20 million in VC funding from BV-Cornerstone Ventures, Mellon Ventures and Petra Capital Partners.
ECE Holdings Inc., a portfolio company of H.I.G. Capital, has agreed to acquire Stream International, the contact services subsidiary of Solectron Corp. (NYSE: SLR). No financial terms were disclosed. www.stream.com
Pinpoint Networks Inc., a Durham, N.C.-based provider of software for delivering mobile content, is merging with Power by Hand, an Nashville, Tenn.-based provider of mobile content. No financial terms were disclosed. Pinpoint has raised around $20 million in VC funding since its 1999 inception, with investors including New Enterprise Associates, Intel Capital, Massey Burch Capital, Tristate Investment Group and Noro-Moseley Partners. www.pinpoint.com
Click Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: CKCM) has agreed to acquire the operating assets of Webridge Inc., a Beaverton, Ore.-based provider of extranet portal systems. No financial terms were disclosed. Webridge has raised around $65 million of VC funding from firms like Sevin Rosen Funds, Intel Capital, Worldview Technology Partners, Meritage Capital Partners and OVP Venture Partners. www.webridge.com
Critical Therapeutics Inc., a Cambridge, Mass.-based drug company developing therapeutics to regulate the inflammatory responses associates with asthma and other diseases, has filed to raise $103.5 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol CRTX. The company had raised $76.46 million in total VC funding since its 2001 inception, with significant shareholders including MPM Capital, HealthCare Ventures, MedImmune Ventures, Johnson & Johnson Development Corp., Advanced Technology Ventures and Oxford Bioscience Partners. www.criticaltherapeutics.com
Corcept Therapeutics Inc., a Menlo Park, Calif.-based drug company focused on psychiatric and neurological diseases, has set its IPO offering price range to $15-$17, and set its number of offered shares to five million. The company refilled registration papers this past February, after having withdrawn plans for an earlier IPO in October 2002. Corcept has raised over $40 million in VC funding since its 1998 inception, including a $12.8 million round in late 2002 at a post-money valuation of approximately $125 million. Company investors include Sutter Hill Ventures, Maverick Capital and Alta Partners. www.corcept.com
Digirad Corp., a San Diego-based provider of solid-state medical imaging products and services, has filed to raise $86.25 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq under proposed ticker symbol DRAD. The company had previously filed for a million IPO in August 2001, but withdrew its papers later that year due to unfavorable market conditions. The company has raised approximately $95 million in total VC funding since its 1997 inception, with significant shareholders including Sanderling Ventures, Vector Fund Management, Merrill Lynch Ventures, Kingsbury Capital and Sorrento Associates. www.digirad.com
Life Time Fitness Inc., an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based operator of fitness and family recreation centers, has filed to raise $200 million via an IPO of common stock on the Nasdaq. The company has raised around $80 million in private equity funding from firms like Norwest Equity Partners and Apax Partners. www.lifetimefitness.com
Homebanc Corp., an Atlanta-based residential mortgage lender, has filed to raise $575 million via an IPO of common stock on the NYSE under proposed ticker symbol HOB. The company began operating independently in May 2000, following a leveraged buyout of First Tennessee Bank National Association’s Atlanta banking operations led by GTCR-Golder Rauner. www.homebanc.com
Oasis Semiconductor Inc. and First NLC Financial Services Inc. filed for $69 million and $57.5 million IPOs, respectively. Neither company has received any significant private equity funding.
Click Commerce Inc. (Nasdaq: CKCM) has agreed to acquire the operating assets of Webridge Inc., a Beaverton, Ore.-based provider of extranet portal systems. No financial terms were disclosed. Webridge has raised around $65 million of VC funding from firms like Sevin Rosen Funds, Intel Capital, Worldview Technology Partners, Meritage Capital Partners and OVP Venture Partners.
Credit Suisse First Boston has created a new Alternative Capital Division that will combine its private equity, hedge fund and other alternative asset units. Bennett Goodman, previously chairman of CSFB Merchant Banking and Leveraged Finance, will lead the new effort. The firm also will create a new investment vehicle focused on leveraged finance assets, as part of the initiative. CSFB Private Equity currently has more than $29 billion in capital commitments. www.csfb.com
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