HowStuffWorks, an Atlanta-based online content company, has raised $75 million in private funding (mostly equity). It also plans to launch an instructional video offering, in partnership with ViTrue Inc. Participants in the round include Capital Research & Management, Chilton Investment Co., Carl Icahn and Chartwell Investments. Allen & Co. served as placement agent. www.howstuffworks.com
Vanguard Car Rental Group Inc., a Tulsa, Okla.-based vehicle rental company operating under the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent-A-Car brands, has withdrawn its $300 million IPO filing. The move is related to Vanguard's pending acquisition by Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. Cerberus Capital Management is Vanguard's majority shareholder. www.vanguardcar.com
Lone Star Funds has retained Merrill Lynch to find a buyer for portfolio company Bi-Lo LLC, a Mauldin, S.C.-based operator of supermarkets in the Southeastern U.S. www.bi-lo.com
Catamount Ventures of San Francisco has closed its third fund with $82.58 million in capital commitments, according to a regulatory filing. Limited partners include Legacy Ventures, Lehman Brothers Fund-of-Funds XVIII, Horsley Bridge and BP Master Trust for Employee Pension Plan. www.catamountventures.com
Philippe Donnet has joined Wendel Investissement as managing director for a new Asia-Pacific team based in Singapore. He previously was a member of AXA's executive committee, and will continue to serve as non-executive chairman of AXA Japan. www.wendel-investissement.com
Dennis McCrary is leaving fund-of-funds manager Adams Street Partners, where he was head of the U.S. partnership team. No future plans were disclosed. The news was first reported by LBO Wire.
Mark Joachim and Robert Carey have joined Bracewell & Giuliani LLP as New York-based partners in the firm's leveraged finance and high yield practice. They previously were partners with Bingham McCutchen. www.bracewellgiuliani.com
New World Restaurant Group Inc., a Golden, Colo.-based franchisor and operator of Einstein Bros. and Noah's bagel shops, has filed for a $125 million IPO. It plans to trade on the Nasdaq under ticker symbol BAGL, with Morgan Stanley and Cown & Co. serving as co-lead underwriters. The company already is quoted on the Pink […]
Michael Janse has joined Harris & Harris Group as a managing director and executive vice president. He previously was a principal with Arch Venture Partners and, before that, worked in the semiconductor products group of Motorola. www.tinytechvc.com
Altierre Corp., a San Jose, Calif.-based provider of wireless infrastructure solutions for retailers, has raised $17 million in Series B funding. D.E. Shaw Group led the deal, and was joined by DuPont Capital Management and return backers ATA Ventures, Kinetic Ventures and Labrador Ventures. Altierre had raised a $13 million Series A round in January […]