Chris Arsenault of iNovia Capital speaks about his firm's new deals, how Canadian entrepreneurs increasingly "don’t fit the risk-averse, conservative stereotype of old," and the new vitality he senses in Canada’s venture industry.
The private equity and finance group of Toronto-based Brookfield Asset Management Inc. has wrapped up a new partnership ear-marked for mid-market turnarounds and other special situations, peHUB Canada has learned. Brookfield wrapped up Brookfield Capital Partners III LP at US$1 billion a few months ago, according to Joe Freedman, one of the group’s senior managing […]
The real estate investment arms of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and US private equity firm TPG have completed their joint acquisition of Woolgate Exchange, an office building located in the centre of London's financial district. The Caisse's Ivanhoé Cambridge and TPG Real Estate invested a total of C$400 million in the transaction. This is the second purchase in London for Ivanhoé Cambridge in the past twelve months, bringing its total invested to C$650 million.
Oroco Resource Corp., a Vancouver, British Columbia-based portfolio company of private equity firm Pinetree Capital, has agreed to sell 100% of the company's interest in the Cerro Prieto Project, a gold and silver project located in Sonora, Mexico, to Goldgroup Mining, Inc. The total consideration for the acquisition, which is expected to close by June, 2013, is US$18 million. Goldgroup Mining, a gold production, development and exploration company, is also based in Vancouver.
Endurance Wind Power Inc., a Vancouver, British Columbia-based manufacturer of wind turbines designed for power grid application, has secured C$7 million in funding from Export Development Canada (EDC). Proceeds will go toward completion of new wind turbine projects in the United Kingdom. Endurance Wind has been venture-backed since 2010. The company's backers include BC Advantage Funds (VCC) and Yaletown Venture Partners.
A new research paper finds that defined benefit pension plans managing the largest private equity portfolios outperform those managing the smallest ones.
Mark MacLeod, a partner at Canadian early-stage venture capital firm Real Ventures and Montréal Start Up, has joined FreshBooks, Inc. as its head of business and corporate development. FreshBooks, based in Toronto, Ontario, is a specialist in cloud accounting for small business owners. Mr. MacLeod will continue to be involved with Real Ventures as a venture partner and with FounderFuel as a mentor
Desire2Learn, Inc., a Kitchener, Ontario-based company which provides innovative learning solutions, has acquired Degree Compass™, a predicDesire2Learn, Inc., a Kitchener, Ontario-based company that makes educational software applications, has acquired Degree Compass, a predictive analytics technology for students. Desire2Learn was backed with C$80 million in funding by OMERS Ventures and New Enterprise Associates in September, 2012, the largest Canadian software deal in over a decade.
Galson Laboratories Canada Inc., a subsidiary of New York's Galson Laboratories, Inc., has bought the Occupational and Environmental Health Laboratory (OEHL) of Hamilton, Ontario. The financial terms of the transaction were not released. For Galson Laboratories, which specializes in occupational and industrial hygiene analysis and monitoring solutions, the OEHL acquisition marks its fifth major expansion since the company was acquired by US private equity firm Bolder Capital in June, 2010. The Mississauga, Ontario-based Galson Laboratories Canada was founded in 2012.
A new study by the Calgary-based Pembina Institute says Canada lags its top competitors when it comes to investing in emerging clean technology sectors. According to interviews with leading entrepreneurs, investors and others, a key problem is access to venture capital financing. The Pembina report also noted that Canadian companies have accounted for only two percent of clean energy patents granted in the United States since 2002, compared to Korea’s five percent, Germany’s seven percent, and Japan’s 26 percent.