Fundraising

Hungarian private equity firm Euroventures Capital has achieved a €31 million first closing of its new fund, Euroventures Hungary III Limited Partnership.

Figures published for Asian private equity activity in 2003 reveal that a record $17.5bn was invested while fundraising was up eleven percent at $3bn.

Cambridge, Massachusetts venture firm General Catalyst Partners has closed a fund, its second institutional investment vehicle.

Close Brothers Growth Capital Fund II, which invests in UK SMEs using hybrid debt and equity structures, has raised £50m from four institutions.

The Carlyle Group has announced the final close of Carlyle Europe Real Estate Partners following a spate of deal activity in 2003.

The Carlyle Group has raised Y50bn ($470m) for its first Japanese buyout fund, with nearly 60 percent of the fund’s commitments coming from Japanese institutional investors.

Paris-based mid-market private equity firm Activa Capital has achieved a final closing of its latest fund at E162m, surpassing a E150m target.

The UK mid-market buyout firm has secured £153m from eleven investors on route to a £200m target, including a £75m cornerstone investment from former parent Zurich Financial.

The family office has announced plans to commit between E20m and E70m to a range of sector-focused private equity funds over the next three to four years.

Apax leads £15m Nexagent round; DVC, Motorola back UK software provider; Giza leads Cellectivity round; VCs back $15m CoreOptics investment