Jawbone to acquire BodyMedia Inc.
Jawbone, a leader and innovator in products and services for the way we live, today announced that it is acquiring BodyMedia® to further its leadership and accelerate its innovation in wearable health technology and personal data analysis. “There’s an enormous appetite for personal data and self-discovery among c... Read more »
Jawbone to acquire BodyMedia Inc.
Jawbone, a leader and innovator in products and services for the way we live, today announced that it is acquiring BodyMedia® to further its leadership and accelerate its innovation in wearable health technology and personal data analysis.
“There’s an enormous appetite for personal data and self-discovery among consumers that will only continue to grow,” said Hosain Rahman, Jawbone CEO and founder. “Together, BodyMedia and Jawbone have almost three decades worth of deep tech, science and intellectual property around sophisticated sensors on the body, and nearly 300 issued and pending patents around wearable technology. We look forward to pushing new boundaries, creating new markets, and showing people what’s truly possible with wearable computing.”
BodyMedia has been a pioneer in wearable body monitors, with over 14 years of medical and consumer expertise in the category and 87 patents issued. The company has amassed one of the largest living databases of raw and real-world human sensor data from its patented multi-sensor body monitors with over 500 trillion sensor points collected and analyzed over the company’s history.
BodyMedia also has the only platform of its kind that is registered with the FDA as a Class II medical device and that is clinically proven to enhance users’ weight loss.
“Jawbone’s deep expertise with consumer technology, design, and building products that fit seamlessly into people’s lives is the best way to carry forward many of the innovations that BodyMedia has developed over the past 14 years,” said Christine Robins, CEO of BodyMedia. “We are eager to pair our depth of insight and IP with Jawbone’s expertise so that together, we can make an even bigger impact on people’s health and help them achieve their goals.”
BodyMedia employees will join Jawbone’s existing team.
ePlanet News
nFocus purchased by leading manufacturer of medical devices NYSE listed - Covidien
NYSE listed Covidien, a leading manufacturer of medical devices and supplies, diagnostic imaging agent and pharmaceuticals, has in February 2013 purchased Nfocus – the neurovascular specialty company focused on treatment of hemorrhagic stroke. ePlanet Fund I had a 20% stake in Nfocus and received $10.3 million ... Read more »
nFocus purchased by leading manufacturer of medical devices NYSE listed - Covidien
NYSE listed Covidien, a leading manufacturer of medical devices and supplies, diagnostic imaging agent and pharmaceuticals, has in February 2013 purchased Nfocus – the neurovascular specialty company focused on treatment of hemorrhagic stroke. ePlanet Fund I had a 20% stake in Nfocus and received $10.3 million at close with a further $11.2 million to be released (respectively $1.6 million in escrow and $9.6 million in earnouts) over the next 4 years.
Nfocus Neuromedical, Inc. designs, develops, and markets endovascular neurosurgery solutions to cure intracranial aneurysms. The company offers revolutionary systems to treat neurovascular disease, including brain aneurysms. The company was formerly known as CardioVasc, Inc. and changed its name to Nfocus Neuromedical, Inc. in April 2007. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Palo Alto, California.
Covidien is a $12 billion leading manufacturer of medical devices and supplies, diagnostic imaging agents and pharmaceuticals with 51 manufacturing facilities located in 18 countries. Covidien is listed on the New York Stock Exchange with key brands including Kendall, Mallinckrodt, Nellcor, Puritan-Bennett and Valleylab.
ePlanet News
ePlanet's stake in Chinese iKang sold to Goldman Sachs and GIC
ePlanet Capital has in March 2013 sold its Fund II stake in iKang Guobin Healthcare Group to Goldman Sachs and Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC). iKang is one of China's biggest healthcare companies. By the end of March the company has bui... Read more »
ePlanet's stake in Chinese iKang sold to Goldman Sachs and GIC
ePlanet Capital has in March 2013 sold its Fund II stake in iKang Guobin Healthcare Group to Goldman Sachs and Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).
iKang is one of China's biggest healthcare companies. By the end of March the company has built 40 physical check centers in 12 major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. More than 500 medical centers and hospitals are cooperating with the group to provide a full range of healthcare service, including cancer screening and private healthcare service.
Since ePLanet's original investment in November 2007, iKang's 2012 realized revenue was $130 million (99% of budget) and net profit was $19.9 million (107% of budget). ePlanet received $7.9 million for its 3% stake, net of deal expenses, constituting a 2.2 investment multiple.
GIC, the Singaporee Sovereign Fund, is one of the largest investment management organizations in the world, investing well over US$100 billion in multiple asset classes in more than 40 countries.
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global investment banking, securities and investment management firm.
ePlanet News
GIC Invests $50m in ePlanet Portfolio Company Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa
Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) will invest $50 million in ePanet Capital portfolio company Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa (VMMEA), the fastest growing regional mobile telecommunications group headquartered in Dubai. VMMEA is the undisputed leader in the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) sector of the m... Read more »
GIC Invests $50m in ePlanet Portfolio Company Virgin Mobile Middle East and Africa
Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) will invest $50 million in ePanet Capital portfolio company Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa (VMMEA), the fastest growing regional mobile telecommunications group headquartered in Dubai.
VMMEA is the undisputed leader in the Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) sector of the mobile telecommunications industry in the MEA region, and the exclusive regional arm of global leader Virgin Mobile. GIC is a leading financial institution equally and wholly owned by the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Following the conclusion of the transaction, GIC joins a group of prominent global and regional shareholders, including the Virgin Group, ePlanet Capital, Dolphin International, NTEC and Millennium Private Equity.
Sir Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin, commented “ Virgin Mobile is the leading MVNO operator in the Middle East and Africa with operations in Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. We intend to create a large regional mobile telecom player reaching more than 10 million customers. The investment by GIC is an important show of support by an important institutional investor for our ambitious plans."
ePlanet Capital Chairman and founder Asad Jamal said, 'We are delighted that GIC, a reputable and prolific investor in the private sector in the Gulf region, is now a partner. This is a further endorsement of VMMEA as the leading virtual mobile network operator in the Middle East and Africa. ePlanet Capital, one of the first institutional investors in VMMEA, has a long and established relationship with its founders and management team, and has seen the company grow from strength to strength through its partnership with Virgin. This latest investment positions VMMEA to become a dominant regional player and we look forward to this next phase in the company's growth'
“GIC supports the growth of companies that have innovative and pan-regional business models” said Ibrahim Al-Qadhi, Chief Executive Officer at GIC. ” VMMEA has such a model and targets a niche market in telecommunications in the GCC. This is an important sector for the region and VMMEA is the perfect partner for existing mobile operators.”
Mikkel Vinter, CEO and Founder of VMMEA, added “We are honoured by the trust shown in Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa by an esteemed financial institution like GIC. The Management of VMMEA look forward to working closely with GIC in rolling out the Virgin Mobile brand across the Middle East & Africa.
“We believe that the next phase of liberalization in the telecom sector supports the growth of MVNOs and we are thrilled to make this strategic investment in VMMEA. The company has a great track record of partnering with regional telecom operators to deliver value to mobile subscribers. We look forward to working with the management team in VMMEA to support the further expansion of its existing operations as well as entering new markets across the region.” said Mohamed Eissa, Head of Technology & Telecom Investments at GIC.
VMMEA is building its successful regional roll-out based on the MVNO model, one of the fastest growing business models in the mobile telecom sector globally. ePlanet Capital identified the high potential of MVNOs in emerging markets and was one of the first institutional investors in the company (Friendi Mobile at the time) in February 2008. Five years later the company has proven to be one of the most successful investments in ePlanet's portfolio.
Portfolio Company News
Japanese Agrochemical Company SDS Biotech Purchases Majority Stake in Sree Ramcides Chemical
30 January 2013 Japanese agrochemical and R&D company SDS Biotech K.K. has bought a majority stake in Chennai-based Sree Ramcides Chemicals for about INR1bn ($34m) generating a healthy return on investment for global growth investor ePlanet Capital. SDS Biotech bought a 65 per ce... Read more »
Japanese Agrochemical Company SDS Biotech Purchases Majority Stake in Sree Ramcides Chemical
30 January 2013
Japanese agrochemical and R&D company SDS Biotech K.K. has bought a majority stake in Chennai-based Sree Ramcides Chemicals for about INR1bn ($34m) generating a healthy return on investment for global growth investor ePlanet Capital.
SDS Biotech bought a 65 per cent stake in the company as part of the deal – 36 per cent of which was owned by ePlanet, which acquired its interest back in 2008 for around $4.5 million .
Sree Ramcides focuses on the manufacture of crop protection and crop health products. The company has three manufacturing facilities at Pudukkottai, Ambattur and Jammu.
SDS Biotech is a subsidiary of Tokyo-listed Idemitsu Kosan, which has a market capitalisation of $3bn.
ePlanet News
Fidelity Growth Partners Invests in Trivitron Healthcare
1 Nov 2012 Wall Street Journal Private equity firm Fidelity Growth Partners India , a unit of Fidelity Worldwide Investment, has invested around $75 million in Chennai-based Trivitron Healthcare Pvt., a medical equipment-maker and devices distributor, according to a press release on Wednesday. Fidelity’s ... Read more »
Fidelity Growth Partners Invests in Trivitron Healthcare
1 Nov 2012 Wall Street Journal
Private equity firm Fidelity Growth Partners India , a unit of Fidelity Worldwide Investment, has invested around $75 million in Chennai-based Trivitron Healthcare Pvt., a medical equipment-maker and devices distributor, according to a press release on Wednesday.
Fidelity’s investment would provide a partial exit to venture capital firms ePlanet Capital (formerly ePlanet Ventures) , and Hong Kong-based Headland Capital Partners, who have been invested in Trivitron since 2007, according to the press release.
Part of the money will be used by Trivitron to expand its distribution operations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa, and to increase its stake in Mumbai-based Kiran Medical Systems Ltd., which makes protective equipment against medical radiation, among other products, according to the statement.
Trivitron, founded in 1997, expects gross revenue before exceptional items to cross $129.9 million for the financial year through March 2013.
Kotak Mahindra Capital Co., the investment banking unit of Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd., advised Trivitron while Indian law firm Amarchand & Mangaldas & Suresh A. Shroff & Co. was the Indian company’s legal counsel.
Click here for more information about Trivitron Healthcare »
ePlanet News
Virgin Mobile announced strategic funding partnership with IFC to accelerate its growth in Chile
14, August 2012 Virgin Mobile Latin America Inc. (“VMLA”) today announced the closing of a debt funding agreement with IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to fund Virgin Mobile Chile. This strategic $11 million debt facility made available to Virgin Mobile Chile by IFC provides the Company the ca... Read more »
Virgin Mobile announced strategic funding partnership with IFC to accelerate its growth in Chile
14, August 2012
Virgin Mobile Latin America Inc. (“VMLA”) today announced the closing of a debt funding agreement with IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, to fund Virgin Mobile Chile.
This strategic $11 million debt facility made available to Virgin Mobile Chile by IFC provides the Company the capital to speed its entry into the Chilean mobile market.
Virgin Mobile Chile is the first company in Latin America for Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. In Chile the Company has quickly acquired over 60,000 customers since its launch less than four months ago, appealing to youthful Chileans with its strong no contract voice and data packs, superior customer service, and through its fun and irreverent brand image. The rate of growth in Chile continues to increase as mobile consumers become aware of the new products and services offered by Virgin Mobile.
Guillermo Mulville, Principal Investment Officer in IFC’s Telecom, Media and Technology Group, said, “Broadening access to affordable mobile telecommunications services remains a crucial part of enhancing economic development and improving lives across Latin America. Virgin Mobile has a successful track record around the world and we fully expect that their early mover advantage and global expertise positions them to be one the leading virtual operators in Latin America”.
“IFC’s confidence in our VMLA leadership team and the Chilean market strategy is an excellent endorsement for our pan-regional business plan”, commented Pete Macnee, VMLA President and CEO. “We are working toward our second launch in Colombia later this year and look to extend our relationship with IFC as we build our business”.
VLMA and IFC are currently in talks about partnering to enhance the mobile market in a number of Latin American countries including Brazil and Colombia.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. IFC helps developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. In FY12, IFC’s investments reached an all-time high of more than $20 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs, spark innovation, and tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit www.ifc.org.
ePlanet News
Virgin Group and Friendi Group announce strategic partnership deal to merge their regional assets and accelerate pan-regional expansion
Dubai, Johannesburg, London. 4 June 2012: Virgin Group and FRiENDi GROUP today announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement for the Middle East and Africa. Virgin, a leading international investor and one of the worlds most recognized and respected brands, is the majority shareholder in Virgin Mobile Sou... Read more »
Virgin Group and Friendi Group announce strategic partnership deal to merge their regional assets and accelerate pan-regional expansion
Dubai, Johannesburg, London. 4 June 2012:
Virgin Group and FRiENDi GROUP today announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement for the Middle East and Africa. Virgin, a leading international investor and one of the worlds most recognized and respected brands, is the majority shareholder in Virgin Mobile South Africa. FRiENDi GROUP is the leading Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) group in the Middle East. Subject to local authority clearances, the two groups will merge their regional telecom operations to create a combined entity to be called “Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa” (VMMEA), which will develop and operate mobile telecommunications businesses across the region.
The combined group will manage the current operations of Virgin Mobile in South Africa and FRiENDi GROUP in Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, creating a sizeable regional mobile telecom player with more than 1 million customers. Virgin and FRiENDi GROUP have complementary brands across their respective demographic targets and both are focusing on providing great customer service and value for money.
In addition the new group has ambitious plans to further strengthen its regional leadership position by launching in more markets across the Middle East and Africa, and is targeting a regional customer base of over 5 million subscribers by 2015 across both the Virgin Mobile and FRiENDi mobile brands.
Sir Richard Branson, Chairman and Founder of Virgin, commented “We are delighted to have agreed this strategic partnership with FRiENDi GROUP to create Virgin Mobile Middle East & Africa, and together we will create the undisputed regional leader in the MVNO space. Virgin and FRiENDi GROUP bring complementary skills and assets to the new venture and I have great confidence in its future success”.
Expanding on ePlanet Capital’s focus on emerging market MVNO opportunities, Asad Jamal, ePlanet Capital Chairman and VMMEA and VMLA Board member said: “ We are delighted to see two of our portfolio companies enter into strategic partnerships with the Virgin Group, which we hold to be the world’s leading MVNO. Several years back, we identified three trends that drew our attention to the emerging market MVNO investment opportunity. The first was an explosion in the number of cost-conscious pre-paid mobile customers across the emerging markets. The second was the proliferation of MVNOs in the developed world and the near absence of MVNOs in the emerging markets. As recently as last year, we estimate there were nearly eight hundred MVNOs in developed markets, and only fifty in the emerging markets. And third, we noticed that unprecedented deregulation across emerging markets was allowing for the establishment of MVNOs in all key emerging markets, including the Middle East and Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America. With our track record of migrating new technologies and innovative business models from developed to emerging markets we saw an opportunity to establish a first mover position by pioneering investment in emerging market MVNOs. We believe our two strategic partnerships with the Virgin Group confirm this investment strategy and we look forward to both VMMEA and VMLA achieving their growth objectives in the company years. “
Mikkel Vinter, CEO and Founder of FRiENDi GROUP, commented “The Virgin Mobile brand is one of the most successful and revered MVNO brands globally, and the Virgin Group has an excellent track record of operating successful MVNO businesses in other parts of the world, so I am excited about working closely with Virgin Group on rolling out new MVNO operations across Africa and the Middle East”.
Upon completion of the deal being announced today, Virgin Group will become the largest individual shareholder of the combined group holding a significant minority stake. VMMEA will be led by FRiENDi GROUP CEO & Founder Mikkel Vinter, and will be headquartered in Dubai, UAE.
ePlanet News
Virgin Mobile Latin American secures new funding and new investors for expansion
April, 2012. ePlanet Capital portfolio company Virgin Mobile Latin America (“VMLA”), a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) targeting Latin America, has secured USD 26.5 million of new equity funding to further develop its regional business and to launch services in Chile. VMLA is a telecommunications opera... Read more »
Virgin Mobile Latin American secures new funding and new investors for expansion
April, 2012. ePlanet Capital portfolio company Virgin Mobile Latin America (“VMLA”), a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) targeting Latin America, has secured USD 26.5 million of new equity funding to further develop its regional business and to launch services in Chile.
VMLA is a telecommunications operator established a little over a year ago to offer new products and services to over 450 million consumers across Latin America under the Virgin brand. VMLA is currently developing operations in several countries throughout the region in cooperation with local partners, regulators, and Mobile Network Operators. In addition to the recent launch of Virgin Mobile Chile, VMLA has targeted the launch of operations in 7 further markets, including Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico. VMLA will deliver new services and value to its customers by creatively packaging products specifically targeting the needs of the youth market segment, Virgin Mobile’s natural audience.
The new funding for VMLA consists of equity from existing shareholders, including the Virgin Group and ePlanet Capital, and from several new investors including Hermes Growth Partners (“HGP”), CANEPA and Souter Investments.
Juan Villalonga, former Chairman and CEO of Telefonica S.A., is co-founder of HGP and has joined the VMLA Board of Directors with immediate effect.
Souter Investments is the private investment vehicle of Sir Brian Souter, founder of Stagecoach Group. This significant new funding is a vote of confidence from international investors in VMLA as well as for the future growth outlook of the region’s mobile telecommunications sector.
Asad Jamal, Founder and Chairman of ePlanet commented, “As one of the first institutional investors in VMLA, we are delighted with the company's progress. In a relatively short time the company has penetrated several markets and is poised to become the number one mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in the region. We have worked with the founders and management team for a long time in other projects and look forward to this next phase in the company's growth.”
Commenting on the new funding, Phil Wallace, Chairman & co-Founder of VMLA, said; “Virgin Mobile Latin America is just beginning its expansion across the region. We are making rapid progress and I expect millions of consumers in Latin America will be enjoying the benefits of Virgin Mobile’s tailored offerings in the future. The new funding from this very distinguished group of investors supports VMLA’s vision of establishing a multi-market regional footprint”.
About VMLA
Virgin Mobile Latin America (VMLA) is a mobile virtual network operator
(MVNO) that intends to expand the world-class Virgin Mobile brand
throughout Latin America, joining a growing network of Virgin Mobile
operations in seven countries (Australia, Canada, France, India, South
Africa, UK and the USA) serving 15 million mobile subscribers. VMLA’s
management and shareholders include some of the wireless industry's most
experienced teams with an impressive track record of success in the MVNO
business.
About ePlanet
ePlanet Capital (http://www.eplanetcapital.com/), founded by Mr. Jamal, is
the first venture/growth capital firm to utilize a global model with offices in
Asia, Europe and the United States. ePlanet was awarded the Asia VC of the
Year 2009, the China Exit of the Year award for the No. 1 search engine
Baidu’s IPO in 2005 and the Europe Exit of the Year award for the No.1 VoIP
Company Skype in 2005. ePlanet has been consistently ranked amongst the
Top 20 venture capital firms by FORBES for 2007 – 09 and has also been
called the ‘Pioneer of Global Venture Capital’ by FORBES in 2007. ePlanet’s
portfolio companies have achieved a market cap in excess of $50 billion, and
ePlanet’s funds are considered amongst the most successful in their
vintages.
About the Virgin Group
About Virgin Group: Virgin is a leading international investment group and
one of the world's most recognised and respected brands. Conceived in 1970
by Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin Group has gone on to grow successful
businesses in sectors ranging from mobile telephony, travel, financial
services, leisure, music, holidays and health & wellness. Virgin has created
more than 400 branded companies worldwide and employs approximately
50,000 people, in 34 countries. Global branded revenues in 2011 were
£13bn ($21bn).
About CANEPA and Hermes Growth Partners
CANEPA and Hermes Growth Partners manage and advise the CANEPA
Global TMT Fund, seeking to invest $10m-$50m into each situation. CANEPA
is a privately held firm that builds and operates investment platforms around
global growth themes. Hermes Growth Partners is a private equity advisory
firm that focuses on growth-stage companies in the telecom, media and
technology (TMT) sectors globally. The firm’s primary objective is to help
high-potential TMT companies drive growth and create value through a
combination of long-term capital and operational expertise.
About Souter Investments
Souter Investments is the private investment office of Sir Brian Souter, the
joint founder and chief executive of transport giant Stagecoach Group. It
makes investments in quoted, markets, fund investments and unquoted
private companies and holds a wide ranging portfolio of assets valued in
excess of £400m. Significant investments include Sunseeker, the luxury
motor yacht manufacturer, UK insurer esure and price comparison site
gocompare.com, biodiesel manufacturer Argent Energy and bus and coach
builder Alexander Dennis. In addition, Souter Investments holds stakes in
public transport businesses Istanbul Deniz Otobusleri, PolskiBus.com, Mana
Coach Services, Howick and Eastern Buses and Fullers Group.
ePlanet News
MEDIAN Technologies Joins Forces with Quintiles to Provide World-Class Clinical Trial Imaging Services
To improve the assessment of how cancer patients are responding to investigational therapies in clinical trials, MEDIAN Technologies (ALMDT) today announced a strategic agreement with Quintiles to offer advanced integrated image services to biopharmaceutical customers worldwide. The agreement with Median, a leading se... Read more »
MEDIAN Technologies Joins Forces with Quintiles to Provide World-Class Clinical Trial Imaging Services
To improve the assessment of how cancer patients are responding to investigational therapies in clinical trials, MEDIAN Technologies (ALMDT) today announced a strategic agreement with Quintiles to offer advanced integrated image services to biopharmaceutical customers worldwide.
The agreement with Median, a leading services provider for image interpretation and management in oncology clinical trials, is designed to further strengthen Quintiles’ full range of services to accelerate oncology drug development. With Quintiles, the world’s leading biopharmaceutical services provider, as its partner, Median can extend the reach of its technologies in the clinical development field to benefit customers globally.
“This collaboration will result in better quality of data, increased awareness for biopharma for go/no-go decisions along the drug development stages, and ultimately more robust regulatory submission to health agencies,” said MEDIAN Chief Executive Officer Fredrik Brag.
Under terms of the agreement, Quintiles will have the potential to be awarded warrants, which if exercised could amount to up to a 15% equity position in the company.
Anne Pilling, Vice President, Quintiles Oncology Therapeutic Delivery Unit, said: “This partnership complements Quintiles’ current portfolio of imaging solutions and provides further proof of our commitment to provide biopharma and healthcare service providers with the tools, expertise and services needed to increase productivity and better the lives of patients.”
Images are essential in clinical trials and are used at all steps of cancer care, from patient diagnosis to monitoring. In clinical trials, they provide a critical indication of patient response to treatment of new candidate drug and are used as input for new drug and therapeutic schemes registration. MEDIAN’s solution addresses two critical imaging challenges: data variability amongst readers and efficient management of the imaging data workflow.
About Quintiles: Quintiles is the only fully integrated biopharmaceutical services company offering clinical, commercial, consulting and capital solutions worldwide. The Quintiles network of more than 20,000 engaged professionals in 60 countries works with an unwavering commitment to patients, safety and ethics. Quintiles helps biopharmaceutical companies navigate risk and seize opportunities in an environment where change is constant. For more information, please visit www.quintiles.com
ePlanet News