Italian apps developer Bending Spoons launched a 42 million euros investment round (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The company prevously attracted 560 million from Durable Capital Partners, Baillie Gifford, Cox Enterprises, NB Renaissance, NUO Capital, StarTIP, and other investors. Bending Spoons aims to issue 1.88 million of new shares without any voting right (1.5% of the business), at 22,37 euros on the ground of an enterprise value of 2.9 billion euros. Luca Ferrari, Francesco Patarnello, Matteo Danieli, and Luca Querella founded the business in Copenaghen and moved it to Milan in 2015. Bending Spoons also signed a 222 million (233 million US Dollars) worth agreement for acquiring Brightcove, a Nasdaq-listed provider of technology for streaming platforms, (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The target’s main shareholders are Edenbrook Capital (14.74%), Lynrock Lake (9.77%), Vanguard Group (6.06%), and Trigran Investments (5.36%). Bending Spoons will pay 4,45 USD in cash for Brightcove shares ahead of a delisting that may take place in 1H25. Lazard and Goodwin Procter assisted the vendors. Bending Spoons retained Latham & Watkins, EY Advisory, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo.
Cardo AI raised 15 million US Dollars from Blackstone, Fintop Capital, JAM Fintop, Andy Horwitz, Kevin MacDonald, and many current investors in the company (see here a previous post by BeBeez). Banca Valsabbina and Italian venture capital Zest sold their stake in Cardo AI. Altin Kadareja and Daniele Forza founded Cardo AI in 2018. The company will invest the raised proceeds in its organic development and proprietary technology.BeBeez Private Data, the private capital database of BeBeez and FSI, monitors Cardo AI and its investors. Find out here how to subscribe for one month or one year or Click here for booking a demo videocall with BeBeez database manager
AI-based post production startup Forte! raised equity pre-seed resources of 0.32 million euros from 40Jemz Ventures, B4i Bocconi for Innovation Fund and AFP Capital (see here a previous post by BeBeez). RPLT RP Legalitax advised Forte! which will invest such proceeds in its proprietary technology and organic growth. Loris Comba (ceo), Simone Lovera (cpo) and Ronaldo Zefi (cto) founded the company in May 2024. Riccardo Damian acts as advisor and ambassador for the firm.
TeamSystem, a provider of corporate digital solutions that belongs to Hellmann&Friedmann, acquired Muscope Cybersecurity, an Italian cyber security assessment firm (see here a previous post by BeBeez). After such a deal, the buyer will launch TeamSystem Cybersecurity, a new suite for the sector. Klecha & Co. assisted Muscope Cybersecurity which has sales in the region of 0.1 million euros with an ebitda of 0.0368 million. Gerolamo Valcamonica, Primo Ventures (16.67% owner) and other investors sold their stakes in the company for which Bruno Cordioli acts as ceo.
Mirabaud Regenerative Growth 1 (MRG), a venture capital for the agritech sector that Fabio Sofia,Lionel Artusio, Mirabaud Asset Management, and Zebra Impact Ventures launched in 2023, became an ELTIF 2.0 Art 9 SFDR compliant (see here a previous post by BeBeez). The vehicle’s portfolio companies are Pachama, Bettafish, KOA, and CleanGreens. MRG also invested in Micropep and AgroSpheres. The fund aims to raise 125-150 million euros four supporting 20-25 targets with investment tickets of 3 – 5 million for providing a 25% IRR in 5-6 years. Fabio Sofia, the co-founder Zebra Impact Ventures, said to BeBeez that MRG will support the startups that will help agritech players in replacing chemical products with bio-tech items.
