MyHeritage.com has acquired BackupMyTree

MyHeritage.com has acquired BackupMyTree, a free and automatic backup service for family tree data. This is the sixth acquisition by MyHeritage.com. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The BackupMyTree backup service, which was only launched one year ago,  protects more than 9 TB of family tree data. MyHeritage.com will continue to maintain the service and keep it free.

“As the leading international destination for families to explore their history, share memories and keep in touch, we understand the enormous value users place on protecting their family tree data,” said Gilad Japhet, founder and CEO of MyHeritage.com. “We believe that BackupMyTree’s cutting edge client-to-cloud technology has massive potential and share its mission of preserving family history, making this a natural and synergistic move for us. We look forward to continuing to provide an excellent free backup service and exploring ways for BackupMyTree to benefit existing MyHeritage.com users and vice versa.”

BackupMyTree is the second company that MyHeritage.com has purchased from serial entrepreneur Cliff Shaw, having acquired Pearl Street Software, makers of GenCircles.com and Family Tree Legends, in 2007. MyHeritage.com continues to run both GenCircles.com and Family Tree Legends, and has made the Family Tree Legends software and record collection free.

USA, Boulder, CO & UK, London & Israel, Tel Aviv

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Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for Private Equity in the Information Industry

Berkery Noyes has released its Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for Private Equity in the Information Industry.

The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the private equity market over the first half of 2011 and compares it with activity in the four previous sixth-month periods. Berkery Noyes includes in this report transactions made by financially sponsored acquirers within the Information Industry, including purchases made by subsidiaries or platforms of private equity firms.

Berkery Noyes data shows that transaction volume and aggregate value rose considerably over the second half of 2010.  Transaction volume gained 11 percent in the first half of 2011, rising to 171, while value rose a considerable 21 percent in the first half, hitting $11 billion.

“The data shows that the private equity market continues to improve in the number of completed deals from the trough of 2009,” said John Shea, COO of Berkery Noyes. “The upward trend has been lumpy, however, and will probably continue that way for some time.”

The report also highlights the activity of Thomas H. Lee Partners within the information industry this half as the most active financial acquirer, with 10 acquisitions.  Thomas H. Lee Partners also announced the highest valued transaction this half, the pending acquisition of Acosta, Inc., a subsidiary of AEA Investors LP, for $2 billion.

A copy of the First Half 2011 Private Equity Industry M&A Report is available here.

USA, New York

 

Half Year M&A Trends Report for the Financial Technology and Information Industry

Berkery Noyes has released its Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for the Financial Technology and Information Industry.

The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the Financial Technology and Information market over the first half of 2011 and compares it with activity in the four previous sixth-month periods. This market includes information and technology companies in capital markets, payments, banking, insurance and other related professional financial services.

Berkery Noyes data shows that while total transaction volume for the period remained largely unchanged, transaction value nearly tripled, jumping from $7.0 billion in 2nd Half 2010 to $19.5 billion this period. The 187 percent increase can be attributed primarily to Deutsche Borse Group’s announced merger with NYSE Euronext for $12.4 billion.

Fiserv, Inc., a leading provider of financial technology solutions, was the most active acquirer in 1st Half 2011, with four purchases: CashEdge, Inc., Credit Union On-Line, Inc., Mobile Commerce Ltd, and Maverick Network Solutions.

For the full two-and-a-half period covered by the report, Morningstar, Inc., was the sector’s most active acquirer. The investment research and financial news provider made nine acquisitions.

A copy of the First Half 2011 Financial Technology and Information Industry M&A Report is available here.

USA, New York

 

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Berkery Noyes releases its Half Year M&A Trends Report for the Online & Mobile Industry

Berkery Noyes has released its Half Year Mergers and Acquisitions Trends Report for the Online & Mobile Industry.

The report analyses merger and acquisition activity in the segment across 1st Half 2011 and compares it with activity for the four previous sixth-month periods from 2009-2010.

According to Berkery Noyes research, the Online & Mobile Industry’s robust growth over the past two and a half years continued across the last six months. Total volume in 1st Half 2011 increased by 23 percent over the previous six-month period, from 643 transactions to 788. Total transaction value increased even more significantly, climbing from $28.5 billion in 2nd Half 2010 to$43.3 billion in 1st Half 2011, a 52 percent jump.

Price multiples rose in step with this increasing activity, with 1st Half 2011 Online & Mobile transactions commanding a median EBITDA multiple of 15.3 and a revenue multiple of 2.1. Both of these numbers represent 30-month highs for the segment.

Google, Inc. remained acquisitive in the sector, purchasing 11 companies over the first half of the year, bringing its two-and-a-half year total to 39. The firm’s most recent purchases represented a wide range of companies and technologies in the Online & Mobile sector, including social network analytics, search engines, and messaging services.

The largest transaction during 1st Half 2011 was Microsoft Corporation’s announced acquisition of Skype Technologies SA from an investor group led by Silver Lake Partners for $9.08 billion.

A copy of the First Half 2011 Online & Mobile Services Industry M&A Report is available at the Berkery Noyes website.

USA, New York

LivingSocial acquires Ensogo, DealKeren and GoNabit

Social commerce site  LivingSocial has acquired Ensogo, a shopping deal site in Thailand and the Philippines; DealKeren, an Ensogo company based in Indonesia; and GoNabit, a daily another deal business with a presence in four Middle Eastern countries. Terms of the deals were not released.

These three acquisitions bring the total number of countries in which LivingSocial operates to 21. Ensogo, with members in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, marks the first LivingSocial acquisition in Asia.

“As with previous acquisitions, LivingSocial has again chosen to align with local companies that possess similar values and ways of doing business,” said Tim O’Shaughnessy, CEO and co-founder, LivingSocial. “We are excited to enter the dynamic Asian market and our presence in the Middle East and the Netherlands further strengthens our strategic global efforts to bring LivingSocial values to members across the globe.”

Launched in June 2010, Ensogo is a social shopping website in Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia and currently serves more than 800,000 members. Ensogo is backed by Rebate Networks, an international VC specialising in the social commerce space.

GoNabit was co-founded by Dan Stuart and Sohrab Jahanbani in January 2010 and is based in United Arab Emirates. The site also presents offers, suitable for children and parents alike, with Dubai Family, as well as travel-specific deals through GoNabit Getaways. In addition to being the first group-buying site in the Middle East/North Africa, GoNabit is the first company of its kind to offer deals in Arabic. It has members in Abu Dhabi, Amman, Dubai, Beirut, Cairo and Sharjah Ajman.

USA, Washington DC, Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia, & United Arab Emirates

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Thomson Reuters acquires CorpSmart from Deloitte

Thomson Reuters has acquired CorpSmart from Deloitte. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

A leader in the market, CorpSmart provides multinational corporations (MNCs) in South Africa with intelligent corporate tax compliance software. Using this web-based solution, MNCs are able to prepare monthly, quarterly and annual income tax computations as well as file South African IT14 tax returns.

This highly diverse market, which many MNCs have identified for growth and investment opportunities, is now recognised and referred to as a ‘frontier market’. The purchase of CorpSmart, which will be integrated into the ONESOURCE suite of solutions, will strengthen the expanding Tax & Accounting business and provide its customer base with the tools to develop business in this exciting market.

“South Africa has created an impressive financial and regulatory structure to position itself as the singular hub for the continent and as such, it rightly has the focus of multinational corporations and other major economic entities around the world,” said Brian Peccarelli, president of the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters.

“The CorpSmart acquisition is strategically and geographically important for the Tax & Accounting business as it marks the inaugural entry to the African market and will form part of our global offering,” concluded Brian Peccarelli.

“As MNCs look to new markets and regions like South Africa for investment, it is important that they have the right information about the local tax system and the best tools to help them achieve compliance,” commented Duane Newman, managing director, Deloitte and Touche Tax Technologies. “As a leader in the corporate and income tax technology sector within this market we have been able to deliver this expertise on a wide scale.”

UK, London & South Africa

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1. Thomson Reuters

2. Deloitte

 


Survey of Private Equity fund managers indicates improved optimism – Rothstein Kass’s Private Equity in 2011 report

Global professional services firm Rothstein Kass, has published “Private Equity in 2011,” a sector trends report that features the findings of an Internet survey of 207 private equity fund managers. Conducted in January 2011, the survey covered issues ranging from fundraising intent to regulatory concerns.  Sixty-five percent of managers participating worked at funds with assets under management (AUM) below $500 million, with 35 percent indicating AUM in excess of $500 million.

Among notable findings, nearly 80 percent of respondents indicated that there will be more attractive investment opportunities in 2011 than in 2010. Meanwhile, 67 percent suggested that there will be increased IPO activity by private equity portfolio companies this year. While a more stable economy and thawing capital markets are contributing to a general sense of optimism, managers polled also acknowledged challenges ahead. Roughly 45 percent of respondents indicated that the credit crisis would continue into 2012 or beyond. Nearly 86 percent agreed that provisions of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act will increase compliance costs for private equity funds.

Read the report here

USA, Roseland NJ

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Internet Advertising Revenues Hit $7.3 Billion in Q1 ’11 Highest First-Quarter Revenue Level on Record According to IAB and PwC

Internet advertising revenues in the U.S. hit $7.3 billion for the first quarter of 2011, representing a 23 percent increase over the same period in 2010, according to figures released today by the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). This marks the highest first-quarter revenue level ever for the industry and a significant increase over last year’s first-quarter revenue level, which had been the highest on record to date.

“The consistent and considerable year-over-year growth we’re seeing demonstrates that digital media is an increasingly popular destination for ad dollars, and for good reason,” said Randall Rothenberg, President and CEO of the IAB. “As Americans spend more time online for information and entertainment purposes, digital advertising and marketing has emerged as one of the most effective tools businesses have to attract and retain customers.”

“The year-on-year 23 percent increase in first quarter revenues is not just impressive in its own right, but especially so when you take into account the fact that 2010 was a record-breaking year itself for Internet advertising revenue,” said David Silverman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. “These numbers indicate that the interactive advertising field hasn’t simply bounced back since the recession; it’s growing with dynamic energy.”

The full report is issued twice yearly for full and half-year data, and top-line quarterly estimates are issued for the first and third quarters. Past reports are available at www.iab.net/AdRevenueReport.

USA, New York, NY

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VC Funding in the solar sector off to a Strong Start With Q1 Coming in at $658 Million

Mercom Capital Group, llc, a global clean energy communications and consulting firm, today released funding and merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the solar sector for the first quarter of 2011.Venture capital (VC) funding in the solar sector came in at $658M in 25 deals, compared to $238M in the previous quarter. The trend was similar with M&A activity amounting to $1.4B in 18 transactions for Q1, compared to $266M in Q4 2010.

“Looking at the first quarter funding activities, it is clear that VC investor’s appetite for solar has not gone away. In fact, this was the best VC funding quarter since Q2 of 2010 and the second best quarter since Q4 of 2008,” commented Raj Prabhu, Managing Partner at Mercom Capital Group.The top five funding deals were $201M raised by BrightSource Energy, a concentrated solar power (CSP) company. MiaSole, a CIGS thin-film panel maker raised $106M; Alta Devices, a GaAs thin-film developer raised $72M; Solopower, a CIGS flexible thin-film maker, raised $51.6M; and Kiran Energy, a project developer raised $30M.

Thin film companies attracted the most funding with $283M raised in seven deals. CIGS was the most popular technology within thin films accounting for $196M in four deals. CSP companies raised $212M in three deals, followed by $84M raised by solar downstream companies in six deals.Top VC investors included Crosslink, Vantage Point, Convexa, Hudson Clean Energy and Kleiner Perkins.

In continuing with last year’s trend, VC arms of companies remained active in the sector, including Alstom, BP, GE, Chevron, Dow Chemical, Intel and Hanwha. California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS), a pension fund, also invested.

Of the $9.8B announced in debt and other funding, Jinko Solar received $7.6B in credit from Bank of China.

For a complete list of solar transactions, visit: http://mercomcapital.com/cleanenergyreports.php

USA, Austin, TX

Facebook to acquire app developer Snaptu

Facebook is acquiring Israeli mobile app developer Snaptu. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, though reports in Israeli business sites Calcalist and The Marker say that Facebook are paying estimated $70 million.

There is no official release yet. However Snaptu have announced it on their blog as follows:

Our goal when we founded Snaptu in 2007 was to provide useful and innovative services to the 95 percent of mobile users that don’t have access to advanced smart phones.

Earlier this year, we announced the launch of a new Facebook mobile application to give people a great mobile experience on a broad range of feature phones. The Facebook for Feature Phones app currently works on more than 2,500 devices.

We soon decided that working as part of the Facebook team offered the best opportunity to keep accelerating the pace of our product development. And joining Facebook means we can make an even bigger impact on the world.

The acquisition is expected to close within a few weeks.  We’ll have more updates on Snaptu soon, and we’ll be working hard to offer a richer and more advanced Facebook app on virtually every mobile phone. During this transition period, we expect Snaptu will continue to operate as it does today.

We’d like to thank everyone involved in the development of Snaptu, especially our millions of loyal users. We can’t wait to get started at Facebook.

Israel, Tel Aviv & USA, San Mateo, CA

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