Coffee chain Blank Street in talks to raise more than $100mn in fresh funding [FREE TO READ] Company known for its matcha drinks has rapidly expanded

what do we think of Blank Street Coffee? gift link here. Rpt by @ivanlevingston.bsky.social @georgehammond.bsky.social as.ft.com/r/d8b78c88-b...

The VC firm hunting ‘almost unemployable’ misfits - rpt from @ivanlevingston.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/4d29...

Latest scoop on an education deal that looks like it won’t get over the line…

Private equity firms flip assets to themselves in record numbers Use of continuation funds to cash out investors comes amid prolonged downturn in dealmaking

Private equity firms made record use of a controversial tactic to cash out their clients by selling assets to themselves in the first half of the year, as they struggle to find external buyers or list holdings - rpt by @antoinegara.bsky.social @ivanlevingston.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/88a4...

Elon Musk backer Vy Capital closes to outside investors after windfall Secretive tech investment group has racked up gains after backing companies such as SpaceX and xAI

Elon Musk backer Vy Capital closes to outside investors after windfall-Vy has become a vital player in financing Musk’s dealmaking. In 2022, the group committed $700mn to Musk’s bid for Twitter — which… www.ft.com/content/a33f... @ivanlevingston.bsky.social @financialtimes.com

Private-equity backed insurer CFC weighs London listing Cyber specialist group owned by EQT and Vitruvian is targeting a potential £5bn valuation

Interesting one from @ivanlevingston.bsky.social @leeharris.ft.com

Cyber a growth market for insurance. It's the kind of IPO London should be targeting you'd say
www.ft.com/content/716e...

…the implementation of promised reforms by the government and the stock exchange needed to outweigh complications caused by Brexit, the people said. @ivanlevingston.bsky.social

Private equity-backed Visma picks London for blockbuster tech IPO Hg’s €19bn software group provisionally selects UK over Amsterdam for listing next year

Private equity-backed Visma picks London for blockbuster tech IPO—The decision to proceed with a listing in London early next year was provisional and contingent on… www.ft.com/content/f08c... @alexandraheal.bsky.social @financialtimes.com

Revolut chief in line for Musk-style payday at $150bn valuation Nik Storonsky struck deal before SoftBank funding round that awards him more shares if valuation clears set hurdles

Revolut chief in line for Musk-style payday at $150bn valuation-The London-based start-up’s profits more than doubled to £1bn last year as it surpassed 50mn customers… www.ft.com/content/c93e... @ivanlevingston.bsky.social @financialtimes.com

‘Royal Match’ maker Dream Games valued at almost $5bn in CVC deal Move will result in huge windfall for Turkish gaming company’s venture capital backers

‘Royal Match’ maker Dream Games valued at almost $5bn in CVC deal-Dream Games has taken a different approach to most mobile developers, focusing on creating characters and storylines that would help retain users, and…
www.ft.com/content/eeb1... @tim.fo @financialtimes.com

👏❤️

Spain’s €20bn telecoms group MasOrange explores IPO Listing would provide momentum to Europe’s IPO market

Spain’s €20bn telecoms group MasOrange explores IPO-A MasOrange listing would provide some momentum to Europe’s IPO market, which has been slow… www.ft.com/content/f2d0... @kieranjsmith.bsky.social @financial-times.bsky.social

Andreessen Horowitz in talks to help buy out TikTok’s Chinese owners [FREE TO READ] Venture capital group could join last-gasp bid by allies of Donald Trump to take control of video app owned by ByteDance

FT SCOOP: US venture capital giant Andreessen Horowitz is in talks to invest in TikTok as part of an effort led by Trump to wrest control of the popular video app from its Chinese owners

on.ft.com/4iXce94

w @antoinegara.bsky.social @ivanlevingston.bsky.social & @georgehammond.bsky.social

US activist Elliott takes 5% stake in RWE Hedge fund calls for German energy group to accelerate share buybacks

US activist Elliott takes 5% stake in RWE-RWE, one of Europe’s largest power producers with a significant renewables portfolio, last week announced it would slash €10bn in capital expenditure on green technologies…
www.ft.com/content/54ed... @ivanlevingston.bsky.social @financial-times.bsky.social

‘An insane offer’: the cyber start-up founder who squeezed another $9bn from Google Wiz chief executive Assaf Rappaport agrees higher sale price after turning down $23bn offer last summer

‘An insane offer’: the cyber start-up founder who squeezed another $9bn from Google—Wiz has emerged as a leader in the field of providing cyber security for the cloud, benefiting from… www.ft.com/content/64b3... @georgehammond.bsky.social @financial-times.bsky.social

Google parent Alphabet agrees $3.2bn break fee in Wiz deal Decision reflects risk regulators could block takeover of cyber security start-up

Google parent Alphabet agrees $3.2bn break fee in Wiz deal—The large break fee shows how technology companies continue to brace themselves… www.ft.com/content/e6f5... @arashmassoudi.bsky.social @financial-times.bsky.social

Adnoc and OMV announce deal to combine petrochemical assets Two companies say they are creating world’s fourth-largest group in plastics called polyolefins

Adnoc and OMV announce deal to combine petrochemical assets-As the world’s appetite for gasoline and diesel begins to be eroded by the rise of electric vehicles, Middle Eastern oil producers… www.ft.com/content/0a12... @ivanlevingston.bsky.social @financial-times.bsky.social

The billionaire elite who answered Donald Trump’s call on Panama Canal How Li Ka-shing, Larry Fink and Adebayo Ogunlesi struck a $22.8bn ports deal within weeks

Larry Fink of BlackRock briefed Marco Rubio and Trump about the Panama Canal port deal, according to this report from @ericgplatt.ft.com @kayewiggins.ft.com Chan Ho-him @ivanlevingston.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/81a1...

Rachel Reeves’ private share trading plan criticised by executives Venture capitalists question who would use system designed to arrest slide of UK capital markets

“I just don’t see who’s going to use it"

Investors aren't bowled over by Pisces, the private share trading plan that increasingly seems to be carrying a lot of City-revival hopes

Story from @alexandraheal.bsky.social, Martin Arnold, @ivanlevingston.bsky.social
www.ft.com/content/8a70...

Fintech Monzo looks to US as board debates where to float [FREE TO READ] Chief executive leaning towards New York listing, while board favours home market of London

Monzo is stepping up IPO prep as it debates where to list: US vs UK

Scoop: on.ft.com/40Kn1vt

Canaccord explores options for UK wealth management business Canadian financial services group working with Fenchurch Advisory on a strategic review of the venture

Scoop: investment firm Canaccord explores potential sale of U.K. wealth business, by @ivanlevingston.bsky.social and Harriet Agnew

www.ft.com/content/5d11...

The EU has joined Bluesky

Marc Rowan emerges as a top contender to be Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary Private equity billionaire is considering job and is set to meet president-elect on Wednesday

Marc Rowan emerges as a top contender to be Donald Trump’s Treasury secretary

www.ft.com/content/cbe0...

Klarna’s US listing is a sad reflection of Europe’s failings Until there is a single market in areas from services to capital markets, more companies will choose American exchanges

Klarna’s US listing is a sad reflection of Europe’s failings to develop a single market - column by @richardmilne.bsky.social here www.ft.com/content/a448...

Nestlé reduces profit outlook and announces $2.8bn cost-cutting drive New chief executive Laurent Freixe to split off European bottled water business

Is a sale of Perrier on tap?

www.ft.com/content/18d2...

Of course.

Permira made bank on its Klarna position. One of the better trades out there->

notable column by GB News/ Spectator owner Paul Marshall on Donald Trump's policies: "What is not to like?" www.ft.com/content/51d8...

Valuations at Elon Musk’s SpaceX and xAI set to soar in new deals Billionaire’s rocket builder plots huge share sale while AI start-up closes in on $5bn funding round

For Elon Musk world, financially, it is time to make hay while the sun shines

www.ft.com/content/342e...

Grubhub founder made $1bn proposals to buy company back from Just Eat Takeaway Revelation comes days after Dutch group announced sale of its US subsidiary for $650mn

The founder of Grubhub says he twice attempted to buy back the business for more than $1bn, days after Just Eat announced a deal to sell at a huge loss for just $650mn

www.ft.com/content/643a...