Cinema Capital Venture Fund, (CCVF) reckoned to be India's first regulated entertainment venture capital fund, is set to be launched shortly. Confirming the development, CCVF senior partner Samir Gupta said: “Yes, we have got Sebi’s approval and will be launching shortly with a corpus of Rs 500-700 crore. We are looking to offer the Indian investor a unique investment opportunity in the fast growing film entertainment sector.” CCVF will be a close-ended fund and will look to invest in a broader spectrum of the entertainment industry and not restrict itself to financing just films. Mr Gupta, who has been producing films and television programmes for the last decade, and five other professionals will manage this fund. Sanjay Bhattacharjee, will be the COO of the fund along with some film producers and senior media professionals. Mr Bhattacharjee, was earlier with UTV and helped set up their film business, while Mr Gupta headed the Indian arm of London-based Fact Based Media and produced the reality show, Lakme Fashion House. […]

IDFC Private Equity Co., India's largest infrastructure-focused private equity firm, plans to more than triple its assets for investments in roads, ports and power in the world's second-fastest-growing major economy. IDFC Private Equity will secure $700 million from overseas investors for a third fund soon, Luis Miranda, chief executive officer, said in an interview in Mumbai. He expects to raise another fund over the next three months for a combined $2 billion in assets. 3i Group Plc, Deutsche Bank AG and Morgan Stanley are increasing alternative investments in India, where private equity firms raised seven times more than for China in the first quarter. Miranda estimates between $15 billion and $20 billion is being raised as the government woos funds to build the airports and power stations needed to sustain economic growth. IDFC has made investments through two private equity funds, the India Development Fund and the IDFC Private Equity Fund II, that collectively manage $630 million. Miranda and his team have screened 900 proposals since starting IDFC's private equity arm in 2002, he said. The group has invested in just 25, he said. […]

The UK-listed private equity group, 3i, has lined up a $500 million (Rs 2,000 crore) equity investment in India for the current financial year. The group is exploring deals in infrastructure, oil and gas, healthcare and power, among others. The company, which till now was buying minority stakes in Indian companies, is now planning buyouts for the first time in the country since 2005. “We may conclude seven to eight deals in this financial year with a minimum investment of $500 million. We will increase the investments if the right opportunity comes up. About half of the investments planned will go to the infrastructure sector,” said Anil Ahuja, the managing director and co-head of 3i's Asian operations. For the buyouts, 3i plans to team up with four banks, including two foreign banks, to raise debt. The banks are likely to finance two-thirds of the investments in 3i's buyouts, Ahuja told Business Standard. […]

India-based Gaja Capital Partners, a private equity firm, has launched Gaja Capital Fund I, which will take equity and equity-related investments in high growth companies whose principal business is in India. Gaja Capital Fund I has a target size of US$200 million and will invest between US$5 million to US$15 million across 10 to 15 deals in the services and manufacturing sectors. The International Finance Corp. is committing up to US$15 million in the fund.(Fin Alternatives) […]

UTI Asset Management Company has raised USD 600 million for private equity investments in infrastructure companies and projects across the country, reports Economic Times. The AMC has raised the money through its subsidiary UTI International, in association with Shinsei Bank and HSH Nordbank. The investments will be made in companies across the market cap spectrum, but the main focus will be on projects like ports and airports. (My Iris) […]