John Lewell

Digital commerce services company Magex announced Monday that it has raised $80 million, calling the financing round one of the largest amounts ever raised in private equity funding by a European online venture. Magex said it will use the funds to introduce its services to unspecified global markets during the coming summer. The Magex service […]

Ireland-based travel industry software suppliers Datalex and U.S.-based Sight & Sound Software, the developer of booking engine BookSmart, Monday merged to form a potentially dominant force in the online air travel booking market. The combined companies will be known as Datalex Ltd. with headquarters remaining in Dublin, Ireland, and offices in England, the Netherlands, the […]

Palmtop computer maker Psion Friday made an agreement with Norway’s Opera Software to put the lightweight Opera browser on its range of mobile computers. The addition of the Opera browser to Psion machines means that Britain’s most successful manufacturer of handheld computers can offer secure online m-commerce transactions and full Web content. With 128-bit Secure […]

Software developer I-D Media AG announced Friday that it has agreed with IBM in Germany to work together to create new and highly innovative e-business solutions. I-D Media is the company behind Cycosmos.com, a platform that allows users to create online versions of themselves that are anonymous and untraceable to their real world selves. Said […]

Nortel Networks announced Thursday that is has increased its ownership of joint ventures in Germany and France in a bid to boost its position in building the European high performance Internet. In Germany, Nortel Networks upped its ownership of Nortel Dasa Network Systems GmbH and Co. KG, (Nortel Dasa), its joint venture with DaimlerChrysler Aerospace, […]

BT, AT&T and Microsoft announced Thursday that the three industry majors will cooperate in developing new wireless Internet applications. The new applications will be based on Microsoft’s platform for mobile data services and deployed on BT’s and AT&T’s high-speed mobile data networks. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Saying that applications are key to […]

Yahoo! UK & Ireland has announced a mobile Internet content service, with quick access to mail, finance, news and other information for mobile users. At the same time, Yahoo! has introduced a comprehensive directory about mobile technology and a list of global WAP sites with the launch of its new Yahoo! Mobile service. Access to […]

Recently floated late offers company lastminute.com has hired two managing directors to head its operations in Spain and the Benelux countries. In Spain, lastminute.com has appointed Alfonso Castellano, a former managing director of European travel group TUI. He will work to build relationships with other organizations involved with Spanish tourism and develop lastminute.com’s business in […]

Internet travel agency Travelprice.com has raised an additional FRF115 million ($17 million) for expansion into Spain, Italy, Belgium and Canada. The investment comes from Travelprice.com’s original backers, Apax Partners & Cie, Partech International and BDPME, along with GE Equity, Fiat subsidiary Exor and Spanish bank BBV/A. With the additional funds, Travelprice.com also hopes to consolidate […]

QXL.com plc announced Monday that it plans to acquire Swedish online auctioneer Bidlet AB in a deal worth $530.9 million. QXL.com already has approval to acquire 50.4 per cent of Bidlet’s share capital and will later make a recommended tender offer in Sweden for the outstanding shares and warrants. The deal gives Bidlet shareholders up […]

France Telecom has agreed to pay 3.74 billon euros ($3.6 billion) for a 28.5 per cent stake in MobilCom, a German company with a large share of the market for mobile and fixed telephony services. Prior to France Telecom’s capital injection, MobilCom has been valued at 9.47 billion euros ($9.12 billion). The two companies say […]

Despite shares dipping below the issue price Wednesday, Lycos, Inc. claimed success for its European IPO, saying it raised $649 million on the Neuer Markt in Germany. Immediately following the launch, shares in the joint venture with Bertlesmann dropped to 22.10 euros ($21.50), but later recovered slightly. Like lastminute.com which suffered a much steeper fall […]