Vinge has advised Vostok New Ventures Ltd (”Vostok”) in connection with an investment in the Paris based ride-sharing service Comuto SA (”BlaBlaCar”). Through the investment, Vostok has acquired shares in BlaBlaCar for a value of approximately EUR 40 million. The acquisition was made by an issue in kind where the purchase price for the shares in BlaBlaCar consisted of 6,866,766 newly issued shares in Vostok. The acquisition was approved by the Special General Meeting in Vostok on 5 August 2016 and new Swedish depository receipts for the issued shares are expected to be admitted for trading on Nasdaq Stockholm on 11 August 2016. Following the acquisition, Vostok owns approximately 5.4 % of the shares in BlaBlaCar.
Vostok New Ventures Ltd is an investment company with a special focus on online marketplaces and businesses with strong network effects. As of 31 March 2016, the net asset value of the group was USD 507.59 million. The Swedish depository receipts of Vostok New Ventures are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Mid Cap segment.
Vinge’s team primarily consisted of Jesper Schönbeck, Johan Göthberg, David Andersson, Amanda Knutsson, Nils Fredrik Dehlin and Ludvig Berke.
