The past week has played host to some exciting business news across the National Capital region. Below are highlights of the latest regional business news and trends, with a particular focus on mergers and acquisitions – as well as other corporate growth events – in the D.C. area.

This week we look at the 2016 minority business leader award honorees, how D.C. is cutting red tape for smaller venture capital funds, three ways Obama’s budget could help small businesses, and Carlyle’s repurchase of $200 million of its shares.

Here is what happened in regional business news this week:

Denis O’Sullivan discusses Corporate Growth in the Nation’s Capital in 2015 and the Mid-Atlantic Growth Conference
We recently interviewed Denis O’Sullivan, a longstanding member of ACG National Capital and founder of Inflection Point Advisors, about the types of investments and the trends in corporate growth that we’re seeing in the market today and what business leaders can expect at the 2016 ACG Mid-Atlantic Growth Conference. Here is what he had to say…
Read more: https://acgcapitalblog.com/uncategorized/denis-osullivan-discusses-corporate-growth-in-the-nations-capital-in-2015-and-the-mid-atlantic-growth-conference/

Celebrating the 2016 Minority Business Leader Award honoreesThe Washington Business Journal celebrated this year’s class of Minority Business Leader Awards winners at a private dinner reception held at Holland & Knight’s office building in downtown D.C. Thursday. Honorees from previous years were invited to attend as well.
Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/blog/2016/02/celebrating-the-2016-minority-business-leader.html

Carlyle to repurchase $200 million of its share                                                       The Carlyle Group announced a $200 million stock buyback on Wednesday, a first for the company. The move comes after the District-based private equity giant saw its stock drop by half over the past year. “We’re putting our money where our mouth is,” said Carlyle President Glenn Youngkin. “Few people argue with our ability to pick good investments.”
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/carlyle-to-repurchase-200-million-of-its-shares/2016/02/10/cf1d8aaa-d026-11e5-b2bc-988409ee911b_story.html

D.C. cuts red tape for smaller venture capital funds
Smaller venture capital funds in the District will no longer have to follow strict licensing rules meant for financial advisers — a change that proponents say will make D.C. more tech friendly.
Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2016/02/05/d-c-cuts-red-tape-for-smaller-venture-capital.html

3 ways Obama’s otherwise DOA budget could help small businesses
President Barack Obama’s proposed $4.1 trillion budget plan for next year is primarily a political document, setting the agenda for what Americans can expect if Democrats win the 2016 elections. But Obama’s budget plan does offer some proposals for businesses that actually have a chance of being enacted. Here’s a look at three areas.
Read more: http://www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/washingtonbureau/2016/02/3-ways-obamas-otherwise-doa-budget-could-help.html

Md.-based cyber firm picks up $30 million led by Goldman Sachs
The last time Goldman Sachs put an attention-getting chunk of money into a D.C. start-up it worked out pretty well – the firm’s early investment in Applied Predictive Technologies paid off big-time last year when APT sold to Mastercard for $600 million. This time the start-up is a Fulton, Md.-based cybersecurity company called Sonatype. The company is planning to announce Thursday it has raised $30 million from investors led by Goldman’s Principal Strategic Investments Group.
Read more:https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/md-based-cyber-firm-picks-up-30-million-led-by-goldman-sachs/2016/02/03/eebcf1ec-cac8-11e5-ae11-57b6aeab993f_story.html