A specialist venture investor has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of 3i Group pulling out of the asset class, having already doubled its money on a portfolio of companies that it bought from the FTSE 100 company last year.

Cipio Partners bought a portfolio of 10 venture investments from the listed UK private equity firm in April 2009 for about €17m and €19m, a person familiar with the situation said. The sale was part of 3i Group's decision in March 2008 to dispose off its legacy venture capital portfolio to allow it to focus resources on growth capital and buyouts.