International asset manager Robeco has launched a FinTech Equities fund to target listed FinTech companies.
The firm said it will invest in stocks of listed companies, which can benefit from the increasing digitisation of the financial sector, and is available to wholesale/retail investors. Robeco has launched the fund with €3m in seed capital.
Robeco Global FinTech Equities categorises FinTech companies into Today’s winners, which are companies that have competitive advantages thanks to fintech today, Fintech enablers, companies that facilitate the trend towards digitisation, and Challengers, companies that could be the winners in the future.
By investing across these three types of company, the investment firm claims to be diversified to withstand risk.
The fund, which is described as ‘benchmark agnostic’, will be managed by Patrick Lemmens and Jeroen van Oerle.
Lemmens said, “I strongly believe that digital finance will open the way to two billion people who currently don’t manage their financial affairs, and that online payment methods will become mainstream, while cash becomes the exception.
“With the launch of this fund, we enable investors to gain exposure to and profit from the trend of increasing digitization.”
Earlier this month, AXA Strategic Ventures closed its debut fund of funds vehicle on €150m ($175m), which will back ‘FinTech/InsurTech funds, as well as sector-agnostic VC funds globally’, according to AXA Strategic Ventures principal Dominic Maier.
The vehicle will look to make contributions between $5m to $15m, but some deals might be bigger or smaller than this figure. The company has an aim of around 15 funds to back.
Last month, ING launched ING Ventures with a €300m vehicle aimed at FinTech companies. The fund will invest in FinTech companies that have already gained traction in the market, primarily backing businesses.
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