AdviserVoiceventure capital Archives - AdviserVoice https://www.adviservoice.com.au/tag/venture-capital/ Financial planner information & financial planner education/CPD - AdviserVoice Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:30:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 Blue Sky reveals its Alternatives Access Fund allocations https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/08/blue-sky-reveals-alternatives-access-fund-allocations/ https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/08/blue-sky-reveals-alternatives-access-fund-allocations/#respond Thu, 14 Aug 2014 21:50:20 +0000 https://adviservoice.com.au/?p=32142 Alexander McNab

Alexander McNab

Blue Sky Alternative Investments Limited (Blue Sky) has allocated nearly 70 per cent of the $60 million raised for its Alternatives Access Fund (ASX: BAF) into alternative assets – including private equity and venture capital, water and agriculture, a hedge fund and private real estate. The Listed Investment Company (LIC) is Australia’s only listed diversified alternatives investment vehicle.

Blue Sky’s Chief Investment Officer Alexander McNab said a quarter of the Listed Investment Company (LIC) capital had been deployed to the Blue Sky Water Fund, which invests in water entitlements and returned 15.58 per cent for the financial year ending 30 June 2014[1].

“This decision was based on our long-held conviction that structural drivers in the marketplace will increase demand for water as a scarce commodity. Water has a low correlation to listed equities and, alongside our hedge fund, it is the most liquid asset in the portfolio,” Mr McNab said.

Nearly 13 per cent was invested in Blue Sky Investment Science IS 16Q hedge fund, which has returned 15.02 per cent per annum since inception in 2007.

“This provides a good balance with the private equity, venture capital and private real estate investments, which traditionally see higher returns but have low liquidity and a higher degree of correlation to the business cycle,” Mr McNab said.

Blue Sky Private Equity and Venture Capital funds have returned 16.3 per cent net of fees since inception as at 31 March 2014, while the Private Real Estate division has returned 16.7 per cent net of fees since inception to investors in its funds as at 31 March 2014.

Alternatives are the fastest growing asset class in Australia, increasing from five per cent of all investments in 1997 to 17 per cent at March 2014. Over the last 12 months alone, allocations to alternatives have grown 27 per cent[2].

“The Alternatives Access Fund is a unique opportunity for Australian investors to diversify their portfolios in line with global trends,” Mr McNab said.

Nearly a third (31%) of the Listed Investment Company’s (LIC) capital is yet to be committed. Mr McNab indicated that it was likely to be used to proportionately increase the allocation to private equity and real estate asset classes as opportunities arise.

“There is a growing appetite for alternatives in Australia, and in fact globally. The Blue Sky Alternatives Access Fund gives financial planning, private wealth, SMSF and retail investors the ability to invest in alternative assets through an ASX-listed structure that is more readily accessible and liquid than many alternative assets,” Mr McNab said.

The Listed Investment Company’s (LIC) allocation breakdown is as follows:

  • $15 million in the Blue Sky Water Fund, investing in a diversified portfolio of agricultural water entitlements.
  • $7.5 million in Blue Sky Investment Science’s high-performing IS 16Q quantitatively-driven hedge fund. The IS16Q fund operates in highly liquid equity, commodity, fixed income and currency markets.
  • $4.4 million in the new Blue Sky Agriculture Fund investing in farmland and ground water.
  • $4 million in private equity to Foundation Early Learning to fund the acquisition of 15 childcare centres.
  • $4 million in Blue Sky Venture Capital’s newly launched VC2014 fund to capitalise on Australia’s underpenetrated VC asset class.
  • $2 million in private equity to artisan and specialty bread manufacturer Wild Breads to fund growth.
  • $2 million across two of Blue Sky Private Real Estate’s residential developments in up and coming inner-city Brisbane suburbs.

———

[1] Gross of tax and performance fees

[2] Rainmaker Roundup – March 2014 (Edition 66)

]]> Alexander McNab

Alexander McNab

Blue Sky Alternative Investments Limited (Blue Sky) has allocated nearly 70 per cent of the $60 million raised for its Alternatives Access Fund (ASX: BAF) into alternative assets – including private equity and venture capital, water and agriculture, a hedge fund and private real estate. The Listed Investment Company (LIC) is Australia’s only listed diversified alternatives investment vehicle.

Blue Sky’s Chief Investment Officer Alexander McNab said a quarter of the Listed Investment Company (LIC) capital had been deployed to the Blue Sky Water Fund, which invests in water entitlements and returned 15.58 per cent for the financial year ending 30 June 2014[1].

“This decision was based on our long-held conviction that structural drivers in the marketplace will increase demand for water as a scarce commodity. Water has a low correlation to listed equities and, alongside our hedge fund, it is the most liquid asset in the portfolio,” Mr McNab said.

Nearly 13 per cent was invested in Blue Sky Investment Science IS 16Q hedge fund, which has returned 15.02 per cent per annum since inception in 2007.

“This provides a good balance with the private equity, venture capital and private real estate investments, which traditionally see higher returns but have low liquidity and a higher degree of correlation to the business cycle,” Mr McNab said.

Blue Sky Private Equity and Venture Capital funds have returned 16.3 per cent net of fees since inception as at 31 March 2014, while the Private Real Estate division has returned 16.7 per cent net of fees since inception to investors in its funds as at 31 March 2014.

Alternatives are the fastest growing asset class in Australia, increasing from five per cent of all investments in 1997 to 17 per cent at March 2014. Over the last 12 months alone, allocations to alternatives have grown 27 per cent[2].

“The Alternatives Access Fund is a unique opportunity for Australian investors to diversify their portfolios in line with global trends,” Mr McNab said.

Nearly a third (31%) of the Listed Investment Company’s (LIC) capital is yet to be committed. Mr McNab indicated that it was likely to be used to proportionately increase the allocation to private equity and real estate asset classes as opportunities arise.

“There is a growing appetite for alternatives in Australia, and in fact globally. The Blue Sky Alternatives Access Fund gives financial planning, private wealth, SMSF and retail investors the ability to invest in alternative assets through an ASX-listed structure that is more readily accessible and liquid than many alternative assets,” Mr McNab said.

The Listed Investment Company’s (LIC) allocation breakdown is as follows:

  • $15 million in the Blue Sky Water Fund, investing in a diversified portfolio of agricultural water entitlements.
  • $7.5 million in Blue Sky Investment Science’s high-performing IS 16Q quantitatively-driven hedge fund. The IS16Q fund operates in highly liquid equity, commodity, fixed income and currency markets.
  • $4.4 million in the new Blue Sky Agriculture Fund investing in farmland and ground water.
  • $4 million in private equity to Foundation Early Learning to fund the acquisition of 15 childcare centres.
  • $4 million in Blue Sky Venture Capital’s newly launched VC2014 fund to capitalise on Australia’s underpenetrated VC asset class.
  • $2 million in private equity to artisan and specialty bread manufacturer Wild Breads to fund growth.
  • $2 million across two of Blue Sky Private Real Estate’s residential developments in up and coming inner-city Brisbane suburbs.

———

[1] Gross of tax and performance fees

[2] Rainmaker Roundup – March 2014 (Edition 66)

The post Blue Sky reveals its Alternatives Access Fund allocations appeared first on AdviserVoice.

]]> https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/08/blue-sky-reveals-alternatives-access-fund-allocations/feed/ 0 OneVentures announces second fund to tap into growing investor appetite for venture capital https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/03/oneventures-announces-second-fund-tap-growing-investor-appetite-venture-capital/ https://www.adviservoice.com.au/2014/03/oneventures-announces-second-fund-tap-growing-investor-appetite-venture-capital/#respond Wed, 26 Mar 2014 20:40:14 +0000 https://adviservoice.com.au/?p=28961 Appointment of fourth OneVentures partner

Australian venture capital firm, OneVentures, yesterday officially launched the OneVentures Innovation and Growth Fund II, seeking to raise $100 million from institutional investors and high net worth individuals over the next 12 months.

The fund will invest in a portfolio of emerging Australian companies with global ambitions across healthcare, education, mobile, media, cloud computing and data, security and privacy, machine learning, sensors and robotics, and food security.

The first OneVentures Innovation Fund, formed as an Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership in 2010, raised $40 million and was supported by $20 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Innovation Investment Fund.

The fund was the first in Australia to tap into a growing trend in the Australian market for high net worth individuals and family offices to diversify their investments towards venture capital filling the gap vacated by institutional investors post-GFC. Since then, OneVentures has closed three co-investment funds securing $30m in additional funding for the portfolio.

“The quality of the portfolio OneVentures has assembled over the past four years is one of the best venture capital portfolios I have seen in Australia,” said Mark Nelson, Executive Chairman of Caledonia and an investor in OneVentures Innovation Fund.

The fund is trading at a premium after only four years and of its eight portfolio companies two are now operating out of Silicon Valley and one out of Boston, reflecting their successful growth into global markets. Smart Sparrow recently closed a $10m financing and Hatchtech over $12.5m for US expansion and US FDA phase three studies respectively.

“OneVentures is demonstrating a capability to do deals of global significance,” said Dr Michelle Deaker, Managing Partner at OneVentures. “Our investors value the technical experience of the partners as well as their proven entrepreneurial and business building experiences in the domestic and international arena. The partners also bring experience and networks of relationships to select highly attractive investment opportunities addressing large global markets, and to manage those investments through to the exit stage.”

Dr Deaker believes there has never been a better time for investors to turn their attention to venture capital. While traditional drivers of the economy such as mining and manufacturing are slowing or moving offshore, innovative technology-based companies hold the key to driving Australian economic growth and many are now succeeding on the global stage.

“While the innovation economy has been building, Australia continues to invest substantial capital in R&D and there has been substantial activity and investment in early stage angel syndicates and incubators. However, there is a dearth of capital available to propel those developing businesses forward with later stage development and expansion capital,” Dr Deaker said.

“This dynamic should create downward pressure on valuations and generate scope for superior returns. We see no reason why Australia’s entrepreneurs, with the assistance of experienced venture capital firms like OneVentures, cannot compete successfully in global markets. For investors, the fund provides an opportunity to truly diversify a portfolio and gives access to emerging businesses with true breakout potential.”

OneVentures today also announced that Dean Hawkins was joining the firm as a partner.

Mr Hawkins has led international businesses at the forefront of TV, media, broadband, apparel and sports industries for the past 18 years, working in UK, Germany, Holland and Switzerland, including 4 years as global CFO and board member of Adidas, based in Germany, during which time Adidas grew its market capitalisation from €1.5b to €8b. Since his return to Australia, he has served as chairman of International News Network Ltd (Hong Kong), and non-executive director Ten Network Holdings, Apparel Group, Leighton Contractors and I-Med Australia.  As chairman of compression garment company, Skins, he oversaw the expansion of the group sales into 30 countries world-wide including a joint venture in China.

Mr Hawkins commenced his career in investment banking with UBS and was chosen by Global Finance Magazine as one of its “Global Corporate Finance Superstars”. He has also led a number of media organisations, collecting Emmy and BAFTA awards along the way.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr Deaker said: “Mr Hawkins complements the skills of the partners and his experience in both high growth and established businesses will be invaluable for our portfolio companies.  Mr Hawkins brings a new dimension to our team with a strong finance, M&A background and international commercial and cross-border experience. The international experience of our team is showing a marked impact on our portfolio performance as they expand into global markets and prepare for exit.”

]]> Appointment of fourth OneVentures partner

Australian venture capital firm, OneVentures, yesterday officially launched the OneVentures Innovation and Growth Fund II, seeking to raise $100 million from institutional investors and high net worth individuals over the next 12 months.

The fund will invest in a portfolio of emerging Australian companies with global ambitions across healthcare, education, mobile, media, cloud computing and data, security and privacy, machine learning, sensors and robotics, and food security.

The first OneVentures Innovation Fund, formed as an Early Stage Venture Capital Limited Partnership in 2010, raised $40 million and was supported by $20 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Innovation Investment Fund.

The fund was the first in Australia to tap into a growing trend in the Australian market for high net worth individuals and family offices to diversify their investments towards venture capital filling the gap vacated by institutional investors post-GFC. Since then, OneVentures has closed three co-investment funds securing $30m in additional funding for the portfolio.

“The quality of the portfolio OneVentures has assembled over the past four years is one of the best venture capital portfolios I have seen in Australia,” said Mark Nelson, Executive Chairman of Caledonia and an investor in OneVentures Innovation Fund.

The fund is trading at a premium after only four years and of its eight portfolio companies two are now operating out of Silicon Valley and one out of Boston, reflecting their successful growth into global markets. Smart Sparrow recently closed a $10m financing and Hatchtech over $12.5m for US expansion and US FDA phase three studies respectively.

“OneVentures is demonstrating a capability to do deals of global significance,” said Dr Michelle Deaker, Managing Partner at OneVentures. “Our investors value the technical experience of the partners as well as their proven entrepreneurial and business building experiences in the domestic and international arena. The partners also bring experience and networks of relationships to select highly attractive investment opportunities addressing large global markets, and to manage those investments through to the exit stage.”

Dr Deaker believes there has never been a better time for investors to turn their attention to venture capital. While traditional drivers of the economy such as mining and manufacturing are slowing or moving offshore, innovative technology-based companies hold the key to driving Australian economic growth and many are now succeeding on the global stage.

“While the innovation economy has been building, Australia continues to invest substantial capital in R&D and there has been substantial activity and investment in early stage angel syndicates and incubators. However, there is a dearth of capital available to propel those developing businesses forward with later stage development and expansion capital,” Dr Deaker said.

“This dynamic should create downward pressure on valuations and generate scope for superior returns. We see no reason why Australia’s entrepreneurs, with the assistance of experienced venture capital firms like OneVentures, cannot compete successfully in global markets. For investors, the fund provides an opportunity to truly diversify a portfolio and gives access to emerging businesses with true breakout potential.”

OneVentures today also announced that Dean Hawkins was joining the firm as a partner.

Mr Hawkins has led international businesses at the forefront of TV, media, broadband, apparel and sports industries for the past 18 years, working in UK, Germany, Holland and Switzerland, including 4 years as global CFO and board member of Adidas, based in Germany, during which time Adidas grew its market capitalisation from €1.5b to €8b. Since his return to Australia, he has served as chairman of International News Network Ltd (Hong Kong), and non-executive director Ten Network Holdings, Apparel Group, Leighton Contractors and I-Med Australia.  As chairman of compression garment company, Skins, he oversaw the expansion of the group sales into 30 countries world-wide including a joint venture in China.

Mr Hawkins commenced his career in investment banking with UBS and was chosen by Global Finance Magazine as one of its “Global Corporate Finance Superstars”. He has also led a number of media organisations, collecting Emmy and BAFTA awards along the way.

Commenting on the appointment, Dr Deaker said: “Mr Hawkins complements the skills of the partners and his experience in both high growth and established businesses will be invaluable for our portfolio companies.  Mr Hawkins brings a new dimension to our team with a strong finance, M&A background and international commercial and cross-border experience. The international experience of our team is showing a marked impact on our portfolio performance as they expand into global markets and prepare for exit.”

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