Moonfare is a digital investment platform that secures allocations in private equity and venture capital funds that generally have very high minimum investments or are offered only to institutional investors.[1] Moonfare, splits these investments into smaller tranches using feeder fund vehicles, and makes them available to investors at lower minimums.[2] Moonfare has offered funds with minimums of £50,000 in the UK,[3] €50,000 in Europe,[4] and $75,000 in the US[5]
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services: Private Equity (2016–present) |
| Founded | 2016 |
| Founder | Dr. Steffen Pauls |
| Headquarters | Berlin, Germany |
Number of locations | 8 Offices (2023) |
Key people | |
| Services | |
| AUM |  US$3 billion (2024) |
Number of employees | 200 (2023) |
| Website | moonfare |
Moonfare operates in 22 countries[6] from its headquarters in Berlin, Germany and its offices in the UK, USA,[7] Luxembourg, Paris,[8] Zurich,[9] Singapore,[10] and Lisbon. As of November 2022, the business had 200 employees. The company’s investors include Insight Partners, Fidelity International, Vitruvian Partners, Bordier & Cie, ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE’s former chief executive officer Thomas Ebeling, former KKR & Co. partner Henrik Kraft and ex-BC Partners chairman Jens Reidel.[11]
History
editMoonfare was founded in 2016 by Dr. Steffen Pauls, Heinrich von Liechtenstein, and Alexander Argyros.[11]
In 2019 Alexander Argyros withdrew from his operational responsibilities.[12]
In January 2022, Moonfare launched its operation in the US and opened its NY office.[7]
In April 2022, Moonfare launched operations in Singapore.[10]
In October 2022, Moonfare launched operations in Paris[8] and Zurich.[9]
Moonfare reached €500m in assets under management in 2020,[13] €1bn in AuM in 2021,[14] €1.5bn in AuM in March 2022,[15] €2bn in AuM in July 2022,[3] and €3bn in AuM in June 2024.[16]
In September 2023, Marine Eugène joined Moonfare as Chief Commercial Officer.[17]
Funding
edit- In 2019, Moonfare raised a two part Series A round with a combined cash raise of $28m.[11]
- In March 2021, Fidelity International, a $706bn asset manager, bought a minority stake in Moonfare in a Series B financing round.[18]
- In November 2021, Moonfare raised another $125M (approximately €105m) round in a Series C financing round led by Insight Partners and with participation of earlier investor Fidelity International.[19]
- In March 2022, €35m were invested led by London-based Vitruvian Partners.[20]
- In February 2023, Moonfare raised $15m in its Series C extension round.[19]
Partnerships
edit- In June 2020, German bank Berenberg partnered with Moonfare to launch a private equity fund offering for its private clients.[9]
- In March 2021, Fidelity International formed an exclusive distribution pact with Moonfare, with an agreement focusing on institutional and wholesale clients.[21]
- In July 2021 German liability umbrella provider Fondsdepot Bank began a partnership with Moonfare.[22]
- In December 2021, private banking house Bordier & Cie entered into a partnership with Moonfare to boost the private equity offering for its private clients.[23]
- In March 2022, investment and deposit marketplace Raisin DS partnered with Moonfare to add private equity as an asset class to its platform.[24]
- Lexington Partners, with $52bn in committed capital, participates as a buyer of stakes in Moonfare funds, providing Moonfare fund investors with liquidity potential twice each year.[25]
References
edit- ^ Espinoza, Javier (2 September 2019). "Private equity funds target the wealthy as the hunt for yield intensifies". Financial Times.
- ^ "Stellar Approach from Moonfare: Democratising and Digitalising the Private Equity Industry for All". Capital Finance International. 21 July 2020.
- ^ a b Oliver, Joshua (7 July 2022). "Private equity platform doubles assets under management". Financial Times.
- ^ Burger, Dani (16 June 2022). "Moonfare Investment Director on Private Equity Access". Bloomberg.
- ^ Darbyshire, Madison (19 September 2022). "Fund managers pitch 'alts' to retail investors as institutions max out". Financial Times.
- ^ Lau, Carly (28 September 2022). "Moonfare to enter India in digital PE platform's latest expansion". Asian Private Banker.
- ^ a b Burroughs, Callum (26 January 2022). "Moonfare, a startup that lets high-net-worth individuals invest in private-equity funds, is launching in the US". Business Insider.
- ^ a b "Capital-investissement : Moonfare ouvre un bureau à Paris". Le Figaro. 11 October 2022.
- ^ a b c Horfsfall, Fergus (4 July 2022). "Private markets firm opens Swiss office to target wealth managers". Citywire.
- ^ a b Chan, Cathy (28 April 2022). "PE Firm Moonfare Picks Singapore Over Hong Kong as Asia Hub". Bloomberg.
- ^ a b c Syed, Sarah (12 April 2019). "Startup Moonfare Raises $28 Million to Help Wealthy Invest in Private Equity Funds". Bloomberg.
- ^ Schlenk, Caspar Tobias (19 December 2019). "Former N26 product manager joins Moonfare". Finance FWD.
- ^ Brandes, Wolf (15 March 2021). "Finanzdienstleister geben Zugang zu Privatanlagen". Börsen-Zeitung.
- ^ Tattersall, Michael (3 November 2021). "Moonfare's $125M raise underscores appeal of private markets to individual investors". Insider Intelligence.
- ^ Dowd, Kevin (26 January 2022). "Move Over, Merrill: A KKR Alum's Startup Gives Wealthy Investors Direct Online Access To PE Funds On The Cheap". Forbes.
- ^ Heath, Ian (6 June 2024). "Moonfare hits €3bn AUM mark for first time". CityWire.
- ^ Sidhika, Anika (11 September 2023). "Moonfare names a chief commercial officer". Private Banker International.
- ^ Agnew, Harriet (20 June 2022). "Traditional asset managers race to expand private investment alternatives". Financial Times.
- ^ a b Burroughs, Callum (8 February 2023). "Check out the 11-slide pitch deck Moonfare, a startup that lets high-net-worth individuals invest in private equity funds, used to raise a $15 million extension". Business Insider.
- ^ Robertson, Benjamin (28 March 2022). "Private Equity Platform Moonfare Gets Backing From Vitruvian". Bloomberg Law.
- ^ Ricketts, David (11 March 2021). "Fidelity partners with Berlin fintech for private markets push". Financial News.
- ^ Schrader, Jan (5 November 2021). "Ebase-Eignerin FNZ erwirbt Fondsdepot Bank". Börsen-Zeitung.
- ^ Ruche, Sébastien (9 December 2021). "Ces plateformes qui démocratisent l'accès au private equity". Le Temps.
- ^ Barth, Ulrike (23 March 2022). "Raisin macht jetzt auch in Private Equity". Finanz Business.
- ^ Förster, Jan-Henrik (26 January 2021). "Private Equity Startup Enlists Lexington to Draw Wealthy Clients" (PDF). Bloomberg.