After less than five years, Moonfare has become one of the world’s leading digital private equity investing platforms, its AUM now totalling over €2 billion. The Berlin-based FinTech is disrupting private market investing by opening access to leading private equity funds for qualified investors and their advisors at low minimums (starting at around $125.000).  Moonfare’s rapid growth underlines the rising trend of “Private Equity goes Retail”. This phenomenon continues to gain momentum as investors are looking to alternative assets for portfolio diversification and to benefit from PE’s record returns. Fund managers too are looking to tap into the private capital

The India-based venture capital division of Bertelsmann SE & CO, Bertelsmann India Investments (BII), is looking to invest $500 million in local start-ups, according to a report by DealsStreetAsia. Since its launch in 2013, BII has invested in more than 17 companies in the country, some of which are already unicorns. Its investments include Eruditus, Licious, Shiprocket, Pepperfry, AgroStar, and Lendingkart. BII, which has invested in over 15 companies since launching in 2013, is planning to makes six to eight Series A and mid-stage investments a year with initial values of $5-20 million, rising up to $40 million over time.

Stellus Capital Management (Stellus), a middle market direct lending specialist, has become a signatory to the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). The PRI is recognised as the leading global network for investors who are committed to integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations into both their firm governance and investment decisions.   The PRI acts in the long-term interests of its signatories, the financial markets and economies in which they operate, and ultimately of the environment and society as a whole.  Signatories pledge to incorporate the PRI’s six Principles for Responsible Investment into their investment, due diligence and

Foresight Group (Foresight), a sustainable infrastructure and private equity investment manager, has selected the Eden Project (Eden) as its new sustainability partner. Eden will advise Foresight on enhancing biodiversity across its portfolio with an initial focus on its infrastructure and forestry assets.   The partnership will provide Foresight with a framework for implementing a nature recovery programme and will enable Foresight to further develop its nature recovery statement – anticipated to be released later this year. This will provide a blueprint for Foresight’s assets and will demonstrate how businesses can contribute to nature recovery efforts.   The UK is considered

BGF has led on deals with a total enterprise value (EV) of £450 million in the North West in six months. In the same period, BGF’s North West team has delivered a stand-out run of exits which has seen £150 million of capital returned from £72 million invested. Highlights include: the sale of Liverpool-based Sentric to Swiss music fintech company, Utopia Music; PTSG’s acquisition of NSS; and CurrentBody’s sale to eComplete.     This is in addition to the exit of Kids Planet, having accelerated the nursery group’s rollout from 17 to more than 80 sites during its investment period.