Tag: Fonds

Climate fund Stadtwerk Winterthur awards grants

The Stadtwerk Winterthur climate fund is awarding 70,000 Swiss francs for environmentally friendly projects this year, according to a press release. The climate fund has been supporting climate protection, energy efficiency and CO2 reduction projects since 2007.

Next Gas GmbH, based in Kloten, will receive a sum of 30,000 Swiss francs. It develops biogas reactors for small and medium-sized farms. This utilises the potential of liquid manure to generate decentralised heat and electricity. The funding will be channelled into a pilot project in which Next Gas’s fermentation process will be tested during ongoing operations.

A pilot project organised by the Soily association will be supported with CHF 20,000. Here, a special compost with an ideal mixture of microorganisms is being tested on farms in the Winterthur region. A test field of 50 square metres will initially be set up for this purpose.

SimpleTrain GmbH, based in Wallisellen, offers an online platform for international train journeys. The expanded platform will also enable bookings for routes that were previously not connected. With the support of Klimafonds Stadtwerk Winterthur, specific routes such as the one from Winterthur to Barcelona via Lyon will be offered. SimpleTrain is also receiving support totalling CHF 20,000 for the project.

The fund is financed in part by voluntary contributions from electricity customers amounting to 2 centimes per kilowatt hour consumed. For an average household of four, this amounts to CHF 8 per month, according to the press release.

July 2025
BLKB Fund Management AG launches sustainable property fund

BLKB Fund Management AG, the Binningen-based subsidiary of Basellandschaftliche Kantonalbank(BLKB), has launched its first sustainable property fund. According to a press release, the BLKB (CH) Sustainable Property Fund will primarily invest in energy-efficient properties in Northwestern Switzerland and the neighbouring regions of Bern, Central Switzerland and Zurich. It is aimed at qualified investors who wish to invest in a high-quality property portfolio with a predominantly residential focus.

The initial issue has a volume of up to CHF 160 million. BLKB also intends to invest in the fund. The proceeds of this issue are to be used to acquire a property portfolio with a market value of CHF 177 million. The portfolio, for which BLKB has already acquired seven of the eight properties in the past two years, consists of energy-efficient properties in good locations. It is characterised by a high proportion of residential properties with a low vacancy rate. Currently, 80 per cent of the property assets in the BLKB (CH) Sustainable Property Fund are located in Northwestern Switzerland.

“The launch of the sustainable property fund with a focus on Northwestern Switzerland is an important milestone. The property sector offers attractive yield opportunities for investors and at the same time has a major impact on energy efficiency, which is particularly relevant for climate neutrality,” Michel Molinari, CEO of BLKB Fund Management AG, is quoted as saying in the press release.

The subscription period is expected to run from 24 June to 23 July 2025 with payment on 30 July 2025.

June 2025
69 million dollars secured for CO2 storage technology

Neustark has secured financing totalling 69 million dollars. According to a press release, the ClimateTech company from Bern was supported by the Decarbonisation Partners financing fund, a partnership between BlackRock and Temasek, with the backing of Blume Equity. UBS initiated debt financing. Existing financiers Siemens Financial Services, Verve Ventures, ACE Ventures and Holcim also participated in the new capital round.

Neustark intends to use the acquired funds to strengthen its position in Europe and gain new markets in America and Asia.

Neustark, a spin-off from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH), has developed a process in which CO2 is converted into limestone, which is bound to the pores and surface of the concrete granulate. The carbonated granulate can then be used in road construction or for the production of recycled concrete. According to the company, Neustark currently operates 19 plants with this technology in Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland. The company aims to store 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air by 2030.

June 2024
Global real estate as a strategic opportunity – new cycle imminent

Despite the challenges posed by interest rate hikes over the past two years, the global property market remains an attractive field for investors. Although there has been a marked correction in property prices internationally, the core market segment is robust and promises attractive returns. The expectation of interest rate cuts, particularly internationally, emphasises this opportunity, especially for investors with a focus on the Swiss market, by offering a chance for improved diversification and higher returns.

The adjustment in property prices combined with a decline in transaction activity has caused valuations to fall in many markets – by up to 30%. Despite these developments, letting profiles remain stable and demand positive, with a few exceptions such as the US office sector. With interest rates expected to fall, we forecast that financing rates will return to below equity yields later this year, with property yields offering attractive spreads over government bonds.

A diversified global property portfolio offers protection against local market downturns and minimises regional risks. Property markets around the world do not move completely in sync, which presents a unique opportunity for investors to optimise their portfolio. In addition, the different duration and phase of property cycles in different markets enables strategic investment and divestment decisions.

Increasing digitalisation and the need for data centres illustrate the importance of a global approach to real estate investment in order to benefit from such emerging trends. The Swiss market alone offers little opportunity to invest in such specialised segments at an institutional level. In addition, the higher liquidity of international markets compared to the Swiss market offers advantages in terms of returns and market adaptability.

Long-term comparisons between the KGAST index for Swiss funds and the international NFI-ODCE index for US funds show a significant outperformance of US property, underlining the benefits of global diversification. In view of the impending interest rate cuts and the potential market turnaround in various international property cycles, investors have a strategically favourable time to benefit from the current market corrections and position themselves for future growth. Investing in global property therefore appears to be a wise decision to expand portfolio diversification, gain access to growth markets and benefit from attractive entry prices.

February 2024
A new force in the Swiss property fund market

The Admicasa Real Estate Fund, which specialises in high-quality properties in prime locations, aims to achieve attractive entry prices, appreciation potential and high cash flow yields. In the current market environment, the fund is thus positioning itself as a promising investment opportunity.

First successful acquisitions
Just one day after its launch, the fund management company, which is supervised by FINMA, succeeded in acquiring three properties in the centre of Yverdon VD for around CHF 25 million. These properties, located directly at Yverdon railway station, comprise almost 3,000 square metres of usable space, ten flats and commercial space with first-class tenants and generate rental income of almost CHF 1.1 million.

Significance of the transaction and future plans
This transaction, which generates a gross yield of 4.3 per cent, underlines the strategic expertise of Admicasa Fund Management. CEO Peter Csoport emphasises the success in difficult market conditions and points to further attractive real estate properties already in the acquisition pipeline.

Network and network effect
Serge Aerne, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Admicasa Group, emphasises the importance of the comprehensive network. This enables the fund to draw on the Admicasa Group’s interdisciplinary expertise and relationships in the areas of construction, capital and pensions, which benefits investors.

December 2023
Neue Immobilienfonds-Initiative in der Schweiz

Die Avobis Invest AG hat kürzlich den Start ihrer ersten eigenen Immobilienfonds-Initiative, den Avobis Real Estate Funds SICAV, angekündigt. Der Fokus dieses Fonds liegt auf dem Erwerb von hochwertigen Wohnimmobilien in der Schweiz, die für langfristig stabile Erträge sorgen. Ein besonderes Augenmerk wird auf neuwertige Immobilien gelegt, die sowohl modernen Bau- als auch Umweltschutzgesetzen entsprechen. Durch diese strenge Auswahl wird gewährleistet, dass in den nächsten 5 bis 10 Jahren keine zusätzlichen Investitionen für die Immobilien anfallen.

Das Hauptziel des Avobis Swiss Residential Fund besteht darin, Immobilien zu erwerben, die jünger als acht Jahre sind oder kürzlich renoviert wurden. Diese Immobilien liegen in wirtschaftlich starken Regionen der Schweiz mit solidem Bevölkerungswachstum und guter Anbindung an den öffentlichen Verkehr. Der Hauptinvestitionsfokus liegt auf Wohngebäuden in den wirtschaftlichen Zentren der Schweiz, ausgenommen Tessin und Genf.

In Bezug auf das Finanzziel plant der Fonds, innerhalb von fünf Jahren ein Volumen von rund CHF 500 Millionen zu erreichen. Mit der starken Unterstützung der Avobis Group AG, die über ein umfangreiches Netzwerk und ein erfahrenes Management-Team verfügt, sind die Chancen hoch, dieses Ziel zu erreichen.

Interessenten sollten beachten, dass die Zeichnungsfrist für den Fonds vom 30. Oktober 2023 bis zum 24. November 2023 läuft. Dabei wird ein Emissionsvolumen von CHF 50 Millionen angestrebt, wobei die Ausschüttungen voraussichtlich mehr als 3% betragen werden. Die Fondsführung obliegt der PvB Pernet von Ballmoos AG, während die Avobis Invest AG das Asset Management und den Vertrieb übernimmt. Als Depotbank wurde die Banque Cantonale Vaudoise ausgewählt.

Es ist zu betonen, dass der Avobis Swiss Residential Fund sich speziell an qualifizierte Anleger in der Schweiz richtet und keine Börsennotierung des Anlagevehikels vorgesehen ist.

October 2023
Ina Invest receives seal of approval for sustainability

The real estate company Ina Invest has been named Sector Leader in the “Diversified” development portfolio class for the entire European region according to the GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) rating system, according to a media release. The rating is awarded once a year to real estate and infrastructure companies, funds and investments with special sustainability performance.

CEO Marc Pointet, quoted in the press release, sees the quality mark as proof of the sustainability strategy. “GRESB Sector Leaders embody the industry’s pioneers on the path to net zero energy consumption.” The success, he says, is due to Ina Invest’s “strong partners”. Implenia, in particular, has contributed to new benchmarks in sustainability with its “integrated real estate and construction services”. Ina Invest is a spin-off of Implenia.

According to the release, the GRESB ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) benchmark has grown to a gross value of more than $8.8 trillion in the current financial year and includes 2084 real estate companies, 687 infrastructure assets and 172 infrastructure funds.

October 2023
Admicasa establishes fund management company and launches its own real estate fund

The management plans to launch another real estate fund by the beginning of 2024. This is aimed at municipalities that are involved in the construction of public facilities such as schools, hospitals and homes and aim to build affordable housing.

With this step, the Admicasa Group is broadening its horizons: Admicasa develops, realises and manages real estate, with the management segment targeting institutional investors in particular. With the fund management segment, Admicasa is now also targeting a wider circle of investors.

Beat Langenbach will take over as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Admicasa Fondsleitung AG. The accomplished entrepreneur is the founder of a successful brokerage company and former Chairman of the Admicasa Group.

Beat Langenbach will be assisted by three high-calibre members of the Board of Directors: Professor Michael Trübestein is head of the Real Estate Management course at the University of Lucerne and holds various directorships in the real estate industry. Thomas Bergmann has many years of experience as an entrepreneur in the real estate industry

In the real estate industry. And Walter Keller brings two decades of experience in the fund industry, including as Head of Custodian Bank at BNP Paribas.

With Peter Csoport, Admicasa was able to gain a proven investment and real estate specialist who will lead the operational business of the fund management as CEO.

The Swiss financial centre now has 53 licensed fund management companies. A majority of these are large banks and insurance companies. The new Admicasa Fondsleitung AG belongs to the exclusive group of medium-sized and independent fund management companies. “Now a broad range of investors can participate in the added value we create in the real estate industry with creative solutions,” says Serge Aerne, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Admicasa Group. “We want to shake up the market.”

October 2023
Holcim invests in venture capital fund Suffolk Technologies

Zug-based building materials company Holcim is investing in venture capital fund Suffolk Technologies, according to a media release. The amount of the investment is not disclosed there. According to media reports, the amount is in the high single-digit millions.

According to its own announcement, Suffolk Technologies now has 110 million dollars at its disposal to support innovative start-ups in the construction industry. Among other things, the focus will be on construction solutions that focus on sustainability or artificial intelligence.

According to Holcim, the company will not only be involved as an investor. The company also wants to offer start-ups access to its technologies and expertise. Holcim’s goal is to drive the sustainable transformation of the industry, for example through low-carbon and circular construction.

Suffolk Technologies is part of the American construction company Suffolk and is based in the US state of Massachusetts.

July 2023
Swiss Life invests in development of JFK Airport

The Zurich-based life insurer Swiss Life is investing in a development project at JFK Airport in New York through its Swiss Life Asset Managers division. According to a media release , Swiss Life Asset Managers has committed itself to a minority stake in the new construction of Terminal One. Together with JLC Infrastructure and other consortium partners, a sum of 9.5 billion dollars will be provided.

An approximately 223,000 square meter "ultramodern" terminal is to be built. It represents an "infrastructure investment with attractive long-term growth potential and fits very well with our fund's investment strategy," said Sinisha Ponzio, Head of Value Add Infrastructure at Swiss Life Asset Managers.

The new investment represents the third investment in the aviation sector for Swiss Life Asset Managers. The insurer sees this as "a vote of confidence in the future of modern aviation". Swiss Life Asset Managers does not expect the aviation industry to slow down. In this context, the airlines' improved capacity utilization, new aircraft orders, technological progress and the construction of modern airport facilities are highlighted.

August 2022
Swiss Life Asset Managers expands real estate funds

Swiss Life Asset Managers has acquired two office properties in Berlin and Antwerp, an industrial property in the Stuttgart area and a residential property in Oldenburg for the real estate fund Swiss Life REF (CH) European Properties . At the same time, an office property in Oxford was sold at a profit.

The assets held in the fund have thus currently reached a level of almost EUR 715 million. In the persistently low interest rate environment, attractive returns can still be achieved with investments in European real estate, writes Swiss Life Asset Managers. The asset manager plans to carry out another capital increase for the fund in autumn of this year.

In the communication, Swiss Life Asset Managers also communicates its own commitment to sustainability. “Environmental, social and governance factors (ESG) are systematically included in the investment and risk management processes at Swiss Life Asset Managers,” writes the company. Last year, the Swiss Life REF (CH) European Properties achieved 72 percent in the Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark and thus received three stars and Green Status, Swiss Life Asset Managers informs. The company signed the United Nations Principles for Sustainable Investment back in 2018.

February 2022
Swiss Prime Site Solutions initiates second issue for funds

Just under two weeks ago, Swiss Prime Site Solutions announced the successful completion of the first issue for its real estate fund. The Swiss Prime Site group company is now preparing the second issue for the Swiss Prime Site Solutions Investment Fund Commercial. It is planned for March 2022 and should bring in around 145 million francs for the fund, the real estate company informed in a corresponding message .

The capital increase will be carried out “while preserving the subscription rights of the existing shareholders”, is further explained in the announcement. The subscription ratio is set at 1:1. Investors who commit to participating before the start of the subscription period or invest a large sum benefit from a discount on the issuing commission. Swiss Prime Site Solutions intends to communicate further details shortly before the capital increase.

The capital generated during the issue is to be used for the further expansion of the real estate fund. After the completion of the first issue, the portfolio of the Swiss Prime Site Solutions Investment Fund Commercial consisted of 13 properties. The focus of the fund is on "commercial real estate in economically good and established locations", explains Swiss Prime Site Solutions.

January 2022
Nova Property purchases for real estate funds

Nova Property Fund Management AG is expanding its Swiss Central City Real Estate Fund. The fund will be expanded by two residential properties and two residential and commercial properties in attractive locations in Zurich, Basel and St.Gallen, the company, which operates as fund management company, informed in a press release . The investment amount mentioned is 43 million francs. The transfer of ownership of the two properties in Zurich took place in mid-December of last year, that of the properties in Basel and St.Gallen on January 3 of this year.

All four properties together had a usable area of 2,400 square meters of living space and 660 square meters of commercial space, explains Nova Property. All properties are fully let and generate target rental income of 1.4 million francs per year. The Swiss Central City Real Estate Fund holds properties in central locations throughout Switzerland.

January 2022
Swiss Central City Real Estate Fund approved by the Swiss Exchange Commission

The SIX Exchange Regulation has approved the Swiss Central City Real Estate fund for listing on the SIX Swiss Exchange . This means that the Zurich-based Nova Property Fund Management AG will be able to trade the real estate fund on the stock exchange from December 13th, according to a media release .

The fund is currently traded over the counter through Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG . In addition, the investment should also be included in the SXI Real Estate Broad and SXI Real Estate Funds Broad indices.

The real estate portfolio currently has a market value of CHF 400 million. The fund management company wants to expand this further by investing the fund’s assets in real estate in central locations across Switzerland.

For this year she is planning a distribution of CHF 2.50 per fund unit. In the coming years it should be increased further through the constant expansion of the property portfolio and the completion of further projects.

November 2021
Immo56 increases investment returns

According to a statement from Procimmo SA , the Immo56 fund managed by the asset manager of collective real estate investments achieved a good result in the financial year ended March 31. Specifically, the return on investment has risen from 5.78 to 7.54 percent year-on-year, it says there. The net asset value per unit rose from CHF 148.30 to CHF 154.00 over the same period.

In the year under review, the fund generated total income of CHF 22.91 million. This was offset by expenses totaling 9.98 million francs. The overall success has increased by 51 percent year-on-year to 23.59 million francs, writes Procimmo.

The fund's rental income in the year under review was CHF 20.20 million, up 5.3 percent on the previous year. At the same time, the rent default rate was reduced from 3.49 to 3.15 percent. The fund's EBIT margin improved from 65.82 to 68.81 percent year-on-year, explains Procimmo. The total net fund assets are stated in the notification at CHF 358.8 million as of the end of March 2021.

July 2021
UBS joins forces with Invesco

UBS and the American Invesco Real Estate have agreed on a cooperation. Together, they offer UBS clients access to Invesco's global real estate mandates. This will make it more efficient for UBS Global Wealth Management's private customers to include this asset class in their portfolios, according to a media release from the major Zurich bank.

The new offer will primarily invest in Invesco's direct real estate strategies, but also in listed real estate stocks, co-investments and direct real estate. With assets under management of 63.3 billion dollars in direct real estate investments and 19.9 billion dollars in listed real estate values, as well as more than 580 real estate professionals worldwide, Invesco is "the only manager with comparable strategies in the USA, Europe and Asia", so UBS.

"This offer was specially structured for UBS and its clients in order to offer them stable and attractive regular income over the long term," said Marty Flanagan, President and CEO of Invesco, quoted in the press release. According to Bruno Marxer, Head of Global Investment Management at UBS, this partnership underscores the bank's commitment to providing its clients with exclusive access to solutions from leading partners.

June 2021
Zurich's real estate fund is now in the top 3

In just two years, Zurich Invest AG has become an important provider of real estate investments, the company writes in a press release . With the capital increase in September and a future total volume of CHF 1.3 billion, your fund “ZIF Immobilien Direkt Schweiz” will become one of the largest unlisted Swiss real estate funds. Zurich Invest Ltd launched the fund in October 2018. The first capital increase took place last year.

The real estate fund's rapid growth is possible "because Zurich , as a global insurer, is one of the most important property owners in Switzerland and has been able to build up a portfolio of attractive buildings over a long period of time," the press release said. The changed range of life insurance companies also accounts for the 80 percent share of first-class real estate in the Zurich fund. Since they now contain fewer guarantee products, less real estate is required to guarantee the obligations. "This is why Zurich has the opportunity to transfer properties in the most desirable locations to a fund."

As it is said, the second capital increase will run for around 340 million francs and will take place on October 21. The subscription period is from September 21st to October 2nd. The new tranche comprises a total of 20 properties. "In addition to their prime location, the buildings are characterized by the fact that we are pursuing the goal of operating them in a CO2-neutral manner in the future," said Martin Gubler, CEO of Zurich Invest AG. The first two tranches of the fund in 2018 and 2019 were heavily oversubscribed. He is "extremely satisfied" with his performance.

September 2020
Decommissioning and disposal funds show profits

The decommissioning and disposal funds ( STENFO ) to be accumulated by the operators of nuclear facilities are intended to cover the costs of decommissioning Swiss nuclear power plants and the disposal of radioactive waste, explains the Federal Council in a communication . At its meeting on September 18, it approved the annual reports of the two funds for the 2019 reporting year. The two funds currently have a total of CHF 8.492 billion. At the end of 2018, the fund amounts had totaled 7.492 billion francs.

The decommissioning fund currently has CHF 2.724 billion available for the decommissioning and demolition of the nuclear facilities and the disposal of the radioactive waste generated. The funds exceeded the target amount of CHF 2.525 billion targeted for the end of 2019 by CHF 198.8 million, writes the Federal Council. A return on investment of 12.26 percent resulted in a profit of CHF 297.9 million in the fund's income statement.

The disposal fund set up for the costs of disposing of radioactive waste showed funds of 5.768 billion Swiss francs at the end of 2019. The fund was thus quoted at 615 million francs above its target amount of 5.153 billion francs, informs the Federal Council. Compared to the end of 2018, a profit of 666.8 million francs was posted. It resulted from a return on investment of 13.09 percent.

September 2020