Freshstream is pleased to announce the closing of its first independent fund, raising €762 million. The new fund attracted a range of global investors including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and institutions, as well as a strong contingent of high-net-worth individuals, family offices and private wealth managers, reflecting Freshstream’s investment strategy of partnering with entrepreneurial and founder-led businesses.
The Fund will build on the investment strategy Freshstream developed in its predecessor entity, Bregal Freshstream. It will prioritise its core markets of the Benelux and the UK with a typical investment between €30 million and €100 million, taking controlling stakes in founder-led enterprises and buy-and-build platforms to support these businesses in their value creation objectives. The strategy allows for significant potential co-investments and additional support across the capital structure.
The deployment of the Fund is already well advanced across four portfolio companies: DeterTech, Bella Figura Music, Big Motoring World and Nafinco. Freshstream employs 26 people across its offices in London and Amsterdam, with new hires planned this year across both the origination and operations teams.
Patrick Smulders, Managing Partner, said: “We are delighted with the interest we have received from a broad range of investors to support our first independent fund. Our strategy and unique approach have helped us to consistently identify the most exciting emerging management teams who have been able to accelerate the growth of their businesses with Freshstream’s support. The entrepreneurial mindset runs through both our investor base and our portfolio and is a standout feature of our culture and success.”
“We look forward to forging a long-lasting partnership with all our investors in the days ahead and thank them for their support.”
Rayhan Davis, Chief Investment Officer, said: “Our strategy has proven itself to be resilient and effective during turbulent periods with an uncertain macro-economic climate. We are grateful to our investors for the faith they have placed in us and to our team for their support and hard work in achieving this goal. With our new fund in place, we are looking forward to continuing to build on our partnerships with entrepreneurs to turbocharge their businesses.”
Jolie von Arnim, Head of Investor Relations, said: “It has been a pleasure to establish and foster so many new relationships during our fundraise. We are proud of the fund’s diversified, strategic and high calibre investor base. We look forward to forging a long-lasting partnership with all our investors in the days ahead and thank them for their support.”