Despite the market volatility experienced in late 2021, the global alternatives market not only weathered the storm through unprecedented change but was able to show its ability to adapt and prosper in a fast-changing environment.
2022 looks bright and full of new opportunities in the alternative investment landscape. Investors’ appetite for diversification means that AuM is expected to grow from $13.32tn today to $23.21tn in 2026, according to Preqin.
The past year has been marked by the openness to alternative transactions in contrast to 2020’s trend to re-ups affected by the pandemic. In this context, our Private Equity team has been able to adapt to investor demands and has closed one investment and one secondary transaction, attracting new international investors to the platform.
Two new strategies have been launched focused on creating value in the sustainable finance agenda. Alantra’s energy transition fund, Klima, in partnership with Enagás, reached more than €140m of commitments (see page 23). The fund intends to back breakthrough innovations in the energy transition sectors to slow down the pace of climate change. Meanwhile, our solar energy fund invests in solar infrastructure opportunities in Europe with a clear focus on subsidy-free opportunities, permitting the investors to take part in and benefit from this energy revolution.
Last year, the firm continued to deliver superior returns across its different asset classes and provide its investors access to highly specialized direct investment strategies & products.
Alantra continued to deliver superior returns to its investors across its different alternative asset classes. Our Pan-European EQMC Fund achieved a 24.3% net return in 2021, and the Iberian QMC III Fund managed a net return of 16.9%.
Private Debt strategies experienced solid investment activity, closing eight investments and one divestment during the year, out of which six deals were for corporate debt fund Alteralia II, two for real estate debt fund Alteralia RED and one for Special Opportunities. The €132m closing of the real estate debt fund included a diverse group of national and international investors.
Alantra’s Strategic Partnerships also delivered a strong performance in 2021. Access Capital Partners raised €814m in the Access Capital Fund VIII Growth Buyout Europe, which according to Pitchbook is the largest fundraise completed in Europe in fund-of-funds last year.