Pension schemes using the Mobius platform will now be able to access UK-based venture capital through a new fund, designed to support Mansion House objectives.
The platform has added the British Co-Investment fund, managed by Future Planet Capital. This fund focuses on scaling innovative UK businesses, with an emphasis on sectors such as climate, health and technology.
Mobius says it is offering this fund through a unit-linked structure that is operationally efficient, aligned with regulatory expectations and fits within existing pension arrangements. It is hoped this will help schemes boost investment into UK private markets, in line with commitments made under the Mansion House Compact.
This saw the majority of UK workplace pension funds pledge to invest at least 10 per cent of their default assets into private markets by 2030, with half of this in UK assets.
Access to private markets, and venture capital in particular, has historically been limited for many UK pension schemes. Operational complexity, governance constraints and platform limitations have all acted as barriers.
Future Planet Capital has a track record in venture investing, working with leading universities and innovation ecosystems to identify and scale high-potential businesses. The British Co-Investment Fund is designed to channel institutional capital into this opportunity set, supporting both long-term investment outcomes and UK economic growth.
Mobius head of investment solutions Joshun Sandhu says: “Pension schemes are under increasing pressure to diversify portfolios and improve long-term outcomes. At the same time, there is a clear policy direction to support investment into UK growth assets.
“The addition of this fund from Future Planet Capital shows how those objectives can be aligned in a practical way. By making venture capital accessible through our unit-linked life structure, we are helping schemes take meaningful steps into private markets.”
Ed Phillips, managing director at Future Planet Capital adds: “The British Co-Investment Fund is designed to match the ambition of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs with the scale of the UK pension industry.
“Working with Mobius opens a novel, practical and low-friction route for pension schemes and institutional investors to access venture capital and participate in the growth created from the UK’s leading research and innovation ecosystem.”