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Endowus joins forces with HarbourVest Partners to further expand investors’ seamless access to private markets

July 4, 2024

A latest partnership with private markets giant HarbourVest Partners offers clients seamless access to a high-quality evergreen private equity solution, made available in Hong Kong and Singapore for the first time.

HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, 4 JULY 2024 – Endowus has partnered with Boston, Massachusetts headquartered private markets firm HarbourVest Partners (“HarbourVest”) to bring their evergreen solution to Singapore and Hong Kong, and  further enable seamless access to private markets with lower entry minimums for Endowus Private Wealth (EPW) individual and family office clients in these markets.

Endowus Private Wealth has officially launched in Hong Kong to deliver its technology-driven capabilities with the human expertise of its Investment Office and dedicated client advisors, and provide personalised advisory services tailored to meet the unique needs of Professional Investors (PIs), family offices, and institutions in the market.

The HarbourVest evergreen solution is an open-ended private equity structure with an evergreen investment strategy, aimed at providing investors with majority secondary and direct co-investments exposure through a single, compounding investment, introduced for the first time in Hong Kong and Singapore.

HarbourVest, with 14 offices globally, has a more than 40-year track record in private markets and one of the largest and longest-standing investment teams in secondary and direct co-investments. This solution provides access to a pure play private equity strategy, providing investors immediate access to HarbourVest’s robust deal flow with the capability to deploy more than HK$100 billion (SG$17 billion) a year across private equity direct co-investments and secondaries. It leverages HarbourVest’s open architecture and multi-manager approach, with diversified access to quality deals from leading private equity managers.

Secondaries provide diversification across managers and companies along with a lower blind pool risk and dispersion of returns. As a result, secondaries can have an attractive risk-return profile.  On the other hand, co-investments provide investors with more targeted exposure to attractive companies, along with greater transparency and control. Co-investments are also often offered at much lower fees than traditional buyout or venture funds.

In a rapidly changing private markets landscape, an increasing number of investors are considering alternatives to traditional closed-end funds. This solution has the potential to deliver attractive benefits to these investors, and addresses some of the limitations presented by closed-end funds. It is intended to provide ease of access to private equity, through lower entry minimums than may have been traditionally offered; the ability to gain immediate exposure to private equity with no ramp-up period, and without the administrative burden of managing capital calls.

Gregory Van, Co-founder and CEO of Endowus, said, “Endowus is proud to partner with HarbourVest, a global leader in private equity, to offer our EPW client’s access to solutions with enhanced liquidity terms. Offering investors immediate, diversified private equity exposure through an open-end vehicle provides more flexibility than closed-end funds because they have some liquidity with terms allowing investors to periodically redeem units, and generally have lower investment minimums, making it easier for more investors to allocate to private markets — with the added benefit of mitigating a potential J-curve effect on return outcomes. This collaboration underscores our commitment to delivering Best-in-Class investment solutions and our dedication to empowering investors with transparent and trustworthy financial advice.”

Simon Jennings, HarbourVest’s Managing Director and head of private client group in EMEA and APAC, said, “By combining HarbourVest’s deep expertise in private markets with Endowus’ innovative platform and data-driven approach to long-term investing, we can help Endowus Private Wealth clients achieve their financial goals. Private equity offers the opportunity to deliver attractive returns as it has historically outperformed public markets, which is particularly important at a time when private wealth clients, family offices and institutional investors are looking for diversification and liquidity.”

Hemal Mirani, Managing Director of HarbourVest and head of Asia-Pacific, said, “HarbourVest is pleased to partner with Endowus, a leader in digital wealth management in the region. Our presence in Asia dates back to 1984. Over that time, investments in private markets and alternative assets have continued to gain more traction. This collaboration represents a step forward in our shared mission to provide investors with access to diversified private market opportunities.”

Endowus honours its commitment to offering Best-in-Class products by providing access to strategies managed by top-performing global alternative fund managers such as Ares, Carlyle, EQT, KKR, Oaktree, Partners Group, and more. HarbourVest is the latest to join this illustrious list.

About Endowus

Endowus is Asia’s leading independent digital wealth platform. With entities licensed by the Securities & Futures Commission of Hong Kong and Monetary Authority of Singapore, Endowus is the first digital advisor in the region to span personal savings, private wealth and public pension (CPF & SRS in Singapore), helping investors – individuals, family offices, endowments, and institutions – grow their wealth holistically, with conflict-free advice and access to institutional financial solutions at low and fair fees, through a personalised digital wealth experience.

Founded in 2017, Endowus has raised a total of US$95 million in funding from investors including UBS Next, Citi Ventures, MUFG Innovation Partners, EDBI, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Prosus Ventures, Samsung Ventures, SBVA, Singtel Innov8, and Z Venture Capital. Other investors include some of the largest Family Offices in Asia, as well as the founders and employees of Endowus.

Endowus continues to push the boundaries on innovation and democratising access, as it partners with 80+ global fund managers across public markets, private markets, hedge funds and alternatives to provide world-class solutions to its clients at a fair and transparent cost, delivered through Endowus’ fee-only business model. Endowus Private Wealth clients have access to a comprehensive range of expertly curated strategies in private markets and alternatives from firms such as EQT, Carlyle, Partners Group, KKR, Ares, Oaktree, Millennium, Point72, Balyasny, Brevan Howard, Bridgewater, Schonfeld, Hudson Bay, LMR and more.

Endowus’ leadership and growth have been recognised by the industry and it has attained numerous awards including, Singapore’s Best Digital Wealth Management (Asia Asset Management’s Best of the Best Awards 2024), Singapore’s Best Digital Upgrade for enhancements made on the Endowus app (The Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2024), Singapore’s Best Digital Wealth Management Experience (The Asset Triple A Digital Awards 2023), and Best WealthTech Solution 2023 (Asian Private Banker 9th Technology Awards). Endowus is also among the firms named in the World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers 2023, LinkedIn Top Start-ups 2023 and Forbes’ “100 to Watch” list for 2022.

The Endowus Group comprises Endowus’ licensed companies in Hong Kong and Singapore, as well as Hong Kong-based multi family office Carret Private. Endowus Group serves over a hundred thousand clients with content, advice and access. With group assets of over US$6 billion, it is one of the largest independent wealth managers in Asia. From a combination of 100% trailer fees rebates as direct cashback to clients, savings from the access to institutional share class and exclusive funds, Endowus has created more than US$40 million in savings per year for its clients.

For more information, visit www.endowus.com/en-hk. Endowus HK Ltd is for Hong Kong residents only. For Singapore residents, please contact Endowus Singapore Pte Ltd or visit www.endowus.com.

About HarbourVest

HarbourVest is an independent, global private markets firm with over 40 years of experience and more than $125 billion of assets under management as of December 31, 2023. Our interwoven platform provides clients access to global primary funds, secondary transactions, direct co-investments, real assets and infrastructure, and private credit. Our strengths extend across strategies, enabled by our team of more than 1,150 employees, including more than 230 investment professionals across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Across our private markets platform, our team has committed more than $59 billion to newly-formed funds, completed over $53 billion in secondary purchases, and invested over $39 billion in direct operating companies. We partner strategically and plan our offerings innovatively to provide our clients with access, insight, and global opportunities.

For more information, visit https://www.harbourvest.com/.

 For media queries, please contact:
LeadAll Consulting for Endowus
E: [email protected]

Denise Yuen
Public Relations Lead
E: [email protected]
M: +65 9478 7377

Yuri Okutsu
Manager, Marketing Communications, Asia Pacific
E: [email protected]


Disclaimer

HarbourVest Partners, LLC is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This material is solely for informational purposes and should not be viewed as a current or past recommendation or an offer to sell or the solicitation to buy securities or adopt any investment strategy.  The opinions expressed herein represent the current, good faith views of the author(s) at the time of publication, are not definitive investment advice, and should not be relied upon as such. This material has been developed internally and/or obtained from sources believed to be reliable; however, HarbourVest does not guarantee the accuracy, adequacy or completeness of such information. There is no assurance that any events or projections will occur, and outcomes may be significantly different than the opinions shown here.  This information, including any projections concerning financial market performance, is based on current market conditions, which will fluctuate and may be superseded by subsequent market events or for other reasons. The information contained herein must be kept strictly confidential and may not be reproduced or redistributed in any format without the express written approval of HarbourVest.

 Nothing herein should be construed as a solicitation, offer, recommendation, representation of suitability, legal advice, tax advice, or endorsement of any security or investment and should not be relied upon by you in evaluating the merits of investing in HarbourVest funds or in any other investment decision.  

*The solution described above is not available to US investors.

Keep reading

Professional Investor Definition

“Professional Investor” under the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) (the “SFO”) and its subsidiary legislation) means:

(a) any recognised exchange company, recognised clearing house, recognised exchange controller or recognised investor compensation company, or any person authorised to provide automated trading services under section 95(2) of the SFO;

(b) any intermediary, or any other person carrying on the business of the provision of investment services and regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong;

(c) any authorized financial institution, or any bank which is not an authorised financial institution but is regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong;

(d) any insurer authorized under the Insurance Ordinance (Cap. 41 of the Laws of Hong Kong), or any other person carrying on insurance business and regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong;

(e) any scheme which-

(i) is a collective investment scheme authorised under section 104 of the SFO; or

(ii) is similarly constituted under the law of any place outside Hong Kong and, if it is regulated under the law of such place, is permitted to be operated under the law of such place,

or any person by whom any such scheme is operated;

(f) any registered scheme as defined in section 2(1) of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 485 of the Laws of Hong Kong), or its constituent fund as defined in section 2 of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes (General) Regulation (Cap. 485A of the Laws of Hong Kong), or any person who, in relation to any such registered scheme, is an approved trustee or service provider as defined in section 2(1) of that Ordinance or who is an investment manager of any such registered scheme or constituent fund;

(g) any scheme which-

(i) is a registered scheme as defined in section 2(1) of the Occupational Retirement Schemes Ordinance (Cap. 426 of the Laws of Hong Kong); or

(ii) is an offshore scheme as defined in section 2(1) of that Ordinance and, if it is regulated under the law of the place in which it is domiciled, is permitted to be operated under the law of such place,

or any person who, in relation to any such scheme, is an administrator as defined in section 2(1) of that Ordinance;

(h) any government (other than a municipal government authority), any institution which performs the functions of a central bank, or any multilateral agency;

(i) except for the purposes of Schedule 5 to the SFO, any corporation which is-

(i) a wholly owned subsidiary of-

(A) an intermediary, or any other person carrying on the business of the provision of investment services and regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong; or

(B) an authorized financial institution, or any bank which is not an authorised financial institution but is regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong;

(ii) a holding company which holds all the issued share capital of-

(A) an intermediary, or any other person carrying on the business of the provision of investment services and regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong; or

(B) an authorized financial institution, or any bank which is not an authorised financial institution but is regulated under the law of any place outside Hong Kong; or

(iii) any other wholly owned subsidiary of a holding company referred to in subparagraph (ii); or

(j) any person of a class which is prescribed by rules made under section 397 of the SFO for the purposes of this paragraph as within the meaning of this definition for the purposes of the provisions of the SFO, or to the extent that it is prescribed by rules so made as within the meaning of this definition for the purposes of any provision of the SFO.

The first of such classes of additional “professional investor”, under the Securities and Futures (Professional Investor) Rules (Cap. 571D of the Laws of Hong Kong), are:

(k) any trust corporation (registered under Part VIII of the Trustee Ordinance (Cap. 29 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or the equivalent overseas) having been entrusted under the trust or trusts of which it acts as a trustee with total assets of not less than HK$40 million or its equivalent in any foreign currency at the relevant date (see below) or-

(i) as stated in the most recent audited financial statement prepared-

(A) in respect of the trust corporation; and

(B) within 16 months before the relevant date;

(ii) as ascertained by referring to one or more audited financial statements, each being the most recent audited financial statement, prepared-

(A) in respect of the trust or any of the trust; and

(B) within 16 months before the relevant date; or

(iii) as ascertained by referring to one or more custodian (see below) statements issued to the trust corporation-

(A) in respect of the trust or any of the trusts; and

(B) within 12 months before the relevant date;

(l) any individual, either alone or with any of his associates (the spouse or any child) on a joint account, having a portfolio (see below) of not less than HK$8 million or its equivalent in any foreign currency at the relevant date or-

(i) as stated in a certificate issued by an auditor or a certified public accountant of the individual within 12 months before the relevant date; or

(ii)  as ascertained by referring to one or more custodian statements issued to the individual (either alone or with the associate) within 12 months before the relevant date;

(m) any corporation or partnership having-

(i) a portfolio of not less than HK$8 million or its equivalent in any foreign currency; or

(ii) total assets of not less than HK$40 million or its equivalent in any foreign currency, at the relevant date, or as ascertained by referring to-

(iii) the most recent audited financial statement prepared-

(A) in respect of the corporation or partnership (as the case may be); and

(B) within 16 months before the relevant date; or

(iv) one or more custodian statements issued to the corporation or partnership (as the case may be) within 12 months before the relevant date; and

(n) any corporation the sole business of which is to hold investments and which at the relevant date is wholly owned by any one or more of the following persons-

(i) a trust corporation that falls within the description in paragraph (k);

(ii) an individual who, either alone or with any of his or her associates on a joint account, falls within the description in paragraph (k);

(iii) a corporation that falls within the description in paragraph (m);

(iv) a partnership that falls within the description in paragraph (m).

For the purposes of paragraphs (k) to (n) above:

  • “relevant date” means the date on which the advertisement, invitation or document (made in respect of securities or structured products or interests in any collective investment scheme, which is intended to be disposed of only to professional investors), is issued, or possessed for the purposes of issue;
  • “custodian” means (i) a corporation whose principal business is to act as a securities custodian, or (ii) an authorised financial institution under the Banking Ordinance (Cap. 155 of the Laws of Hong Kong); an overseas bank; a corporation licensed under the SFO; or an overseas financial intermediary, whose business includes acting as a custodian; and
  • “portfolio” means a portfolio comprising any of the following (i) securities; (ii) certificates of deposit issued by an authorised financial institution under the Banking Ordinance (Cap, 155 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or an overseas bank; and (iii) except for trust corporations, cash held by a custodian.

Institutional Investor / Accredited Investor Definition

An institutional investor as defined in Section 4A of the SFA and Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018 is:

(a) the Singapore Government;

(b) a statutory board as may be prescribed by regulations made under section 341 of the SFA, as prescribed in the Second Schedule of the Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018;

(c) an entity that is wholly and beneficially owned, whether directly or indirectly, by a central government of a country and whose principal activity is —

(i) to manage its own funds;

(ii) to manage the funds of the central government of that country (which may include the reserves of that central government and any pension or provident fund of that country); or

(iii) to manage the funds (which may include the reserves of that central government and any pension or provident fund of that country) of another entity that is wholly and beneficially owned, whether directly or indirectly, by the central government of that country;

(d) any entity —

(i) that is wholly and beneficially owned, whether directly or indirectly, by the central government of a country; and

(ii) whose funds are managed by an entity mentioned in sub‑paragraph (c);

(e) a bank that is licensed under the Banking Act 1970;

(f) a merchant bank that is licensed under the Banking Act 1970;

(g) a finance company that is licensed under the Finance Companies Act 1967;

(h) a company or co‑operative society that is licensed under the Insurance Act 1966 to carry on insurance business in Singapore;

(i) a company licensed under the Trust Companies Act 2005;

(j) a holder of a capital markets services licence;

(k) an approved exchange;

(l) a recognised market operator;

(m) an approved clearing house;

(n) a recognised clearing house;

(o) a licensed trade repository;

(p) a licensed foreign trade repository;

(q) an approved holding company;

(r) a Depository as defined in section 81SF of the SFA;

(s) a pension fund, or collective investment scheme, whether constituted in Singapore or elsewhere;

(t) a person (other than an individual) who carries on the business of dealing in bonds with accredited investors or expert investors;

(u) a designated market‑maker as defined in paragraph 1 of the Second Schedule to the Securities and Futures (Licensing and Conduct of Business) Regulations;

(v) a headquarters company or Finance and Treasury Centre which carries on a class of business involving fund management, where such business has been approved as a qualifying service in relation to that headquarters company or Finance and Treasury Centre under section 43D(2)(a) or 43E(2)(a) of the Income Tax Act 1947;

(w) a person who undertakes fund management activity (whether in Singapore or elsewhere) on behalf of not more than 30 qualified investors;

(x) a Service Company (as defined in regulation 2 of the Insurance (Lloyd’s Asia Scheme) Regulations) which carries on business as an agent of a member of Lloyd’s;

(y) a corporation the entire share capital of which is owned by an institutional investor or by persons all of whom are institutional investors;

(z) a partnership (other than a limited liability partnership within the meaning of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2005) in which each partner is an institutional investor.

An accredited investor as defined in Section 4A of the SFA and Securities and Futures (Classes of Investors) Regulations 2018 is:

(i)  an individual —

(A) whose net personal assets exceed in value $2 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) or such other amount as the Authority may prescribe in place of the first amount;

(B) whose financial assets (net of any related liabilities) exceed in value $1 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) or such other amount as the Authority may prescribe in place of the first amount, where “financial asset” means —

(BA) a deposit as defined in section 4B of the Banking Act 1970;

(BB) an investment product as defined in section 2(1) of the Financial Advisers Act 2001; or

(BC) any other asset as may be prescribed by regulations made under section 341; or

(C) whose income in the preceding 12 months is not less than $300,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) or such other amount as the Authority may prescribe in place of the first amount;

(ii)  a corporation with net assets exceeding $10 million in value (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) or such other amount as the Authority may prescribe, in place of the first amount, as determined by —

(A) the most recent audited balance sheet of the corporation; or

(B) where the corporation is not required to prepare audited accounts regularly, a balance sheet of the corporation certified by the corporation as giving a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the corporation as of the date of the balance sheet, which date must be within the preceding 12 months;

(iii) A trustee of a trust which all the beneficiaries are accredited investors; or

(iv) A trustee of a trust which the subject matter exceeds S$10 million; or

(v) An entity (other than a corporation) with net assets exceeding S$10 million (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) in value. “Entity” includes an unincorporated association, a partnership and the government of any state, but does not include a trust; or

(vi) A partnership (other than a limited liability partnership) in which every partner is an accredited investor; or

(vii) A corporation which the entire share capital is owned by one or more persons, all of whom are accredited investors.

Continuation solutions encompass a host of transaction types in which a GP secures interim liquidity and/or additional primary capital for their LPs in a strongly performing asset, or set of assets, that the GP will continue to own and control. Specifically, they include continuation funds, new funds created by GPs for the purpose of acquiring the asset(s) that continue to be managed by the same GP and capitalized by one or several secondary buyers, or equity recapitalizations involving a direct equity or structured equity investment into a portfolio company. These transactions can also include a parallel investment from the GP’s latest fund into that same pool of assets (a “cross-fund trade”).