New investment fund launched to raise cash for Dutch firms

The three biggest Dutch banks and asset manager Robeco are hoping to raise €1bn from a new investment fund to support small and medium-sized Dutch firms.

The fund is targeting pension funds and insurance companies and will invest in companies with a minimum turnover of at least €25m.

Tougher capital requirements mean banks are now more reluctant to invest in companies, leading to fears that economic recovery is being hampered, the Financieele Dagblad says on Monday.

Firms will be able to apply for investments of between €5m and €25m – a sum which will be matched by either Rabobank, ING or ABN Amro. In order to spread the risk further, the fund will invest in some 80 different companies, the FD says.

Backers of the NL Ondernemingsfonds, which was launched on Monday, are now trying to convince pension funds and insurers to come up with the start capital. Robeco’s Erik van Leeuwen told the FD the fund already has sufficient ‘soft commitments’.

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