Suche
Mein Konto
Schroders launches $600 million fund for AI investments!
Schroders invests $600 million in AI start-ups and venture capital funds. Find out more about current trends.
Schroders launches $600 million fund for AI investments!
Schroders, the British investment bank, has successfully closed a new $600 million fund. This fund aims to invest in venture capital funds, startups as well as secondary markets. The focus is particularly on companies that use the potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI). A few months ago, Schroders closed its first fund of $500 million for early-stage companies in the UK.
Among the companies supported by this first fund are the AI avatar startup Synthesia and the legaltech company Luminance. Their success shows the increasing interest in innovative technology solutions. Schroders' new fund will invest in companies of all stages, sectors and regions to cover the diversity of the AI market.
Strategic realignment towards AI
Steven Yang, head of innovation at Schroders Capital, highlights that interest in venture investments is constantly growing, particularly in sectors with strong technology and innovation. This trend is also reflected in the expanded European VC market, where more activity is being observed. For example, Atomico sold parts of its portfolio, while Hedosophia successfully raised over $200 million for a new secondary fund.
Schroders' decision to increase its focus on AI investments can be interpreted as a strategic response to the growing importance of AI technologies in various industries.
The influence of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence has now evolved from a sci-fi concept to a reality that is shaping various fields, including personalized recommendations and self-driving cars. The dynamics of AI can also be seen in examples such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, which reached one million users in just five days. For comparison, Instagram needed two and a half months, Spotify five months and Facebook ten months for the same number of users.
Investing in AI startups offers investors the opportunity to benefit from this rapid user growth and rising valuations. OpenAI raised an impressive $6.4 billion in October 2024, which catapulted the company to a valuation of $150 billion. Microsoft is one of the well-known investors in OpenAI.
Venture capital as a driver
Venture capital plays a crucial role in financing AI startups. Early-stage investments in this area often offer exceptional returns for investors. In Europe there are a large number of VC firms that specialize in AI. This includes:
- Senovo: Fokus auf Frühphaseninvestitionen in B2B-Software, einschließlich KI.
- Balderton Capital: Investiert in verschiedene KI-Unternehmen.
- Highland Europe: Konzentration auf Wachstumsfinanzierungen für Technologieunternehmen.
- AI Fund: Investiert in KI-Startups aus Europa und Israel.
- Merantix: KI Company Builder mit einem 100 Millionen Euro VC Fonds in Berlin.
Private investors can invest in AI through inVenture, which specifically invests in select VC funds focused on technology-driven startups. These developments indicate a strong trend that opens up new opportunities for both investors and technology companies.