M&G Investments announces it has invested in a new strategy designed to finance innovative intellectual property-backed businesses, primarily in North America. Launched and managed by Aon Advantage Funds LLC, an affiliated registered investment adviser of Aon plc (NYSE: AON ), a leading global professional services firm, the investment vehicle seeks to provide growth companies with access to capital based on the value of and secured by their intellectual property (IP).
The investment and strategic collaboration with Aon Advantage Funds will help develop the firm’s IP-backed investment strategy . The fund offers eligible borrowers access to an emerging asset class that leverages the value of their intellectual property assets and structures capital solutions that can leverage such value.
The $300 million investment has been made by M&G’s Catalyst strategy, which invests in innovative, privately-owned global businesses working to create a more sustainable world. M&G is seeking to participate in unlocking the value of Aon’s proprietary capabilities in the IP space. The strategy will pursue insured first lien IP-backed loans with equity-backed, innovation-led organizations, prioritising opportunities, and in some cases, the potential to help drive a positive impact for society through the application of their IP.
Thierry Masson, M&G Head of Catalyst – Americas, comments: “We are looking forward to helping innovative technology businesses accelerate their development. With Aon’s IP Solutions, which help us understand the value of a business’ intellectual property, and Aon’s insurance brokerage service, we can offer financing solutions as innovative and unique as the technology companies benefiting from this capital.”
Matthew Farrar, Managing Partner and Head of Aon Advantage Funds, LLC, says: “Aon Advantage Funds can help organisations protect and grow their business by matching capital with companies that have transformative technologies, enabling better capital decisions for emerging companies. Working with M&G allows us to help create a more sustainable world by providing non-dilutive capital to innovative companies.”
