News

Hostplus’ new commitment to the IP Group Hostplus Innovation Fund adds to its existing A$135 million investment. The growth of the partnership also expands the fund’s mandate to include investment to commercialise world-leading research from IP Group’s Australian university partners.

The broader scope of the mandate recognises the strength of IP Group Australia’s investment model and the significant financial and social potential from backing Australian researchers.

The fund has invested in a number of world-leading companies originating from IP Group’s partner universities, including:

• Canopus Networks from UNSW, which applies machine learning to shape traffic flows in telecommunications networks.

• Oxford Nanopore, the company behind a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology which successfully listed on the London Stock Exchange in October 2021.

• WaveOptics, which designs and manufactures lenses for augmented reality devices and which was sold to Snap, Inc for more than U$0.5bn in 2021.

• MOBILion Systems, a pioneer in fast, efficient, high-resolution instrumentation for biomarker discovery, diagnostics and biotherapeutic drug characterisation.

The companies the fund invests in will impact the world in areas including clean energy, decarbonisation of industrial processes and transportation, medicine and healthcare and quantum computing.

Alistair McCreadie, IP Group Australia Chief Investment Officer said, "Hostplus is a foundational supporter of IP Group Australia, and we are delighted to grow our partnership with the leading institutional investor in Australian deep tech companies.

"The IP Group Hostplus Innovation Fund has delivered top quartile returns, proving the investment opportunity of creating deep tech companies from high-quality scientific research."

"With the recent Federal Government announcement of a A$2 billion investment package to commercialise Australian university research, there is real momentum behind developing the deep tech ecosystem.

"IP Group Australia’s partnership with the Group of Eight universities puts our investment partners and us in an unrivalled position to earn attractive returns."

Hostplus CEO David Elia said "We’re excited to expand our existing investment with IP Group. Hostplus is one of the biggest Australian investors in start-ups and new technologies and we are ensuring our investment portfolio is well positioned to adapt to a lower-carbon future."

"Hostplus is continuing to optimise long-term net investment returns for members, after announcing it will commit to transition its investment portfolio to net zero emissions by 2050, in line with Australia’s commitment to the Paris Agreement."

"As one of Australia’s largest industry superannuation funds, it’s investment partnerships like this that can unlock genuine innovation, finding much-needed solutions to the world’s challenges – all while delivering great investment outcomes to our members."

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Media contact:

Aileen Bodart, Cannings Strategic Communications, +61 432 160 136

Nathan Motton, Principal Consultant, +61 447 771 882

About IP Group

IP Group is a leading intellectual property commercialisation company focused on evolving great ideas from its partner universities into world changing businesses. The Group pioneered a unique approach to developing these ideas and the resulting businesses by providing access to business building expertise, capital, scientific insight, and the supporting infrastructure. In Australia and New Zealand, IP Group works in close partnership with the Go8 Universities and the University of Auckland to identify ground-breaking technologies, rooted in hard science, which have the most promising commercial potential. IP Group, which is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol IPO, has a strong track record of success and its portfolio comprises holdings in early stage to mature businesses across life sciences and technology. https://www.ipgroupanz.com/

About Hostplus

Hostplus is one of the largest Australian investors in start-ups, with more than $2.2 billion committed to venture capital companies. It has nearly 1.4 million members, more than 250,000 employers and $76 billion in funds under management and is excited to support innovation in Australia.