Octopus Investments
Investing in the people, ideas and industries that will change the world
Institutional investment at Octopus
Octopus Investments was where it all began for Octopus Group – we are the first of eight entrepreneurially-minded businesses in the Octopus Group. Octopus Investments manages more than £13.4bn* on behalf of our institutional and retail clients, with more than 70% of these funds targeting investments that tackle climate change, improve people’s quality of life and address inequality. We are much more than a traditional asset manager. We build businesses to transform broken industries and create better outcomes for the customers they serve.
We take extra steps to be more deeply involved and committed to each of our investments. In turn, this gives us the information, knowledge and experience we need to yield better results for our investors and the markets we operate in. Our ability to create value from rapidly changing markets provides our investors with the potential for attractive and stable returns.
Investments
Natural Capital
Octopus Investments natural capital strategy focusses on generating trustworthy carbon credits through our robust investment management and high quality conservation.
Real Estate
At Octopus, we’re committed to reimaging real estate investment. From seeing opportunities to bring institutional capital to emerging or underserved sectors, to our relentless focus on those living in the buildings we finance and manage.
Renewable Energy
Octopus Energy Generation, part of the Octopus Energy, is one of the largest renewable energy investors in Europe
Sustainable Infrastructure
We are investing in sustainable infrastructure, helping drive the transition to net zero.
Ventures
Octopus is home to one of Europe’s largest venture capital teams. We back early stage companies run by the world’s brightest minds.
Insights
Octopus and PIC team up with Elysian Residences to deliver best-in-class retirement village in Henley-on-Thames
Octopus partners with Torwood Care to fund delivery of three purpose-built care homes for the elderly
Supporting our partners to provide the best care
Octopus appoints Head of Spain
Natural capital: a growing priority for responsible investors
In the news
Unpicking the COP29 Article 6 deal: a step forward for global carbon markets?
November 2024
Alex Godfrey, investment director for natural capital at Octopus Investments, welcomed the decisions around Article 6 at COP29 as a “significant step and providing much-needed clarity on how countries will authorise the trade of carbon credits”, “crucial for ensuring transparency and environmental integrity”.
Coverage in Net Zero Investor
Octopus’ head of retirement on “the biggest opportunity in the living sector”
November 2024
An ageing population and a lack of quality housing – two factors that are at the top of the European political agenda are driving growth and new models for retirement living.
Coverage in Green Street News
Economic and political decision-making boost market confidence
October 2024
Ludo Mackenzie, our Co-Head of Real Estate Debt, highlighted the growing confidence among hospitality lenders and investors, pairing it with a measured optimism for future market resilience.
Coverage in Hospitality Investor
Nature Positive Investing
October 2024
NZI Spark! explores opportunities for asset owners with a nature-positive agenda, featuring Michael Toft of Octopus Investments on the role of carbon credits in decarbonisation.
Coverage in Net Zero Investor
Protecting the Ecosystem
October 2024
Natural Capital is a growing focus for institutional investors, with biodiversity risks linked to long-term financial performance. Alex Godfrey highlighted the systemic risks of nature loss to investment portfolios on a recent panel.
Coverage in Portfolio Institutional
Affordable housing key
to social impact for LGPS
funds
September 2024
Social infrastructure plays a key role in the long-term asset allocation of the UK’s local government pension funds, according to a new study by Octopus Investments.
Coverage in Impact Investor
Octopus Investments Spain and Neinor create €200m Spanish retirement rental housing venture
September 2024
Octopus Investments Spain has announced a new European real estate strategy, with its first investment being a €200m partnership with Neinor to develop Spanish retirement rental schemes.
Coverage in IPE Real Assets
Octopus Investments & Treeconomy announce partnership and are awarded funding from the UK Space Agency
September 2024
Unlocking Space for Business is delivered by the UK Space Agency to foster innovation by combining satellite data and services with other data sources and technology, to drive benefits for businesses in both financial services and transport and logistics.
Coverage in Unlock Net Zero
Octopus Investments seeks to build credibility of natural capital market
August 2024
Our CEO of Fund Management Benjamin Davis discusses our Natural Capital Strategy with Ian Lewis at Impact Investor.
Coverage in Impact Investor
Financing for the future: Innovative solutions for net zero affordable housing
August 2024
The UK housing sector faces two urgent tasks: addressing the critical need for affordable housing and significantly reducing its environmental impact.
Coverage in Unlock Net Zero
Future-proofing care: The path to zero-carbon care homes
August 2024
The care home sector in the UK faces a pressing dual challenge: meeting the ever-growing demand for high-quality care for an ageing population while simultaneously reducing its contribution to the nation’s carbon footprint.
Coverage in Unlock Net Zero
Keynote interview: Octopus Investments on natural capital
August 2024
In May this year, Octopus Investments launched its natural capital strategy and recruited Alex Godfrey from Savills to lead it. Sustain spoke to Alex Godfrey about the UK investment manager’s plans.
Coverage in Sustain
Octopus Investments appoints executive vice-chair
July 2024
In the newly-created role Debruyne will focus on creating a scalable and industry-leading investment platform for institutional investors globally in alternative asset classes.
Coverage in Funds Europe
FCA’s anti-greenwashing rules offer ‘much needed guardrails’
May 2024
Alex Godfrey, investment director at Octopus Investments, highlights to Net Zero investor that the FCA’s greenwashing guidelines add the “much-needed guard rails around sustainable investing”.
Coverage in Net Zero Investor
Octopus launches natural capital strategy
May 2024
Octopus Investments has launched a natural capital strategy aiming to generate high-integrity carbon removal credits through conservation and land management.
Coverage in PA Future
Kent-based provider completes 180-home stock transfer with Octopus registered provider
May 2024
Golding Homes has finalised the transfer of 180 affordable homes to NewArch Homes, a registered provider of social housing managed by Octopus.
Coverage in Inside Housing
Why we need to talk about carbon offsetting
May 2024
Reducing carbon emissions is key to addressing climate change, but decarbonisation alone can’t solve the problem. That’s why we need to talk about carbon offsetting, says Octopus Investments.
Coverage in Funds Europe
Octopus creates natural capital strategy led by Godfrey
May 2024
Octopus Investments has launched a new nature-based strategy for carbon removal credits, led by recently appointed investment director Alex Godfrey.
Coverage in IPE Real Assets
Investing in affordable housing: an opportunity to level up the UK
April 2024
Jack Burnham, Head of Affordable Housing at Octopus Investments, writes that housing is referenced over 150 times in the UK Government’s levelling-up whitepaper, standing tall as a critical piece of the puzzle in tackling regional inequality.
Coverage in Institutional Asset Manager
Octopus appoints Head of UK Institutional Distribution
April 2024
Sian joins from BlackRock, where she spent more than six years fundraising for the group’s Alternatives platform, most recently as a Director in the Multi-Alternatives Product Strategy Team.
Coverage in Pensions & Investments
Octopus funds development of new PBSA in London
March 2024
UK real estate investor and lender Octopus has provided a loan to facilitate the purchase of land for a new purpose-built student accommodation development in London.
Coverage in Property EU
Octopus and Acacia expand senior living portfolio with £35m investment
February 2024
Octopus is investing £35m, on behalf of its UK care homes strategy, to finance three elderly care homes as part of a partnership with operator Acacia Care. The homes, located across sites in Leicestershire and Norfolk, will provide over 200 beds to Octopus’ portfolio of more than 100 homes.
Coverage in IPE Real Assets
Octopus draws in Big Society Capital investment for UK affordable housing
February 2024
Octopus Investments, a UK-based investment manager, has raised a further £10m for its Affordable Housing Strategy from social impact investor Big Society Capital (BSC), which follows an initial £50m capital raise back in December.
Coverage in Impact Investor
The challenge ahead
January 2024
With so many changes to prepare for in the year ahead, Pensions Age asks Jonathan Digges, Chief Investment Officer at Octopus Investments: What do you think will be the biggest challenge for the industry in 2024?
Coverage in Pensions Age
Multiple Keys Needed to Unlock Social Impact
January 2024
Octopus Investments’ Jack Burnham, Head of Affordable Housing, and Mike Toft, Head of Care Homes, shed light on the UK’s significant funding gap in social infrastructure, and the role institutional investors like pension funds can play in bridging the gap.
Coverage in ESG Investor
Octopus holds first close for UK affordable homes strategy
December 2023
Octopus Investments, part of Octopus Group, has held a £50m first close of its affordable housing strategy, set up to accelerate the UK’s much needed delivery of good quality and affordable homes.
Coverage in Property EU
Affordable Homes, Family Businesses and Investment
October 2023
Jack Burnham, Head of Affordable Housing at Octopus Real Estate, is joined by Helen Keenan, Chief Executive of Grosvenor Hart Homes, in a recent podcast to discuss some of the challenges and possible solutions in the affordable housing market.
Podcast on Family Capital
New funding solution needed for UK affordable housing
September 2023
The UK affordable housing sector offers an opportunity for investors to close a funding gap, a new report by Octopus Real Estate says.
Coverage in Sustain
Deep Tech – What you need to know and why the sector is increasingly attracting family offices
August 2023
In Family Capital’s latest podcast episode, deep tech specialist Zoe Reich from Octopus Ventures highlights two promising deep tech businesses addressing water scarcity and biodegradable plastics.
Podcast on Family Capital
UK venture capital: spinning out for success
July/August 2023
Academic research produces excellent technology and medical firms, but the funding is not always available to take things further.
Coverage in IPE
The road to zero-emission transport in the UK
July 2023
The transition to electric is most welcome – but in the UK, there is a major hurdle: infrastructure, says Lukasz Michalak at Octopus Investments.
Coverage in Funds Europe
What’s New In Investments, Funds? – Pacific Asset Management, BNP Paribas, Others
June 2023
The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relative to wealth advisors and their clients.
Coverage in Wealth Briefing
Octopus Investments launches deep tech strategy
June 2023
Octopus Investments has launched a deep tech venture capital strategy that will back pre-seed startups in the UK and Europe.
Coverage in UK Tech News
People Moves 23 June: Who is hiring who within the industry?
June 2023
An overview of this week’s most important hires and departures within the net zero investment community.
Coverage in Net Zero Investor
Electric cars: Investment boost for charging network firm Weev
May 2023
An investment company has bought a significant stake in Weev, a firm which is developing an electric car charging network in Northern Ireland.
Coverage in BBC News
£50m investment will see thousands more electric vehicle charging points across Northern Ireland
May 2023
Electric vehicle charge point operator Weev has received £ 50 million worth of funding for its plans to address the shortage of charging infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
Coverage in ITV News
Australia’s hydrogen potential and what it means for Asia
May 2023
Octopus Investments CIO Jonathan Digges sits down in the studio with ESG Clarity to discuss Australia’s hydrogen potential and how this can benefit Japan and Korea.
Coverage in ESG Clarity
Invest with care
March 2023
Social care investment has a troubled track record, but more sustainable models are now meeting strong appetite from asset owners.
Coverage in ESG Investor
Octopus Investments launches UK Affordable Housing strategy for institutional investors
January 2023
Octopus Investments has announced it has launched an Affordable Housing strategy for institutional investors, to accelerate the delivery of genuinely affordable homes in the UK.
Coverage in Institutional Asset Manager
Real estate investor outlines £300m affordable housing strategy
January 2023
Real estate giant Octopus Real Estate has launched an affordable housing strategy for institutional investors with a target of £300m in commitments throughout the year.
Coverage in Inside Housing
Proud to be a B Corp
We’re thrilled to be one of the UK’s first financial services companies to meet the strict criteria to become a B Corp. To gain B Corp certification, a company needs to meet high standards and prove it has a positive impact not just on its workers and customers, but also on the wider community and environment.
We are fully committed to Responsible Investment:
It’s key to who we are and how we invest. We make bold commitments with transparent reporting.
* Source: Octopus as at 30 June 2024
Funds Under Management data includes undrawn commitments, funds under advisory mandates and funds monitored. It also includes funds under the management of Octopus Renewables Limited.