ABN AMRO Bank NV today announced its strategic partnership with Motive Partners, a leading international specialist private equity firm focusing on venture, growth equity and buyout investments in technology-enabled financial and business services.
The move demonstrates a joint commitment from two sizable financial technology investors to support continued innovation and growth in the evolving fintech landscape. Motive Ventures, the early-stage venture arm of Motive Partners, will manage the ABN AMRO Ventures Fund (AAV), consisting of 15 early-stage companies. In addition, ABN AMRO will become a significant investor in Motive-managed vehicles.
With funding in the financial services industry declining by 70% between 2021 and 2022, and numerous venture capitalists reducing their investment programmes, Motive Partners and ABN AMRO are charting a new course. Their partnership unites two leading venture platforms, each with decades of fintech expertise and a dedication to innovation in both financial services and venture capital. Their goal is to strengthen the fintech sector and boost innovation by bringing Motive Partners’ ecosystem and experts to the AAV portfolio and ABN AMRO’s broader network. Motive Ventures’ portfolio consists of 21 investments in seed and series A stage companies, spanning the United States and Europe. The combined AAV-Motive Ventures portfolio will thus number 36 companies.
The new partnership has been formed on two pillars. First, Motive Ventures will assume the management of AAV with €150 million in assets under management, leveraging Motive Partners’ breadth and depth of expertise. To ensure seamless continuity of AAV’s operations and to strengthen the capabilities at Motive Ventures, Hugo Bongers, Managing Director and Head of ABN AMRO Ventures, and Tim Wanders, Executive Director at ABN AMRO, are joining Motive Ventures as Partner and Principal, respectively.
Second, ABN AMRO will become a significant investor in Motive-managed vehicles. This investment underscores ABN AMRO’s appetite and continued commitment to exploring new frontiers in fintech innovation in partnership with Motive Partners.
Edwin van Bommel, Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer at ABN AMRO commented: “Our collaboration with Motive Ventures is a major milestone for ABN AMRO. We believe that joining forces with a definitive leader in the rapidly evolving fintech landscape will not only drive innovation but also enhance our competitive edge. This partnership will strongly support our strategic ambition of being a personal bank in the digital age for our customers.”
Ramin Niroumand, Partner at Motive Partners and Head of Motive Ventures. commented: “ABN AMRO has long been a leader among financial institutions in European fintech investing. With portfolio companies like Tink and Penta, they have already demonstrated great investments and exits, and a deep understanding of how to deliver strategic value to the global ecosystem. We have already worked together on several co-investments, which is why we are so happy that Hugo and Tim are joining the Motive Ventures team.”
The strategic partnership is expected to close in Q4 2023, with Hugo Bongers and Tim Wanders joining the Motive team before the end of the year.
