Private equity firm Peak XV-backed Neo Asset Management on Tuesday announced closure of its maiden category-II special credit opportunities fund, raising Rs 2,575 crore ($308.2 million).
The fund has received response from high net-worth individuals (HNIs) and multi-family offices. This helps Neo Asset’s goal to become a prominent alternative asset manager focusing on investments across private credit and real assets, said the company.
The Neo Special Credit Opportunities Fund is aimed at providing customized credit to companies with operating profitability that cannot avail financing by traditional channels. In 15 months of existence, the fund has made 12 investments and seen two successful exits.
All investments are fully collateralized, acting as a second layer of defence, in addition to operating cashflows. The fund aims to deliver a gross 22-24% internal rate of return to investors.
Nitin Jain, founder and chairman of Neo Wealth & Asset Management said, “As India progresses towards becoming the world’s third largest economy, private credit will play a pivotal role in meeting the industry's patient and flexible capital requirements.”
Globally, private credit as an asset class is growing at 15-18% per annum. Similarly, the Indian private credit industry has presented itself as a superior risk-adjusted asset class, delivering regular income to clients with significant downside protection.
To be sure, private pools of capital like this fund provide patient and flexible capital to small and mid-sized companies for growth, refinancing situations, and bridge-to-equity events.
Neo Asset Management is the asset management arm of Neo Wealth & Asset Management, providing credit and regular income solutions across various asset classes - Private Credit, Real Assets and Core Credit.
Recently, Neo raised $35 million as growth capital from Peak XV Partners (erstwhile Sequoia India). It advises more than 1,500 clients commanding over Rs 6,000 crore of AUM.
Last week, Neo Asset Management onboarded former True North executive Rubin Chheda as managing director to lead the firm's special situations credit strategy.