By 
This should interest those in Africa investing in blockchain and digital currency.
Alternative Investment Fund Manager Olymp Capital (AIF) has announced the launch of the first European investment fund to cover the entire blockchain and crypto asset ecosystem. The fund managed by Olymp Capital will include blockchain-related Private Equity, Initial Coin Offering (ICO) activity and a fund-of-fund activity centred on crypto hedge funds. The fund accepts investment both in fiat and crypto currencies (e.g. bitcoin, ether).
The Olymp Capital leadership team is led by experts in both traditional finance and in the blockchain ecosystem who have drawn on the best features of traditional venture capital, updated for the world of crypto investment. They include serial technology entrepreneur Christophe de Courson as CEO and Paul Bougnoux, co-founder of leading French corporate finance advisory firm Largillière Finance, as Chairman.
In 2017 the ICO market raised $5.9bn[1] whereas $13.7bn[2] had already been raised by the end of June 2018. But while the ICO market is booming, it is difficult for investors to access the best deals; investors typically hear about an ICO via social or other media when it is already too late to invest. Tellingly in the first six months of 2018, average returns for ICOs stood at -55%[3], but the 5 best ICOs had a +1,100%[4] return.
Olymp Capital’s role is to provide the link between investors and the ICO market to aid discovery of those premium ICO investment propositions. The Olymp network allows the fund managers to identify and screen the best entrepreneurs and companies which are about to launch ICOs in a way that individual crypto investors are unable to match.
Olymp Capital has established privileged partnerships with Fundstrat Global Advisors, the first crypto assets analysis company, based in New York and founded by Thomas Lee, ex-Chief Equity Strategist of J.P. Morgan and with John Bai, ex-Head of Equity Sales Asia & US at Mizuho Securities, and technological research institute SystemX, a French government-backed accelerator focused on digital transformation. These partnerships are supplemented by a worldwide network which Olymp Capital has established, including associates in Luxembourg, Paris, New York, San Francisco, and Singapore, which will enable the fund managers to identify the best opportunities in order to create an international ecosystem by investing in selected ones.
Unlike other funds, which launch an ICO in order to collect crypto-currencies, Olymp’s corporate wallet account allows it to collect payments in cryptocurrencies. This offers a significant advantage in ICO investments and removes the need to convert fiat currency to bitcoin or ether for their investments.
“We have built an international group of advisors, composed of recognized experts in complementary sectors – finance and investment, blockchain and crypto assets, and compliance and regulation – to assist our management team based in Luxembourg,” said Paul Bougnoux, chairman of Olymp Capital. “We believe we have the strongest network within the blockchain space in the EU.”
Christophe de Courson, CEO and co-founder of Olymp Capital commented: “This new fund is the only one in Europe that is able to invest directly in tokens. Investors benefit from a unique deal flow, managed by Olymp Capital and offering a fully diversified portfolio in blockchain and crypto asset accessed via a more cost effective single investment vehicle. With first mover advantage, Olymp Capital is set to be the European leader in investments in the new digital asset class.”
