AIF Capital Group has received regulatory sales approval for its new special AIF named "Mobilitätsfonds Europa". This domestic fund focuses on investments in so-called mobility hubs located in economically strong metropolitan regions across Europe. The offering is explicitly aimed at semi-professional and professional investors. The fund's investment strategy combines core and core-plus investments with selective value-add potential to generate value.
A target equity volume of 150 million EUR is planned for the fund. The geographical focus includes the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), Scandinavia, Great Britain, the Benelux countries, as well as Western and Southern Europe. The investment strategy centres on parking infrastructure in high-traffic locations with proven high parking demand. These properties should offer the potential to be developed into multifunctional mobility hubs in the long term. The focus is not solely on traditional car parking spaces, but on an expansion to include additional mobility and logistics services.
Characteristics and Development of Mobility Hubs
Mobility hubs are characterised by a wide range of services. These include, for example, bicycle parking spaces, e-charging stations for electric vehicles, sharing services for e-scooters, bicycles and cars, as well as last-mile logistics solutions relevant to online retail. Thomas Häbich, Managing Director of AIF Capital Group, emphasises that demand for parking infrastructure is continuously increasing. He points out that a growing number of cars across the EU is juxtaposed with a decreasing number of public parking spaces in metropolitan areas. Multifunctional mobility hubs are seen in this context as an essential component for reducing traffic congestion and improving the quality of urban living.
According to Mr Häbich, the additional facilities and potential uses of such hubs strengthen the resilience of this asset class. Heiko Szczodrowski, also a Board Member of AIF Capital Group, adds that mobility hubs, particularly at infrastructural nodes, have established themselves as future-proof and crisis-resistant. He believes they offer long-term secure returns and sustainable value stability for investors.
Strategic Classification and Sustainability Aspects
With the "Mobilitätsfonds Europa", AIF Capital Group is expanding its European growth strategy in the parking infrastructure segment. The group's portfolio already includes assets in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Finland. The new fund was approved by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin) as a domestic special AIF. The fund is classified as an Article 8 fund, meaning it integrates environmental and social characteristics into its investment strategy. It can also be categorised as an infrastructure investment.
