Accessing Private Markets: From Barriers to Solutions with iAccess Partners
An iAccess Partners Series: Episode 5/6
In our previous article, we explored the most significant barriers that have historically limited private investor access to Private Markets. This time, we turn from barriers to solutions – through the lens of iAccess Partners.
Through our turnkey Private Markets platform built for private wealth, iAccess Partners lowers entry thresholds, simplifies investment processes, and delivers a seamless route into Private Markets for qualified investors and their financial advisers. In this episode, we show how our solution addresses the traditional pain points identified in our previous article.
Key takeaways: Episode 5/6
1. Low minimum investment, reduced from millions to CHF 10-25k per investment.
2. Rigorous fund selection, tailored for private wealth.
3. Bankable structures (ISIN) - transferable and without capital calls.
4. Simple investment processes and granular performance reporting.
The iAccess Partners approach
At iAccess Partners, we believe Private Markets investments for individuals should meet institutional standards – but without the traditional frictions, hurdles, and complexities. We apply a rigorous selection process to identify leading Private Markets investments – then, we lower investment minimums, simplify investment structures, and streamline operations for private investors. As a result, private investors profit from high return potentials, minimized entry barriers, and increased transparency.
1. Lower minimums, real diversification
Traditional Private Markets funds often require commitments starting at CHF 5 million or more per fund. Achieving proper diversification has historically meant portfolios in the tens or even hundreds of millions – far beyond the reach of the vast majority of private investors.
By pooling investor commitments, iAccess Partners enables qualified investors to access individual Private Markets funds starting at CHF 10-25k per investment – making Private Markets accessible to a broader community beyond the ultra-wealthy.
The smaller entry tickets allow for diversification across managers, strategies, geographies, and vintages with a fraction of the historic capital requirement. For example, an investor who once needed CHF 50 million to build a portfolio of 10 funds can now achieve similar diversification with CHF 100-250k – while still accessing the same fund managers as institutional investors.
2. Rigorous fund selection, built for private wealth
Beyond lowering minimum investment thresholds, selecting globally leading funds is crucial to ensure that private investors can capitalize on the historical overperformance of Private Markets. We apply both quantitative and qualitative criteria to identify leading Private Markets funds with proven track records and a commitment to value creation. Through a three-step selection process (see figure 1), we identify global top-tier fund managers suitable for the private wealth segment.
1 Initial selection – Data & analytics: To build a granular fund data & analytics platform, iAccess Partners is continuously expanding its own Private Markets database - leveraging partnerships with leading Private Markets advisor Hamilton Lane and external placement agents. This ensures access to data on more than 60’000 funds to identify those matching our selection considerations. To identify leading funds, we evaluate a variety of metrics, including fund size (e.g., "how has the fund size grown over time?"), historical returns (e.g., "how has the fund performed historically?"), performance volatility (e.g., "how consistent was the fund’s performance?"), and team turnover (e.g., "how long have key decision makers been part of the fund's team?").
2 Core selection – Expert panels: After an initial pre-selection (phase 1), several dozen shortlisted funds are reviewed by our independent Advisory Board, composed of industry professionals with 20+ years experience each in Private Markets. Within our Advisory Board, we focus on distinct qualitative metrics, including the funds' sector expertise, operational capabilities, alignment of interest within the team, exit track record, strategic focus, and active value creation playbooks.
3 Final Selection – Partner Feedback: As a last step in our fund selection process, about 10 funds are proposed to our key distribution partners for final review. This step ensures the incorporation of market insights from our key clients: We consider specific client demands, internal due diligence topics, and current end investor trends - as well as other factors potentially impacting the funds' distribution (and investment) success.
3. Bankable, transferable investments
Even after the resource-intensive selection of top-tier funds, hurdles when investing in traditional Private Markets funds remain - particularly when it comes to the extensive, often paper-based investment process. To mitigate these complexities, iAccess Partners issues every investment as a bankable security with its own ISIN. To invest in a fund, investors can place an order for the ISIN through their securities account. This not only enables the integration of Private Markets investments into an investor’s existing financial portfolio, but also allows for transfers of investments between accounts, investors, or institutions.
Unlike traditional Private Market funds, our structures are free from capital calls – investors commit their full amount upfront, avoiding the administrative burden and liquidity planning challenges of drawdown structures with capital calls. For those investors who prefer traditional capital call mechanics, these can be arranged upon request. Our bankable, efficient investment structures have been applied to allocations into globally leading Private Markets funds - bringing institutional-grade investment strategies into a familiar, private-wealth-friendly format.
4. A streamlined, fully digital process
Investing in Private Markets should not be slowed down by outdated, paper-heavy processes. By removing friction points, our fully digital investment platform streamlines every step of the investor journey - from investor onboarding to performance reporting. This allows advisers to focus on client relationships and portfolio strategy, while giving investors clear, real-time portfolio visibility.
1 Efficient onboarding: Investors and wealth managers can easily register on the digital platform of iAccess Partners without complex paperwork and in a matter of minutes.
2 Granular fund information: Once on the platform, users receive access to detailed fund profiles, including historical track record, target returns, and key timelines. This thorough investment documentation enables investors and their advisors to make informed investment decisions.
3 Investment process: After a decision to invest into a fund is made, users simply sign the investment contracts on the digital platform and receive the ISIN after completing the process, ready to be purchased through their securities account.
4 Performance reporting: Once invested,iAccess Partners generates detailed performance reporting across four reporting levels (see figure 2). This multi-layered view gives investors and their advisers clarity at every granularity level.
Up next: Building your Private Markets portfolio
As private investor access to Private Markets is simplified through new, innovative solutions, the creation of financial portfolios which include Private Markets is becoming increasingly important. In the final episode of our series, we will look at the crucial role of Private Markets in portfolio construction and how qualified investors can position themselves for the decade ahead.
Market perspective | The right time to invest in Private Equity
Private Equity is no longer a niche — it’s a becoming a core allocation for many investors seeking resilience and long-term returns. In our latest briefing, we break down the key arguments behind today's Private Equity opportunity.
have increased uncertainty for investors. Amid these changing macroeconomic dynamics, the role of Private Equity takes center stage in many investment conversations while playing an increasingly important role in investors’ portfolios. While Private Equity is more illiquid than traditional asset classes, this illiquidity, among other factors, has enabled it to deliver long-term value for investors.
In the short-term, Private Equity activity may ease temporarily
Investor uncertainty has risen due to macroeconomic volatility stemming from US tariff negotiations. In the near-term, this is expected to slightly slow down Private Equity activities:
Initial slow-down in new deals: As business leaders and investors are evaluating recent political changes, new deals may be slightly delayed until there is more confidence in the policy environment.
Temporary decline in exits, particularly IPOs: Large-scale investment exits, particularly IPOs, are expected to be delayed as public markets have experienced substantial declines in the recent weeks.
Momentary push-back of fundraising timelines: Considering the short-term delay in new deals, decline in exits, and large amount of dry powder in the market, fundraising timelines may be pushed back by some funds.
In the medium-to long-term, Private Equity is expected to thrive
The value proposition of Private Equity can be characterized by 3 key levers:
Outperformance versus public equity in the long-term
Lower volatility (diversification benefits) compared to public assets
Vast investment universe, with majority of companies under private ownership
In turbulent times, the advantages of Private Equity have historically become more prominent across all 3 levers.
1. Highest outperformance during volatile times
Private Equity has historically outperformed public assets over time. Moreover, during periods of high uncertainty and corresponding lower performance in public (stock) markets, Private Equity has generated the highest relative returns.
2. Lower volatility amid market turbulence
In times of turbulence, Private Equity has been shown to substantially reduce volatility of financial portfolios and act as a stabilizing asset for many investors, as seen during the 2000 dot-com-bubble (DCB).
As the concentration of public markets increased in recent years (i.e., high dependence on fewer large companies), the diversifying and stabilizing factor of Private Equity has further increased.
3. Larger universe, amplified in public market downturns
Private Equity encompasses the vast majority of our economic universe, with over 85% of larger companies in the US being privately owned. This trend has become more pronounced in recent years as public markets have become increasingly volatile and turbulent: Between 1999 and 2020, companies have stayed private for over 4.5 years longer before going public (if at all).
In short: Why is now the right time to invest in Private Equity?
Opportunity through dislocation
The currently lower valuations represent a substantial buying opportunity for Private Equity.
Dry powder ready to be deployed
Leading Private Equity firms hold record amounts of dry powder – to be deployed as prices have reset.
Reduced sensitivity to trade disruptions
Unlike many public companies, PE-backed firms are typically less exposed to traditional cross-border trade (focus on software, healthcare, services sectors).
Long-term orientation
Private Equity’s long-term focus allows it to actively re-structure firms and hold through short-term noise.
Want to know more about Private Equity or iAccess Partners?
