C
Commonfund
Fund of fund · Founded 1971 · Wilton, United States
Who Commonfund is.
- Historical Background
- Commonfund was established in 1971 with a $2.8 million seed grant from the Ford Foundation to provide investment solutions for nonprofit organizations. The firm commenced operations with $72 million in assets from 63 founding college and university endowments, aiming to address lagging investment returns in the higher education sector.
- Source of Capital
- As a private nonprofit organization, Commonfund manages customized investment programs for endowments, foundations, public pension funds, and other mission-driven institutions.
- Allocation Strategy
- The firm's investment activities are focused on outsourced solutions, alternative investment strategies, and private capital. Through its global private capital solutions provider, CF Private Equity, Commonfund offers strategies in private equity, venture capital, and natural resources. The firm is active across global capital markets, investing in both public and private markets.
The funds Commonfund backs.
Commonfund is a limited partner in 68 funds. 11 of them place in the Power Law Investor Ranking; those lead, best-ranked first.
How Commonfund’s fund book is spread.
The 68 funds Commonfund backs, by where the manager is headquartered and how many funds that manager has raised.
Where those managers are based
By fund headquarters.
- North America 4769%
- Europe 1826%
- Rest of world 34%
United States 46 · United Kingdom 9 · France 4 · Germany 2
How established those managers are
Managers grouped by how many funds they have raised — across the 45 of 68 with a fund history on record.
The companies Commonfund backs directly.
Commonfund holds 12 companies directly, separate from the funds it commits to as a limited partner.
Inside Commonfund’s portfolio.
The 12 highest-funded portfolio companies, of 11 tracked.
CeLeGoArVaTeHoKaPaGiViAnWhere Commonfund’s portfolio founders come from.
27 founders across the 12 highest-funded portfolio companies — by current location, university attended, and the companies they worked at before founding. Sourced from the founder records the API links to each portfolio company.
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United States12
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Germany7
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Israel4
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Ireland1
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Netherlands1
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Technical University Munich3
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Tel Aviv University3
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New York University2
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University of California, Berkeley2
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Yale University2
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Aarhus University1
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Arizona State University1
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Charles University1
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Colgate University1
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Comillas Pontifical University1
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Meredith Corporation2
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Popsugar2
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POPSUGAR2
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451 Research1
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Aspen Healthcare1
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Atlas Venture1
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Beltone1
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Cameron Thomson Group1
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Chronicle Books1
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Cisco1
Other LPs.
Other funds of funds in the Power Law LP ranking, closest to Commonfund by combined power-law score — North America first, then the nearest worldwide.
