KPN Pension Fund increases commitment to ASR Dutch Science Park Fund to € 45 Million

KPN Pension Fund has increased its current commitment of € 15 million to the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund by an additional € 30 million. Advised by Aegon Asset Management, KPN Pension Fund has been a participant in the fund since September 2021. The fund invests in office and laboratory buildings located on science parks in the Netherlands. The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund positively contributes to the Dutch knowledge economy by accommodating companies engaged in research and development within science park ecosystems. In doing so, the fund supports companies working on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Caspar Vlaar, Chair of the Investment Committee at KPN Pension Fund, stated: “Investing with a positive and measurable social and/or environmental impact, alongside a market-rate financial return, is a key component of our investment policy. We aim to allocate 5% of our portfolio to impact investments by the end of 2026. Our long-term investment strategy is focused on providing a good pension for our participants while also making a positive impact on themes such as climate and biodiversity, sustainable technology, and sustainable consumption & production. The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund offers companies office space and R&D facilities to work on these themes.”

Martin Kraaij, Fund Director of the ASR Dutch Science Park Fund, added: “We are pleased with the continued trust of Aegon Asset Management and KPN Pension Fund in our fund. Over the past year, we have acquired several buildings at the Leiden Bio Science Park and the Biotech Campus Delft, doubling our assets under management to € 260 million. We recently acquired an office and laboratory building from dsm-firmenich at the Biotech Campus Delft. In this building scale-ups can work on developing innovative food applications, such as reducing sugar and salt in food products and creating dairy alternatives.”

ASR Dutch Science Park Fund
The development of science parks around leading universities, companies, and knowledge institutions is vital to the Dutch knowledge economy. The ASR Dutch Science Park Fund actively contributes to this by investing in sustainable real estate that meets the housing needs of various companies and institutions located on science parks. In doing so, the fund facilitates technological development and innovation. The fund is recognized as the Global Non-listed Sector Leader in the Technology/Science category of the GRESB benchmark.