 investment bank Morgan Stanley, the global space industry is expected to generate revenues of around USD 1 trillion by 2040. If Ace Fonder can capture a fraction of this slightly unreal market potential, it's good news for individuals who choose to invest in the Malmö-based company's equity fund, Space Fund, which was launched earlier this year.

- “It's quite a high risk fund, it's not something you should put all your money into. But it's an exciting sector that clearly has a future,” says Magnus Nicklasson, manager of the Space Fund.

 has several years of experience in narrow investment themes; in augmented reality and e-sports. A few years ago, they got in touch with the famous astronaut Christer Fuglesang and discussed a future space fund. Fuglesang took up the idea and is today a partner in the Malmö company where he also works as an advisor alongside Magnus Nicklasson.

- There is no other fund in Sweden or Europe with the same space theme. In the US, however, you can find a few funds with a similar focus,” says Magnus Nicklasson.

 almost exclusively been financed by government capital. But in recent years, the cost of launching things into space has fallen dramatically as technology has developed, with private money now flowing into the space sector.

- It just keeps getting cheaper and cheaper. This also makes it easier for companies that want to work with, for example, the satellite sector, which is the largest area in the space economy, and where we also have the core of our fund. This may involve companies that develop components and satellites, but above all companies that work with satellite data in various ways,” says Magnus Nicklasson, emphasizing the value of the information generated by satellites:

 a number of other areas of activity: extracting solar energy from space, mining minerals from asteroids, and companies developing space infrastructure. This last area ranges from small companies specializing in satellite repairs to large space stations with a cluster of companies involved in the projects.

In addition, the launch industry itself is booming, with billionaire Elon Musk's Spacex rockets being the most famous example of private investment in the space sector. In addition, space-related technologies that are not primarily space-focused, such as artificial intelligence, are bubbling up.

 is 3D printing, which I am exposed to in the fund. This technology allows rockets to be manufactured in a more cost-efficient way. You can also take 3D printers with you to space, where you can manufacture components for satellites and space stations on site, instead of loading the rocket full of spare parts,” says Magnus Nicklasson.

With abundant opportunities comes a host of adventurous companies seeking their fortune in space. In this context, it is easy to be attracted to young companies with interesting but relatively untested business ideas. At the other end of the scale are more established and mature companies with lower risk, but usually with a weaker connection to the space theme.

 are of course interesting, but often their financial situation is not as encouraging. They don't make any money, but burn a lot of money at a fast pace, and often end up in situations where they need even more money, which they then burn just as quickly. Here I have to make a balance where I want to try to have as pure a fund as possible while at the same time not making the risks too high,” says Magnus Nicklasson.

area is space tourism, which some predict will have a booming future. Virgin Galactic, headed by billionaire Richard Branson, is one of the companies that organizes tourist trips to space, and which also has an investment corner in the Space Fund. Otherwise, Magnus Nicklasson has a strong emphasis on investments in the United States, where a majority of the world's listed space companies are located:

- But the balance of power could change if, for example, Europe speeds up the ongoing space race, with many now wanting to explore the moon. After that, the next stage of development awaits with the race to Mars, which will have a crucial impact on the future of humanity.

albert.capuder@hdsydsvenskan.se +46727289108

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New Skåne equity fund invests in space: “The gold of our time”

Ny skånsk aktiefond investerar i rymden: ”Vår tids guld”

When we talk about space as the industry of the future, it's easy to focus on the possibilities of exploring places beyond our own planet. But in reality, it’s just as much – if not more – about how we can utilize space resources here on Earth.

"Most of us aren’t aware of how dependent we are on space and satellite technology in our daily lives. The majority of the space sector today consists of satellites and the essential data they provide. Satellite data is used in everything from GPS navigation to weather forecasts. In the future, we’ll be able to use it to accelerate critical climate work and ensure that the entire world has access to the internet," says Christer Fuglesang, partner at Ace Fonder. Why it’s time to invest in the space sector in 2023

The space industry is currently undergoing a paradigm shift, and growth is happening at rocket speed. According to several analyses, the space sector will grow from a few hundred billion US dollars today to over a trillion US dollars in annual revenue by 2040.

"The landscape is changing drastically, and growth is strong, even though the space sector is already well-established. Privatization of the space sector has made it possible to realize ideas that have existed for a long time but couldn’t be executed due to enormous costs. We are looking at everything from projects that are already market-ready to visionary areas like space tourism, solar energy from space, and asteroid mining." No Competitors

Currently, there are no competitors; Space Fund is the only Swedish fund focusing on space. The fund will primarily invest globally in stocks and stock-related transferable securities issued by companies operating in the space industry and producing goods or services related to the space industry. Buy the fund on Avanza here

"It’s incredibly exciting to be part of this journey as a space expert. I have the opportunity to contribute my expertise from ESA as well as Saab and KTH, where I am a professor and advisor. All the technology we learn from space research can also be applied to future entrepreneurship. In addition to my other commitments, I’m also involved in the company I.S.A.A.C., whose business idea is to help companies apply and integrate space technology in various ways into their operations," says Christer Fuglesang, concluding: "The opportunities for us as a society are endless – just like space. I’m proud that, through Space Fund, we can offer small investors and savers a simple way to invest in humanity's future."

Ace Fonder works with thematic investments. We specialize in investing in three exciting and rapidly growing megatrends: Space, Augmented Reality, and eSports/Gaming. Ace Fonder uses a so-called fund hotel – AIFM Capital AB, meaning that AIFM manages and administers the funds. The responsible fund manager is Magnus Nicklasson. For more information, visit Ace Fonder here

Investing in funds involves risk. The fund’s historical returns are no guarantee of future returns. Your money may increase or decrease in value, and it is not certain that you will get back the entire amount you invested. You are solely responsible for your investment decisions and should always review detailed information before making a decision.

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Invest in Sweden's first space fund

Invest in Sweden's first  space fund

- “In short, investing is about being right about the future,” says Magnus Nicklasson, manager of the MetaSpace Fund:

- 'It sounds simple in theory, but it is enormously difficult in practice. If you want more return than the market in general, you have to do something different. It's a matter of daring to go against the general picture and being right. We believe that the megatrends we have identified will strike with greater force and at an earlier stage than the consensus suggests. If we are right, and these areas are growing strongly, the opportunities for returns are also great, as long as we select sound companies in the sectors.

As part of this effort, Magnus Nicklasson is enlisting the help of prominent experts in the fields. For example, the Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang is on board as an advisor, contributing valuable information about companies in the space sector.

- Christer contributes with extremely useful information, for example when I evaluate services and products provided by companies in the space sector. Having access to someone who can assess these types of issues in a concrete way helps me a lot, says Magnus.

- MetaSpace Fund currently focuses on Augmented Reality, eSports/gaming, space and artificial intelligence. This means that the fund has a very clear focus and can really niche in on the areas that we believe in most, while not being too narrow and there will be a lack of selection of companies, says Magnus.

is relatively unknown to most people, but involves enhancing your reality by adding digital information of various kinds to your field of vision, which you see through your smartphone or a pair of special AR glasses. This can be very helpful in a wide range of fields, from industry to medicine and education.

is the fastest growing area of entertainment, with huge interest among the younger generations, a group whose attention many companies are vying for.

 is projected to be worth more than $1 trillion by 2040, according to a 

 report, and is currently undergoing a paradigm shift. From being driven by state capital, the sector is becoming increasingly market-driven and focused on commercial money. Furthermore, the cost of launching satellites etc. into space is drastically decreasing, increasing accessibility.

is a more general concept, and here the MetaSpace Fund focuses on gaining exposure to AI that benefits the development of the other areas. The technologies have important synergies and AI is, for example, crucial for AR to be able to deploy holograms in a realistic way.

What is important to consider as an investor?

-"When investing in new technologies, there is always a certain amount of speculation and risk involved. Many of the companies are in a development phase and strive to reach profitability. For this reason, I think an equity fund is perfect. You get a broad exposure and good diversification, which lowers the risk,” says Magnus.

Facts about MetaSpace Fund and Ace Fonder:

MetaSpace Fund is available on trading platforms such as Avanza and Nordnet. It is a fund with daily trading and the minimum amount to invest is SEK 100.

Ace Fonder specializes in thematic investments. The responsible fund company is AIFM Capital AB.

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The fund that invests in the future today

Fonden som investerar i framtiden redan idag

- Nicheing a fund towards a sector that we know will grow explosively is gratifying. I am convinced that the AR sector will have significantly stronger growth and thus opportunities for profit and return than the market in general, says Magnus Nicklasson, manager of the Augmented Reality Fund.

Virtual Reality (VR), as it is more commonly known, creates a completely artificial world by putting on VR goggles. Augmented Reality (AR) involves supplementing the real world with digital information of various kinds, such as holograms, numbers or instructions, of which the game Pokémon Go is a famous example. These digital objects are usually viewed through a smartphone or with special AR glasses.

- There is virtually no sector that will not be affected: education, industry, healthcare and logistics are examples of sectors where the use of AR is growing rapidly. The sky is the limit, as there are many situations where digital information can be helpful. For example, a common use case is when a company is assembling complex products. Workers can receive instructions in their field of vision through a pair of AR glasses instead of flipping through a thick manual. It is time efficient while minimizing the number of errors, says Magnus Nicklasson and continues:

-"However, the technology has not really penetrated the consumer market yet. I am convinced that it is only a matter of time before this happens. We need more applications that attract users, a “Killer Case” is really enough. Furthermore, I think 5G will be an important factor, so that we can cope with the technical requirements that AR brings. Once AR glasses for the consumer market are released, it will be a huge boost. I am absolutely convinced that we will all be using AR glasses on a daily basis. Whether this will take two, three or even five years is more uncertain.

- Having a strong belief in the future and going against the market is the winning concept for creating exceptional returns, according to Magnus Nicklasson. A historical example is Apple's iPhone, which was considered a niche and somewhat strange product at first, but after a couple of years had several billion users.

- Looking at society today, there are several exciting areas, which the market agrees with. For example, electric cars are on the rise - everyone agrees that the automotive industry will be electrified in the near future. Therefore, it is not very interesting in the here and now, because everyone agrees on it. AR is a little bit more unknown to the market, although it is considered an interesting area. I believe that AR will hit us earlier and with a greater force than perhaps the market expects and therefore I believe in great opportunities for returns.

Something that is important to consider as an investor?

-"When you invest in new technologies, there is always a certain amount of speculation and risk involved. Many of the companies are in a development phase and strive to reach profitability. For this reason, I think an equity fund is perfect. You get a broad exposure and a good diversification, which lowers the risk,” says Magnus and continues:

-"I also think that Augmented Reality is a perfect theme for a fund. My investment universe is large enough to be able to find exciting and niche companies while not being too large and general. 

Invest in the world's first daily traded fund focused on Augmented Reality (AR) and take part in the next big technology wave

Investera i världens första daglighandlade fond inriktad mot Augmented Reality (AR) och ta del av nästa stora teknologivåg

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Learn more about investing in augmented reality, artificial intelligence, space technology, and eSports and Gaming.