Unicorn Asset Management
Unicorn Asset Management is an independent UK asset manager founded in 2000, specialising in actively managed UK small and mid-cap equity strategies. It runs OEICs, an AIM VCT, and segregated mandates, distributing exclusively through IFAs and wealth managers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Unicorn Asset Management does
Unicorn Asset Management is an independent UK asset management firm founded in 2000 that specialises in actively managed UK equity strategies, with a bias towards small and mid-cap companies. The firm manages nine investment vehicles organised across three structures: six OEIC funds (UK Income, UK Ethical Income, UK Growth, Outstanding British Companies, UK Smaller Companies, and Mastertrust), a Venture Capital Trust (Unicorn AIM VCT), and segregated mandates, supplemented by AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Services (including a responsible variant). The firm is headquartered at The Charterhouse in London, is FCA-regulated (Reference No. 192164), and employs 1-10 staff led by CEO & Portfolio Manager Chris Hutchinson, with Peter Walls (Trustnet Alpha Manager Hall of Fame) running the Mastertrust fund. The investment approach is explicitly fundamental, bottom-up, and in-house, with multi-year holding periods and a stated preference for quality companies with strong balance sheets, profitability, and cash generation.
The firm generates revenue through annual management charges (AMCs) on assets under management: retail A-share classes are charged 1.5% and institutional B-share classes 0.75%, with O-shares carrying different minimum investment thresholds (e.g., £10,000 for O shares versus £100,000 for B shares). Distribution is exclusively intermediary-led — Unicorn does not accept direct retail investments — and flows through independent financial advisers, wealth managers, and investment platforms such as Trustnet, with LGBR Capital LLP acting as the dedicated client relations partner and Apex FundRock Partners providing OEIC administration. End-customer segments span UK retail investors (via IFAs), professional and institutional clients (family offices, wealth managers), and HNW/high-tax-bracket investors seeking VCT and AIM IHT solutions for income tax and inheritance tax relief.
Recent corporate activity is constructive: in March 2026 the firm completed the largest fundraise in the Unicorn AIM VCT's history at £35m (boosted by a £15m over-allotment) following a record £88m net-proceed exit from portfolio holding Hasgrove Limited; in December 2024 the firm hired Mark Westcott as Director of Strategy & Business Development (with a mandate to expand institutional and global reach) and Cleo Papathanasopoulou (ex-Maven Capital Partners) as Investment Associate; and the firm received Investment Week Investment Company of the Year recognition in 2024. The firm remains privately held with no parent company, operating solely within the United Kingdom.
Unicorn Asset Management firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Unicorn Asset Management
- Legal name
- Unicorn Asset Management Limited
- Website
- https://unicornam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Unicorn Asset Management is an independent UK asset manager founded in 2000, specialising in actively managed UK small and mid-cap equity strategies. It runs OEICs, an AIM VCT, and segregated mandates, distributing exclusively through IFAs and wealth managers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Unicorn Asset Management industry classification
Industry- Product category
- UK Equity Asset Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259), Other Financial Vehicles (525990)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282), Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Endowment / OCIO-Style Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAGAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Large-Cap Equity (Active) (FSAAAIAA), Venture Capital Fund-of-Funds / Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAAAJ), Multi-Asset Mutual Funds & UCITS (Balanced/Allocation Funds) (FSAAAJAA)
Keywords
Where Unicorn Asset Management is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Unicorn Asset Management business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Asset Management Fees: Unicorn generates revenue through annual management charges (AMC) levied on assets under management across its OEIC, VCT, and segregated account structures. Fee rates vary by share class and fund type, with retail share classes (e.g., A shares) typically at 1.5% AMC and institutional share classes (B shares) at 0.75% AMC. O shares have different minimum investment thresholds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | UK Income Fund - B Income Shares: £100,000 minimum, 0.75% AMC, distributing |
| Subscription | Annual | UK Income Fund - A Income Shares: Lower minimum investment, 1.5% AMC |
| Subscription | Annual | Mastertrust Fund - B Income Shares: £100,000 minimum, 0.75% AMC |
| Subscription | Annual | Mastertrust Fund - O Income Shares: £10,000 minimum |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Unicorn Asset Management product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Unicorn Asset Management is an FCA-regulated, independent UK equity specialist that actively manages investment funds for UK retail and professional investors. Its product range includes six OEIC funds (UK Income, UK Ethical Income, UK Growth, Outstanding British Companies, UK Smaller Companies, and Mastertrust), the Unicorn AIM VCT, and AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Services, distributed exclusively through IFAs and wealth managers.
Product overview
Unicorn Asset Management is an independent UK equity specialist offering a range of actively managed investment funds and portfolio services. The core offering consists of six OEIC (Open Ended Investment Company) funds: UK Income, UK Ethical Income, UK Growth, Outstanding British Companies, UK Smaller Companies, and Mastertrust. These are complemented by the Unicorn AIM VCT (Venture Capital Trust) for tax-efficient investing and AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Services for inheritance tax planning. The fund range spans income-focused strategies (UK Income, UK Ethical Income), growth-oriented approaches (UK Growth, UK Smaller Companies, Outstanding British Companies), and a fund-of-funds structure (Mastertrust).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- UK Income Fund: Fund aiming to provide income by investing in UK companies, with bias towards small and medium-sized companies.
- UK Ethical Income Fund
- UK Growth Fund
- Outstanding British Companies Fund
- UK Smaller Companies Fund
- Mastertrust Fund
- Unicorn AIM VCT
- AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Service
- AIM IHT & ISA Responsible Portfolio Service
Products and services
- UK Income Fund An actively managed OEIC fund that aims to provide an income by investing in UK companies, with a bias towards small and medium-sized companies (market value less than £4 billion). Targeted at UK retail and professional investors accessed via IFAs.
- UK Ethical Income Fund An actively managed OEIC fund that aims to provide an income by investing in UK companies meeting the ACD's ethical guidelines, with at least 80% invested in UK quoted companies with a bias towards small and medium-sized companies.
- UK Growth Fund An actively managed OEIC fund that aims to achieve long-term capital growth through investment in a portfolio of UK companies, including smaller companies quoted on the AIM stock exchange.
- Outstanding British Companies Fund An actively managed OEIC fund that aims to achieve long-term capital growth by investing in a portfolio of outstanding British companies with a long-term view of not less than five years, focusing on companies with predictable revenues, earnings and cash flows.
- UK Smaller Companies Fund An actively managed OEIC fund that aims to achieve long-term capital growth by investing primarily in UK companies included within the UK Numis Smaller Companies plus AIM Index.
- Mastertrust Fund An actively managed OEIC fund that aims to achieve long-term capital growth by primarily investing in a range of listed investment companies, which themselves invest around the world.
- Unicorn AIM VCT A Venture Capital Trust that invests in qualifying AIM-listed companies, offering tax advantages to investors including 30% income tax relief and potential inheritance tax benefits.
- AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Service A portfolio service providing portfolios of AIM-quoted shares designed to help investors reduce Inheritance Tax liability through Business Relief, available within ISA wrappers.
- AIM IHT & ISA Responsible Portfolios An ethically-screened version of the AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Service, investing in AIM-listed companies that meet responsible investment criteria.
Quantifiable outcome
- Largest fundraise in VCT trust history: £35m oversubscribed offer (March 2026)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Unicorn Asset Management
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Unicorn Asset Management technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Unicorn Asset Management partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Unicorn Asset Management competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Marlborough Fund Management: UK-based specialist in small and mid-cap equities with multi-fund OEIC range and a strong IFA distribution footprint — the closest direct competitor to Unicorn's UK Income, UK Growth and UK Smaller Companies strategies.
- Chelverton Asset Management: Specialist UK smaller companies and UK equity income manager distributing through IFAs, with a comparable fund range and small/mid-cap orientation.
- Octopus Investments: Major UK VCT and AIM IHT provider with overlapping tax-efficient investment products and parallel use of adviser distribution, making it a direct comparable in the VCT/AIM portfolio services Unicorn offers.
- Maven Capital Partners: UK VCT specialist and lower-mid-market investor; highly comparable to Unicorn AIM VCT and the AIM IHT portfolio service, including as a talent feeder (Cleo Papathanasopoulou joined Unicorn from Maven).
- Premier Miton Investors: UK boutique asset manager with a multi-cap UK equity and smaller companies fund range distributed through advisers, structurally and competitively similar to Unicorn.
- Downing LLP: UK-focused smaller companies and VCT manager; competes head-on with Unicorn in AIM VCT fundraising and small-cap equity products for UK retail advised clients.
Broad incumbents
- Jupiter Asset Management: Larger UK-listed asset manager with active UK equity and smaller companies funds distributed via UK IFAs and platforms — overlapping product set but operating at significantly greater scale and product breadth.
- Liontrust Asset Management: UK-listed asset manager with UK smaller companies and income funds marketed through IFA channels; comparable product overlap though with a broader fund range and larger AUM base.
- Schroders: Large incumbent UK and global asset manager offering UK smaller companies, income, and AIM-exposed strategies alongside much broader alternatives and wealth services — sets the scale benchmark and competitive ceiling.
- abrdn (formerly Aberdeen Standard Investments): Global asset manager with a meaningful UK smaller companies and UK equity franchise distributed via IFAs and platforms; competes with Unicorn in the advised channel despite a much wider product portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Unicorn Asset Management social profiles
Digital presenceUnicorn Asset Management compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Unicorn Asset Management financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Unicorn Asset Management leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Unicorn Asset Management funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Unicorn Asset Management M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Unicorn Asset Management
What does Unicorn Asset Management do?
Unicorn Asset Management is an FCA-regulated, independent UK equity specialist that actively manages investment funds for UK retail and professional investors. Its product range includes six OEIC funds (UK Income, UK Ethical Income, UK Growth, Outstanding British Companies, UK Smaller Companies, and Mastertrust), the Unicorn AIM VCT, and AIM IHT & ISA Portfolio Services, distributed exclusively through IFAs and wealth managers.
Is Unicorn Asset Management a public or private company?
Unicorn Asset Management is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Unicorn Asset Management founded?
Unicorn Asset Management was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Unicorn Asset Management based?
Unicorn Asset Management is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Unicorn Asset Management make money?
One revenue line is on record: asset Management Fees.
Who are Unicorn Asset Management's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Marlborough Fund Management, Chelverton Asset Management, Octopus Investments, Maven Capital Partners, Premier Miton Investors and Downing LLP. Broad incumbents are Jupiter Asset Management, Liontrust Asset Management, Schroders and abrdn (formerly Aberdeen Standard Investments).
Does Unicorn Asset Management have an API?
No public API is recorded for Unicorn Asset Management.
What industry is Unicorn Asset Management in?
Unicorn Asset Management's product category is UK Equity Asset Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAGAG, Endowment / OCIO-Style Multi-Manager Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAAAIAA, Large-Cap Equity (Active). Its NAICS code is 52394 and its SIC code is 6282.