Urban Partners launches Regeneration Fund for European cities

Urban Partners has unveiled the Urban Partners Regeneration Fund, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at accelerating urban regeneration across Europe.

Urban Partners Regeneration Fund

This fund is backed by strategic partners Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Viessmann Generations Group (Viessmann), with anchor institutional commitments from PensionDanmark and SamPension.

Specifically designed for transforming brownfield sites into vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhoods, the fund is positioned to address the increasing pressures on European cities due to urbanisation and demographic shifts. Having completed its first closing with commitments from this diverse group of investors, the Urban Partners Regeneration Fund now has an unlevered investment capacity of up to €650 mln, combining primary equity and co-investment capital.

The Regeneration Fund connects institutional capital with the specific needs of municipalities and is designed for sustained ownership and stewardship beyond typical market or fund cycles, with long-term business plans that reflect the nature of these complex projects. The fund targets growth cities in the Nordics, Germany, and the UK, with a strong pipeline identified in Copenhagen, Hamburg, Munich, Stockholm, and London. Its core strategy involves close public-private partnerships with city authorities.

The fund is co-headed by Jesse Shapins and Peter Epping. Shapins brings 25 years of experience in urban entrepreneurship and placemaking, including work with Sidewalk Labs and Urban Partners. Epping, as fund manager, is a seasoned real estate investor and ESG leader from Hines, where he managed €7 bn AUM across various European real estate funds. The senior team also includes Nick Searl, a regeneration specialist known for his role in King’s Cross, and Paul Clark, former CIO of The Crown Estate, who is part of the fund’s Investment Committee.

Leveraging a unique blend of partners, the fund draws on Urban Partners’ successful regeneration track record, particularly in Copenhagen, with projects like Nordhavn, Tingbjerg, and the Railway District. This expertise is complemented by long-term infrastructure insights from CIP, a greenfield renewable energy fund manager, anchor support from institutional investors PensionDanmark and SamPension, and generational industrial capital and sustainability expertise from Germany’s pioneering Viessmann.

Claus Mathisen, Co-CEO of Urban Partners, said: “This first close reflects strong conviction in a strategy built for scale and long-term execution. Regeneration projects are complex by nature, but with a purpose-built fund and a strong pipeline in key growth cities, we can deploy capital in a disciplined way and work alongside partners and municipalities to unlock value over time.”

Jakob Baruël Poulsen, managing partner at CIP, added: “We are excited to support Urban Partners Regeneration Fund with its pioneering approach for delivering large-scale, mixed-use urban regeneration across Europe’s growth cities. By combining Urban Partners’ deep urban regeneration expertise with CIP’s experience in developing large-scale, greenfield infrastructure projects, this partnership is well positioned to create long-term value for cities, communities, and investors."