London-based investment manager Octopus Investments has added two "foundation funds" to its Octopus Portfolio Manager.

IM Octopus Global Strategies Fund aims to provide equity-like returns without being highly correlated to other risk asset classes. The fund will be invested in regulated UCITS III qualified funds that use alternative investment strategies such as managed futures, long/short equity funds, thematic funds and counterbalance holdings to achieve equity market independent returns. It is hoped this low correlation to other risk assets will allow the fund to generate positive returns over any 12 month period.

IM Octopus Emerging Market Equity Fund aims to deliver higher medium- to long-term capital growth than is available in more developed markets by investing specifically in funds that have either direct or indirect exposure to emerging markets.

Octopus Portfolio Manager offers ten distinct and individual investment profiles, each specifically designed to target a set level of risk and volatility and therefore generate different levels of return.

The multi-manager team at Octopus use its foundation funds (multi-manager funds that each invest in a different asset class) to create these ten profiles. By combining these funds in different proportions, investors can own a diversified multi-manager portfolio that closely matches their individual investment objectives as well as appetite and capacity for risk. The other foundation funds within Octopus Portfolio Manager are fixed income, alternative strategies, UK equity, and international equities.

Octopus investments include a discretionary management service, multi-manager multi-asset OEICs and single manager OEICs. Other services include venture capital trusts, enterprise investment schemes and inheritance tax products. The firm currently has £2.3 billion ($3.7 billion) in assets under management.