Four teams of undergraduate students presented investment proposals to a panel, competing to invest a £25,000 fund with a 25-year holding period.
The Shade Tree Fund is made possible through a generous donation by Adam and Sara Franks, alumni of The University of Manchester. They have pledged to donate £25,000 annually for 25 years for students to invest. A successful investor and Chairman of Blue and White Capital, Adam has supported this initiative to foster long-term thinking and student development.
Adam Franks said: "The art of analysing companies, developing pitching skills, improving CVs and gaining lessons in compounding whilst remaining connected with university peers, are invaluable qualities.
"My wife and I hope the Shade Tree project gives students the opportunity to learn these principles in a hands-on way, and that over the decades ahead they can see the power of compounding."
The fund's name reflects the idea that today's investments are like planting trees. The benefits of long-term investing will be realised by future generations through its self-funding scholarship - just like a tree providing shade for years to come.
Adam was inspired by a similar initiative in the US: The Gayner Family Sustainable Investment Fund. The University of Manchester is the first university in the UK to set up a fund using this model.
Pitching event
In the inaugural event, four student teams from MUTIS – the University's largest business student society – pitched their investment ideas to a panel of AMBS academics and Adam Franks who joined virtually.
One of the successful teams in the pitch event.
The teams pitched Uber, KraneShares Rockefeller Ocean Engagement ETF (KSEA), Autodesk, and Intuitive Surgical.
The panel awarded 30% of the 2025 fund to each of the Intuitive Surgical and Autodesk teams.
Intuitive Surgical is a biotechnology company that develops, manufactures, and markets robotic products designed to improve clinical outcomes of patients through minimally invasive surgery.
Autodesk provides software products and services for the architecture, engineering, construction, manufacturing, media, education, and entertainment industries.
The remaining 40% was split equally between the Uber and KSEA teams.
Another successful team in the pitch event.
Chris Godfrey, senior lecturer in finance and co-academic lead for the project, commented: "It's been tremendously exciting to work with our students as they imagine the future many years from now, and to see them develop as thinkers, researchers and communicators through the process.
"The 25-year horizon shifts the focus from short-term market movements to sustainable value creation, long-term investment plans, emergent technologies and great management teams."
How the fund works
Following a competitive pitching process, the initial £25,000 fund is divided between the approved investments. Once purchased, these investments are held for 25 years without being sold.
An additional £5,000 per year donated by the Franks family will be invested in a World Equity Fund. This means that even if all the approved investments fail, the fund will still have a diversified core which will grow over the next 25 years.
After a quarter of the century has passed, the shares picked 25 years beforehand will be sold in full. Half of the proceeds will be used to fund scholarships, and the former students who chose the investments will be invited to be involved in this process.
The remaining half of the sale proceeds will be reinvested into a new fund by undergraduate students that same year to ensure the continuation of the project. During the holding period, students are expected to act as responsible and active shareholders, exercising the fund's voting rights where appropriate.
Long term impact
Student-led investment funds are a common feature at many universities - although most of them invest in hypothetical rather than real money. They allow students to develop and present their own investment strategies, manage real portfolios, and refine their financial decision-making in a practical context.
These experiences help students build essential skills in research, analysis, and communication and help to prepare them for careers in finance and improve their financial literacy for life beyond university.
Hui Xin Koh, a student from one of the winning teams, said:
"Being part of the Shade Tree project has been one of the most valuable experiences of my degree so far. It's rare to get the chance to make real investment decisions with long-term impact, and the process taught me a huge amount about analysis, teamwork, and thinking like a responsible investor."
The Shade Tree Fund represents a long-term investment in both the markets and in student potential - laying down roots for future generations of financial leaders.
We're looking to expand the fund and invite others who share in Adam's vision to consider donating.