Driehaus Capital Management was established in the 1980s by the late Richard H. Driehaus. Driehaus has received a number of honors over the years, including some within the realms of philanthropy, art, business and finance. This has garnered him plenty of industry attention, leading to him being named in 2000 to Barron's "All-Century" team of people who've been most influential in the mutual fund industry.
With billions in assets under management (AUM), Driehaus Capital Management fully qualifies as a very large financial advisor firm. The firm's financial advisors utilize active equity and alternative investment strategies, among others.
Driehaus Capital Management Background
Driehaus Capital Management was founded in 1982, but it wasn't until 1983 that it became a registered investment advisor (RIA). Today, it’s based in Chicago, and is majority owned by Driehaus Capital Holdings, which is in turn owned by entities related to the firm's now deceased founder.
Driehaus Capital Management also manages proprietary mutual funds.
Driehaus Capital Management Client Types and Minimum Account Sizes
Driehaus Capital Management serves the following types of clients:
- Corporate and public pension plans
- Endowments and foundations
- Government entities
- Insurance companies
- Single and multi-family offices
- Driehaus mutual funds
- Pooled investment vehicles
- High-net-worth individuals
Minimum account sizes required by Driehaus Capital Management for portfolio advisory services vary. These typically depend on factors such as asset classes and investment strategies.
- Separately Managed Accounts
- U.S. Equity Strategies (except the Life Sciences Strategy): $5,000,000
- Life Sciences Strategy and all ex-U.S. Strategies: $20,000,000
- Emerging Markets Strategy: $5,000,000
- Driehaus Mutual Funds
- Driehaus Micro Cap Growth Fund, Driehaus Small Cap Growth Fund Investor Class, Driehaus Small/Mid Cap Growth Fund, Driehaus International Small Cap Growth Fund, Driehaus Emerging Markets Growth Fund – Investor Class, Driehaus Emerging Markets Small Cap Growth Fund, Driehaus Event Driven Fund and Driehaus Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund: $10,000
- Driehaus Small Cap Growth Fund – Institutional Class and Driehaus Emerging Markets Growth Fund – Institutional Class: $500,000
Services Offered by Driehaus Capital Management
Driehaus Capital Management specializes in portfolio management services. It provides access to separately managed accounts (SMAs), proprietary mutual funds, collective investment trusts (CITs), affiliated pooled accounts and model portfolio programs.
Depending on factors like the client’s risk tolerance and investment goals, the firm may utilize the following investment strategies to meet those objectives:
- Active equity
- Multi-asset
- Alternative investments
Driehaus Capital Management Investment Philosophy
Driehaus Capital Management employs a few different investment strategies. We describe these below, along with the philosophy that drives each.
- Growth Equity: Based on the belief that markets tend to misprice stocks of firms undergoing positive growth inflections and these inefficiencies can follow predictable and thus exploitable patterns, this strategy aims for maximum capital appreciation during a full market cycle from three to five years.
- Alternative Emerging Markets: Taking an approach similar to that of the equity-driven strategies, this strategy aims for superior risk-adjusted returns but allows exposure to other asset classes.
- Alternative Event Driven: Driven by the notion that strong event-driven investments can be found in the global credit and equity markets, this strategy seeks superior risk-adjusted returns with lower correlations to major asset classes and lower volatility than the S&P 500 Index.
Fees Under Driehaus Capital Management
Fees required by Driehaus Capital Management vary, depending on factors such as account type as well as investment strategy and asset classes involved. Here's a more detailed breakdown:
| Separately Managed Account Fees | |
| Strategy | Fee Rate |
| Micro Cap Growth Strategy Accounts | 1.25% per annum |
| Small Cap Growth Strategy Accounts | 0.60% per annum |
| Small/Mid Cap Growth Strategy Accounts | 0.60% per annum |
| Life Sciences Strategy Accounts | 1.25% per annum plus an annual performance fee of 17.5% |
| International Small Cap Growth Strategy Accounts | 1.00% per annum |
| Emerging Markets Growth Strategy Accounts | 0.90% per annum |
| Emerging Markets Small Cap Equity Strategy Accounts | 1.00% per annum |
| Emerging Markets Opportunities Strategy Accounts | 0.90% per annum |
| Mutual Fund Fees | |
| Fund | Fee Rate |
| Driehaus Micro Cap Growth Fund | 1.25% of average daily net assets |
| Driehaus Small Cap Growth Fund | 0.60% of average daily net assets |
| Driehaus Small/Mid Cap Growth Fund | 0.60% of average daily net assets |
| Driehaus International Small Cap Growth Fund | 1.00% of average daily net assets |
| Driehaus Emerging Markets Growth Fund | 1.05% of average daily net assets up to $1.5 billion and 0.75% of average daily net assets in excess of $1.5 billion |
| Driehaus Emerging Markets Small Cap Growth Fund | 1.10% of average daily net assets |
| Driehaus Event Driven Fund | 1.00% of average daily net assets |
| Driehaus Emerging Markets Opportunities Fund | 0.90% of average daily net assets |
| Collective Investment Trust Fees | |
| Strategy | Fee Rate |
| Driehaus Emerging Markets Growth strategy | 0.90% per annum of the net asset value of the account |
| Driehaus International Small Cap Growth strategy | 1.00% per annum of the net asset value of the account |
Additionally, Driehaus Capital Management offers access to affiliated pooled accounts to accredited investors. The firm currently offers two of these accounts: the Life Sciences strategy and the Driehaus Emerging Markets strategy. The fee for the former is 1.25% of the account’s net asset value, plus an annual incentive allocation of 17.5%. For the latter strategy, the annual fee is 0.90% of the net asset value of the account.
In some cases, Driehaus Capital Management may charge performance-based fees. In such scenarios, fees may rise if the investment performs well according to agreed upon terms. The firm would disclose information related to performance-based fees as it applies to the specific client involved.
What to Watch Out For
According to its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-filed Form ADV, Driehaus Capital Management has no disclosures on its record.
Opening an Account With Driehaus Capital Management
You can contact Driehaus Capital Management by visiting its website or calling (312) 587-3800.
All information was accurate as of the writing of this article.
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