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Purpose Investments
Som Seif founded Toronto-based Purpose Investments, an ETF and mutual fund manager that closed its hedge fund vehicle in 2018.
Purpose Investments
Purpose Investments launched with a blank-sheet mandate under CEO and founder Som Seif, aiming to build an asset management firm centered on client outcomes rather than benchmark-relative performance. Founded in Toronto, the firm operates as the asset management division of Purpose Unlimited Inc., which includes Purpose Investments Inc. and Purpose Investment Partners Inc. Its product development history spans mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, with an early emphasis on risk-managed, income-oriented strategies and later expansion into digital-asset ETFs. The firm offers strategies across equities, fixed income, and alternative investments, with a particular focus on structuring products for Canadian investors. It has built a lineup that includes corporate-class fixed income strategies and was an early mover in bringing cryptocurrency exposure to Canadian-listed ETFs. Purpose manages both mutual fund and ETF vehicles, providing fee-based access points that allow investors and advisors to select the wrapper that fits a portfolio's construction. The firm's footprint is concentrated in Canada, with no confirmed offices or operations outside the country. Purpose Investments previously operated the Redwood Total Return Fund, a hedge fund vehicle that was liquidated in the third quarter of 2018. Since that liquidation, the firm has concentrated its efforts on its ETF and mutual fund families rather than traditional hedge fund structures. Som Seif remains the public face of the firm as CEO and founder, and Purpose markets itself as an independent, principles-driven manager focused on transparency and risk management. No adjacent vehicles, philanthropic foundations, or external club memberships are publicly disclosed.
General information
Firm type
Hedge Fund
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
Canada
City
Toronto
Corporate office
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Principals
Som Seif
CEO & Founder
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Purpose Investments?
Som Seif is the CEO and founder and represents the firm publicly as its investment leader. The firm's website does not name a separate CIO or additional portfolio managers, so Seif presumably oversees the investment function alongside a supporting team.
Does Purpose Investments still operate a hedge fund?
No. Purpose Investments managed the Redwood Total Return Fund, a hedge fund vehicle that was liquidated in the third quarter of 2018. The firm has since focused exclusively on its mutual fund and ETF strategies.
What kind of investment vehicles does Purpose Investments offer?
Purpose assembles portfolios using both mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, with an explicit agnosticism toward wrapper type. Its strategies cover equities, fixed income, and alternative investments, including digital-asset ETFs that were among the first available in Canada.
Is Purpose Investments a single family office?
No. Purpose Investments is an asset management division of Purpose Unlimited Inc., operating as a conventional investment manager that serves external clients through pooled funds. It is not structured as a family office.
Where is Purpose Investments based and where does it do business?
Purpose Investments is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its product lineup and marketing are directed primarily at Canadian investors and advisors, and there is no confirmed office or operational presence outside Canada.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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