Aalto University endowment returned 9.5% during first half of 2026

Endowment provides EUR 46 million funding to university operations in 2026. This funding continues to secure high-quality education and research activities through economic cycles and compensates for the long-term erosion of the university’s public funding base. Spending from the endowment is guided by the spending policy set by the Aalto University Board, and the level of annual spending is based on the long-term expected return of the endowment portfolio.

During the first half of 2026, the university endowment portfolio return was 9.5%. At the end of June, the average return of the portfolio since inception in 2010 was 6.5% per annum and market value of the endowment portfolio was EUR 1 709 million.

The first half of the year was dominated by concerns related to the Iran conflict, broadening of AI related rally to semiconductor names and strong earnings growth across different AI related names. The portfolio was supported by the diversification from the alternative risk portfolio during the first quarter and it benefitted from the rally in equities during the second quarter thus displaying the benefit of the diversified global strategy.

Unaudited figures

The long-term capital of Aalto University’s endowment is invested in the financial markets with the purpose of generating funding for its academic activities. The endowment was set up by a fundraising campaign and government capitalization between 2008 and 2012, which generated a total of EUR 732 million that has been invested according to university’s investment strategy. Shares of university-based spin-off companies, as well as real estate and other operative assets are excluded from the endowment portfolio.