A German insurance company and a German pension fund have backed Caerus Debt Investments, setting aside €80m for investment in the manager’s real-estate debt strategy.

The Caerus Real Estate Debt LUX SICAV-SIF fund is targeting opportunities in the euro-zone, concentrating on Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Benelux countries.

The manager is targeting a 3-4% IRR for the €300m vehicle, which was launched in September.

Caerus has structured the vehicle as a pooled fund, which will target senior collateralised loans with a loan-to-value ratio of up to 80%.

Investors can commit a minimum €10m to the fund. 

Institutional investors have now awarded Caerus around €1bn in senior/whole-loan strategies, €800m of which has been placed so far.

Volkswohl Bund last year doubled the size of its real estate debt investment mandate with Cearus.

The German insurer followed up on its initial €200m commitment, made earlier in 2015, with a further €300m.