Avangard launches Systematic Australian Equity Fund
Western Australia-based investment manager Avangard has announced the launch of the Avangard Systematic Australian Equity Fund, a new investment vehicle that brings the firm's proprietary artificial intelligence and machine learning-driven investment strategy to wholesale investors under an enhanced fund structure from 1 July 2026.
The launch marks a significant milestone for the East Perth-based firm, which has spent years developing a fully systematic investment process designed to remove emotion, bias and subjective decision-making from equity investing.
Two decades of research and machine learning development
Founded by CEO and Portfolio Manager Alfred "Alf" Eggo and COO Jules Aknin, Avangard was built around a simple premise: that advances in data science, machine learning and computational analysis could fundamentally improve the way investment decisions are made.
At the centre of the firm's approach is A.L.F.R.E.D. (Adaptive Learning For Ranking Equities and Derivatives), a proprietary AI and machine learning system developed by Eggo following more than two decades of financial market research and a career that began in the mining sector with CRA/Rio Tinto.
Unlike traditional fund managers that rely on analyst forecasts, discretionary stock selection or market commentary, Avangard's investment process is entirely rules-based. The system processes more than 5.5 billion data points across over 2,500 ASX-listed equities and exchange-traded funds, drawing on up to a century of historical market data and decades of proprietary momentum research.
Performance from the underlying strategy
The launch of the new fund follows strong performance from the underlying strategy, which delivered approximately 14.5 per cent net of fees over the 12 months to April 2026, compared with 3.5 per cent for the ASX200 over the same period.
"We built Avangard around the belief that investment decisions should be driven by scientific evidence, not opinion," said Eggo. "The technology we've developed is designed to identify opportunities through data analysis at a scale that simply isn't possible through traditional methods. Every investment decision is generated systematically through the same disciplined process."
From an East Perth café to an institutional-grade fund
For Aknin, the new fund represents the commercialisation of years of development that began with an unlikely conversation in an East Perth café.
"What started as discussions around technology, data and investing evolved into a long-term vision to build something different," Aknin said. "We've spent years refining the process, building the operational infrastructure and ensuring the strategy is supported by institutional-grade governance. The continuity of the fund is an important next step in that journey."
The Avangard Systematic Australian Equity Fund will operate under Avangard Investments Pty Ltd, with FundBase Group appointed as independent trustee and administrator.
The team behind the fund
The firm's broader team includes a machine learning specialist who received the University Medal from a leading Australian university, and a senior data engineer who has managed the firm's financial databases for more than 25 years.
Avangard has also assembled an advisory board with significant experience across investment management, financial markets and institutional distribution. The board is chaired by Kim Ivey, founder of Vertex Capital Management and former Chairman and President of AIMA Australia, alongside Dave Forsyth, former APAC Head of Prime Brokerage at Maybank Securities, and financial services executive Andrew Kuruc.
A different approach to a familiar debate
The launch comes at a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries ranging from healthcare and manufacturing to financial services. While many investment firms are beginning to explore AI applications, Avangard's leadership says the firm's technology has been developed and tested over many years rather than being built in response to recent market trends.
As institutional and wholesale investors increasingly seek systematic approaches capable of navigating volatile market conditions, Avangard believes data-driven investment processes will continue to play a growing role in portfolio management.
"Our objective has never been to follow investment industry trends," Eggo said. "It's been to build a repeatable, disciplined process that can adapt to changing market conditions while remaining grounded in data."
The launch of the Avangard Systematic Australian Equity Fund represents the next chapter for a business that remains independently owned, Western Australia-built and focused on applying technology, research and systematic decision-making to long-term investment management.
To learn more, wholesale investors can request the Information Memorandum at office@avangard.au or through the form on this website.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The fund is available to wholesale investors only.