GoKawiilGoldman Sachs has created a new platform to expand its offerings for wealthy clients and family offices who increasingly want direct stakes in fast-growing private companies, CNBC has learned.
The new group, called the alternative investments platform, combines Goldman's existing alternatives business with two newly established teams, according to a memo seen first by CNBC.
The new teams focus on direct investments in individual private companies, rather than broader private equity funds, and on helping clients buy and sell those stakes, according to the memo.
"There has been a lot of focus on the big growth tech names and getting clients access to those before they debut in the public markets," Kristin Olson, Goldman Sachs' global head of alternatives for wealth, told CNBC in an interview.
Goldman's move reflects two of the biggest trends reshaping Wall Street. The firm has spent years pushing deeper into wealth and asset management because of its perception as providing steadier revenues than investment banking and trading. At the same time, the most successful startups are staying private far longer than they once did, allowing early investors to capture most of the gains before public investors get a chance.
"Companies are going public at a trillion dollars," Olson said. "If you haven't participated along the way, you're clearly missing a big part of the growth cycle."