Antares Fund was conceived in early 2004 by Robert Patillo, founder of Gray Ghost Microfinance Fund.  Gray Ghost, as Antares EPF general partner and main investor, sees the fund as the primary instruments in its efforts to encourage a deeper and more liquid secondary market in MFI equity shares.

Omtrix Inc., an experienced manager of funds specialized in MFI’s equity, will assist Gray Ghost in this endeavor as Antares’ fund manager and sole additional founding investor.

Gray Ghost Microfinance Fund
The Gray Ghost Microfinance Fund (www.grayghostfund.com) aims at promoting microfinance as a viable investment option, through the development and management of a marketable portfolio of high performing MFI funds, each offering "double bottom-line" returns comparable with traditional capital markets.  Hence, the Fund seeks a combination of financial and social returns on its investments.
Each investment opportunity is assessed for its compatibility with their corporate mission and overall strategic objective to promote secondary market activity within the industry.
Its underlying investment philosophy resides on the tenet that by demonstrating the financial feasibility of microfinance as an alternate asset class and engaging socially-conscious private and institutional investors in microfinance investing, it will be able to mobilize and recycle commercial capital to fill the supply-demand gap that exists for capital funding in poverty stricken countries around the world.
The Gray Ghost Fund seeks debt, equity, and specialized investment structures that focus on and meet the unique funding needs of microfinance funds worldwide. The Fund does not invest directly in microfinance institutions and prefers to invest in funds that have in country/in region managers.

Omtrix
Founded in 1994, Omtrix, Inc. (www.omtrixinc.com) is a privately owned fund management and consulting firm that provides the following services to its clients:

• Development and management of capital and debt funds

• Promotion and appraisal, as well as supervision and follow-, of investments and/or loans of bilateral and multilateral institutions

• Diagnostics and strengthening of microfinance institutions

By virtue of its location in San José, Costa Rica, Omtrix remains in close contact with clients and investees throughout Latin America and the Caribbean and stays well informed of changes in their social and economic operating environments. Its talented and experienced professional staff is committed to achieving positive results.  In addition, Omtrix has access to a global network of highly respected specialists to complement its San Jose team, as needed, for short and long-term assignments.
Omtrix has worked in over 14 countries throughout Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean for clients such as ProFund International, the Inter-American Development Bank, Department for International Development (DFID), and Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI).  Currently it is the Fund Manager for the Emergency Liquidity Facility (ELF), the Short Term Liquidity Facility, and Antares Equity Participation Fund.  It also provides services to Calmeadow and AfriCap Microventures Ltd. (Senegal).