Auratus Investments is a student-run investment group founded in 2024 with the goal of making investing practical, accessible, and experience-driven. Members collectively manage a real portfolio, pitch investment ideas, debate strategy, and make decisions together. Auratus places equal emphasis on learning and performance, creating a space where members can explore investing seriously without needing to arrive as experts.

Auratus Investments participates in the BnR Beurs Flow Traders Investment Competition, where student teams manage a shared portfolio and are ranked based on performance, including risk-adjusted returns. While the competition provides the framework, Auratus operates independently as a group, defining its own structure, culture, and learning approach beyond the minimum competition requirements.

Anyone who is a member of BnR Beurs is eligible to join. If you aren’t a member yet, then please do so first. It is open to all students at Erasmus University (of all ages and programmes)

Recruitment typically begins at the start of the academic year in September, and ends late October. This is in line with the BnR Beurs Competition timeline, and is followed by all investment groups. Competition then starts in November.

Auratus is designed to be manageable alongside studies and internships. Time commitment varies over the year, with more active periods around meetings, pitches, and portfolio adjustments. Members are encouraged to contribute consistently, but the group structure allows for flexibility, especially during busy academic or professional periods.

Auratus is the only investment group to have a hybrid format. We also have relaxed entry requirements, and a strong learning focus. We prioritize openness, discussion, and experimentation over exclusivity or rigid hierarchies. Our approach allows members to learn by doing, adapt strategy as markets change, and remain involved even when they are not physically in Rotterdam- without sacrificing competitiveness.

The investment competition starts in November and ends in July. Many students in the 1st semester of the academic year may not be physically present in Rotterdam due to exchange or internship, so we do online meetings in those first 3 months. Then, we shift to in person meetings around February/March.

No. You do not need prior finance or investing knowledge to join Auratus. Many members start with little or no background and develop their understanding through participation. The goal is not to test what you already know, but to help you discover whether investing interests you—and to support that learning process through real experience.