As part of its long-standing commitment to financial education, inclusion, and empowerment, Fidelity continues to focus on facilitating economic mobility and removing barriers that have impacted historically underserved and underrepresented communities. To extend this commitment to the next generation, Fidelity in 2023 launched Invest in My Education(ME)℠, a $250 million social impact initiative. Today, the company announced three important milestones for the initiative:

Invest in My Education Expands to 10 Regions 

The full initiative is expanding, giving more students the life-changing opportunity to pursue higher education. Invest in My Education will now operate in three additional regions for a total of 10 active regions: Colorado, Florida, Kentucky/Ohio (greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area), New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington, D.C.* These regions will host Fidelity Scholars; local organizations will be eligible for Ecosystem-Building Grants to improve pathways for thousands of underserved students; and local higher-ed institutions will be eligible for Retention and Completion Grants that keep at-risk students in school. These geographies are regions with a demonstrated need and where Fidelity has a significant presence. We’re thrilled to continue to invest in the future of these communities where our associates and customers live and work.

591 Fidelity Scholars are Off to College 

The 591 students in the first two classes of Fidelity Scholars have taken their first steps toward a financially stable future. Scholars in Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Texas, and Washington, D.C. are off to college this fall. Sixty-six percent of these students are the first in their families to attend college, and 93% of the inaugural class of Fidelity Scholars report that the program is increasing or maintaining their motivation to earn a degree. By making higher education more accessible and affordable while providing students with wraparound support like mentorship from 450 Fidelity associate volunteers and other resources, the Fidelity Scholars Program has the potential to provide greater economic mobility and pathways to generational wealth. This in turn can support better long-term outcomes for students and their communities.  Learn more about the 2023 and 2024 classes of Scholars here.

Applications for Year Three Now Open 

The application window for year three of the Fidelity Scholars Program is now open. Eligible students in the 10 regions interested in post-secondary education at accredited and not-for-profit two- or four-year colleges can apply through the program philanthropic partner, UNCF, now through January 30, 2025. The program provides more than scholarship dollars. Fidelity Scholars also have access to a range of tools and resources to help them complete school and find good jobs. This includes a group of Fidelity mentors, health and wellness support, financial education, college successes coaches, and more. Apply or refer a student here.

Fidelity’s mission is to empower and support others in strengthening and securing their financial futures, and the firm knows that access to quality education can be a powerful driver of economic mobility and thus an important and impactful tool in fulfilling that mission. The Invest in My Education initiative seeks to address system disparities in communities, resulting in upward mobility for more people.

Fidelity has invested in private companies for over 15 years, typically focusing on rapidly growing category disruptors with durable competitive advantages and experienced management teams. Fidelity has made over 600 investments across more than 350 private companies and deployed over $28 billion of capital on behalf of Fidelity’s suite of mutual funds^[i].

“The success of this fundraise speaks to Fidelity’s legacy investing in private companies,” said Karin Fronczke, portfolio manager & global head of Private Equity at Fidelity Investments. “We are grateful for the support from the fund’s limited partners.”

Fund I will seek to generate strong returns by making predominantly direct, minority investments in a portfolio of mid to late-stage private companies. The fund will invest globally and across sectors, but with a particular emphasis on the United States and in the technology, media, and telecommunications sectors. Given the robust investing environment, the fund has already invested about $31 million of capital in 10 companies across sectors, including aerospace, defense, artificial intelligence, data and e-commerce.

“What sets Fidelity apart is our experienced investment team, our access to private companies, our deep global research capabilities, and our ability to help support companies through their lifecycle,” said Fronczke.

This year, Fidelity also published research on opportunities in venture capital: “Private companies disrupting the world” and “Accessing the breadth of AI-related investments.”

Alternative Investments at Fidelity

Fidelity, through its asset management divisions, manages a range of alternative investment (alts) vehicles, including private equity, private credit, real assets, liquid alternatives, and digital assets. Fidelity Investments’ alts lineup includes 50 funds, including funds for eligible investors and funds available to the firm’s investment team for portfolio construction, totaling $27.8 billion in assets under management^[ii].

This year, Fidelity launched three actively managed liquid alts ETFs, building on its 2022 launch of three liquid alts mutual funds, all available for individual investors and advisors to purchase commission-free through Fidelity’s online brokerage platforms. In 2023, Fidelity launched its first interval fund, Fidelity Multi-Strategy Credit Fund, and its first business development company (BDC).

Fidelity is also a leading provider of custodial services of more than 5,000 alternative products to its institutional and intermediary clients and more than $80 billion in alternative investment assets under administration^[iii].

About Fidelity Investments

Fidelity’s mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of our customers and deliver better outcomes for the clients and businesses we serve. Fidelity’s strength comes from the scale of our diversified, market-leading financial services businesses that serve individuals, families, employers, wealth management firms, and institutions. With assets under administration of $14.1 trillion, including discretionary assets of $5.5 trillion as of June 30, 2024, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a broad and growing customer base. Privately held for 78 years, Fidelity employs more than 75,000 associates across the United States, Ireland, and India. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/our-company.

# # #

Before investing in any mutual fund or exchange-traded fund, you should consider its investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus, an offering circular, or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

Information provided herein is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation or an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security or for any investment advisory service.

Alternative investments may not be suitable for all investors and are not intended to be a complete investment program. Alternatives may be relatively illiquid; it may be difficult to determine the current market value of the asset; and there may be limited historical risk and return data. Costs of purchase and sale may be relatively high. A high degree of investment analysis may be required before investing.

Fidelity Diversifying Solutions LLC (“FDS”) is an SEC registered investment adviser, a registered commodity pool operator anda registered commodity trading advisor. “Fidelity Investments” and/or “Fidelity” refers collectively to FMR LLC, a U.S. company, and its subsidiaries, including but not limited to Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (FMR) and FDS.

Free commission offer applies to online purchases of ETFs in a Fidelity retail account. A limited number of ETFs are subject to a transaction-based service fee of $100. See full list at [Fidelity.com/commissions](https://www.fidelity.com/trading/commissions-margin-rates).The sale of ETFs is subject to an activity assessment fee (historically from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal).

Exchange-traded products (ETPs) are subject to market volatility and the risks of their underlying securities, which may include the risks associated with investing in smaller companies, foreign securities, commodities, and fixed income investments. Foreign securities are subject to interest rate, currency exchange rate, economic, and political risks, all of which are magnified in emerging markets. ETPs that target a small universe of securities, such as a specific region or market sector, are generally subject to greater market volatility, as well as to the specific risks associated with that sector, region, or other focus. ETPs that use derivatives, leverage, or complex investment strategies are subject to additional risks. The return of an index ETP is usually different from that of the index it tracks because of fees, expenses, and tracking error. An ETP may trade at a premium or discount to its net asset value (NAV) (or indicative value in the case of exchange-traded notes). The degree of liquidity can vary significantly from one ETP to another and losses may be magnified if no liquid market exists for the ETP’s shares when attempting to sell them. Each ETP has a unique risk profile, detailed in its prospectus, offering circular, or similar material, which should be considered carefully when making investment decisions.

BOSTON, October 3, 2024 — More women are taking control of their finances and investing than ever before, according to new research from Fidelity Investments^®. Fidelity’s 2024 Women & Investing Study finds 7-in-10 women own investments in the stock market, an 18% increase compared to 2023. While younger generations continue to invest in higher numbers, the percentage of Gen X and Boomer women who invest in the stock market jumped the most year-over-year, increasing 18% and 23% respectively. This trend also holds true among Fidelity customers – the number of women retail customers has grown more than 20% over the past two years.^[1]

“It’s encouraging to see the number of women taking control of their finances swell over the past three years,” said Sangeeta Moorjani, Head of Tax Exempt Market and Lifetime Engagement for Fidelity Investments. “We know there is still work to be done – the financial confidence gap continues to persist, and women continue to report higher levels of financial stress than men – but we’ve made considerable strides. Fidelity is committed to continuing that momentum by providing access to tools, support, and education tailored to the unique financial needs of women.”

Investing for the Future and Building Generational Wealth Among the Top Goals for Women

Seventy-one percent of women agree that investing is a way to build generational wealth, so it’s no surprise the leading factors motivating women to invest include ensuring a certain quality of life for their children, making as much money as possible, and being able to afford goals like retirement and large purchases. The focus on building generational wealth is the top motivator for Millennial women, whereas older generations are more motivated by being able to afford future goals. The leading motivators are also reflected in women’s top money accomplishments:

While women continue to make progress, they’re still feeling the impact of financial stressors. More than half of women surveyed admit their financial situation keeps them up at night at least monthly, and those numbers are higher for Gen Z (72%) and Millennial women (68%).

Gen Z Women Are Seeking Out Financial Education and Making Strides

As in previous years, Fidelity’s research shows Gen Z women continue to lead the way in embracing investing and taking control of their finances. Seventy-seven percent of Gen Z women own investments in the stock market today, up six percentage points compared to 2023; this group is also most likely among women to say they consider themselves an investor^[2]. With 38% of Gen Z women investing outside of retirement (compared to 28% of women overall), they lead the way not only in the rate at which they invest, but also in how much, allocating an average of 10.4% of their paycheck to those investments compared to 9.5% among women investing outside of retirement overall.

While social media is predictably one of their main sources of investing ideas (46%), Gen Z women prefer to rely on family and friends (52%) and their own research (47%) for guidance. Of note, only 11% of Gen Z women said they consider social media the most trustworthy source when it comes to investing guidance, with family and friends yet again taking the top spot (28%). This aligns with Gen Z’s preference to describe themselves as “researchers” when it comes to their investing habits – they want to know what they own and build their investing knowledge and skills through multiple sources. That said, Gen Z women still see value in trusted resources – 89% have already gotten or plan to get help from a financial professional to better manage and grow their money.

Despite Progress, Women Still Lack Confidence When It Comes to Investing

Even with the considerable progress women have made in taking control of their finances, Fidelity’s research suggests a financial confidence gap persists. In fact, women are nearly two times more likely than men to describe their level of investing knowledge as “non-existent.”^[3]

Women are also more likely than men to indicate they’re overwhelmed and intimidated by investing and managing their day-to-day finances:

“Although women are more likely to say they don’t have as much investing knowledge as they would like, it’s inspiring to see in our research that they actually are taking the right steps when it comes to their finances,” said Lorna Kapusta, Head of Women and Engagement at Fidelity. “Our goal is to continue to arm women with the education and resources they need to feel confident in their ability to achieve their financial goals. We’ve made great progress – let’s keep the momentum going.”

Fidelity Offers Resources to Help Women Build Confidence and Take Next Steps

While women have made significant strides with investing, one-third said their biggest money regret involved not having an investment strategy earlier. In fact, more than 7-in-10 women wish they started investing their extra savings earlier on. Women would be more likely to invest if they had clear steps on how to do so (68%).

With this in mind, Fidelity offers free and accessible resources and education to help women grow their financial confidence and make the most of their money, no matter where they are on their financial journeys—including its signature fall event. 

• Women Talk Money Fall Event Series: Fidelity brings together celebrity guests and Fidelity leaders for a free, month-long event series focused on concrete steps women can take to invest in their future. The series will feature special guests Shelley Zalis, founder and CEO of The Female Quotient; Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global; and women across Fidelity. Conversations will focus on how to make the most of your peak earning years, optimizing your savings for retirement, and how to cultivate a successful career and build your finances.
• Women Talk Money: Fidelity’s Women Talk Money community offers a forum for real talk about money, investing, careers, and other topics top of mind for women, through live events, on demand content, and other actionable resources to help members take their next best steps with their finances. It’s free to join for everyone.
• Learning Series for Teen Girls and their Parents: Women Talk Money: Teen Girl Learning Series is a free digital, self-paced learning series designed to help parents and teen girls build positive money habits.
• Year-Round Support Built for Women: Fidelity’s tailored website experience provides insights on the unique factors women often need to plan for,when to save and invest based on your individual situation, which accounts make the most sense for your goals, and clear next steps to move forward.
• 24/7 Access to Live Help: Need more help? Fidelity offers free 1:1 consultations with financial professionals who are specifically trained to discuss and help plan for the unique money factors that women often face. This guidance is available 24/7 at 1-800-FIDELITY, or online at  Fidelity.com.

About Fidelity’s Women & Investing Study

This study presents the findings of a national online survey, among 3,012 adults, 18 years of age and older, with a gender breakdown of 1,533 women and 1,463 men. Interviewing was conducted July 18-25, 2024, by Big Village, which is not affiliated with Fidelity Investments. The results of this survey may not be representative of all adults meeting the same criteria as those surveyed for this study. The theoretical sampling error for all respondents is +/- 1.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Smaller subgroups will have larger error margins.Fidelity was not identified as the sponsor of this study.

The generations are defined as: Boomers (born 1946 – 1964), Gen X (born 1965 – 1980), Millennials (born 1981 – 1996), and Gen Z (born 1997-2012; only those ages 18+ were considered for this study).

About Fidelity Investments

Fidelity’s mission is to strengthen the financial well-being of our customers and deliver better outcomes for the clients and businesses we serve.  Fidelity’s strength comes from the scale of our diversified, market-leading financial services businesses that serve individuals, families, employers, wealth management firms, and institutions. With assets under administration of $14.1 trillion, including discretionary assets of $5.5 trillion as of June 30, 2024, we focus on meeting the unique needs of a broad and growing customer base. Privately held for 78 years, Fidelity employs more than 75,000 associates across the United States, Ireland, and India. For more information about Fidelity Investments, visit https://www.fidelity.com/about-fidelity/our-company.

Fidelity Investments and Fidelity are registered service marks of FMR LLC.

Keep in mind that investing involves risk. The value of your investment will fluctuate over time, and you may gain or lose money.

Views expressed are as of the date indicated, based on the information available at that time, and may change based on market or other conditions. Unless otherwise noted, the opinions provided are those of the speaker or author and not necessarily those of Fidelity Investments or its affiliates. Fidelity does not assume any duty to update any of the information.

# # #