Australian Unity Investments' (AUI) joint venture strategy has helped the manager secure more than $5 billion in funds under management in three years, according to AUI head David Bryant.

AUI has joint ventures with Platypus Asset Management, Vianova Asset Management and Acorn Capital.

Bryant said the firm had attracted both institutional and retail money.

"We found that institutional investors tend to be the leaders in any new investment strategy. Once they have seeded our managers, the retail market soon followed," he said.

Platypus Asset Management has won mandates from Intech, AMP Capital Investors and industry superannuation funds Master Super and AustralianSuper.

The AUI-Platypus Australian Equities Trust is on the BT Wrap, Macquarie, Netwealth, Ausmaq and Beacon platforms.

Acorn Capital has mandates from industry funds Unisuper and Sunsuper and from corporate fund Qantas Superannuation.

The Acorn Wholesale Microcap Trust is on the BT Wrap, Macquarie Wrap, Asgard, Navigator, Oasis and Goldman Sachs JBWere platforms.

Vianova's Strategic Fixed Interest Trust is listed on BT Wrap Advantage, Macquarie Wrap, Netwealth and Ausmaq. It is also on the Genesys and Lonsdale approved product lists.

"The Vianova success story is just beginning. Its retail fund is starting to receive strong research ratings so it is featuring on approved lists for the first time," Bryant said.

He said the investment manager was looking to secure more joint ventures in a bid to expand into the asset classes of listed property and international equity.