A hot new hedge fund is gearing up for one of this year's biggest launches

A former Citadel money manager is gearing up for one of this year's biggest hedge fund launches.

Brandon Haley's Holocene Advisors is planning to launch with about $1 billion on April 3, according to people familiar with the situation.

The hedge fund firm is in capital raising mode, with Haley appearing at a Goldman Sachs emerging managers conference in Florida earlier this month, according to attendees.

Haley is expected to make a significant investment in the fund with his own capital. The firm will initially employ a stock strategy focused on the consumer, industrials and tech, media and telecommunications sectors.

Haley previously was Citadel's global head of equities from 2005 to 2015, according to $4.

The New York-based firm, which is located north of Madison Square Park, now has more than 20 employees. It hired $4, earlier this year, Business Insider reported.

Holocene joins Ben Melkman's Light Sky Macro as one of this year's most anticipated launches. The latter is expected to manage at least $400 million when it launches at the start of March.

Haley couldn't be reached for comment.