This Week’s Vendor News

NEW & UPDATED PRODUCTS

iCapital's portfolio construction tool, Architect, is now available on iCapital Marketplace. Now, more than 350,000 US financial advisors can access Architect to evaluate alternatives, structured investments and traditional assets and also design portfolios that align with their clients’ return objectives and risk profiles. iCapital's Architect compares scenarios and simulates historical performance, identifies macroeconomic portfolio return drivers and evaluates the projected portfolio against a client’s investment objectives. ↗

Nasdaq has launched the Nasdaq eVestment Peer Benchmarking for asset owners. Nasdaq eVestment Peer Benchmarking offers a comprehensive and transparent view into how you perform relative to your most representative peers, as well as the allocation and manager decisions that are driving top-performing portfolios. Without comprehensive peer benchmarking insights, it can be challenging to gauge a portfolio's true performance against industry standards and identify areas for improvement. ↗

Hypercore has launched its new, updated website. The new website explores customer journeys, allows users to gain insights into the industry, and gives a sneak peek at Hypercore's upcoming features. ↗

SimilarWeb has announced a handful of new updates across its features. In its product Rank Tracker, there are three new updates: 1) A brand new keyword position view, 2) Users overall performance by rank and 3) Google algorithm notations. SimilarWeb has also unveiled 2 new brand protection updates: 1) New advertisers report and 2) Alerts when users want alerts. And finally, brand new to Shopper Intelligence, its launched keyword lists - now users can group keywords together to analyze topics. ↗

DealEdge has made some changes to its platform that were designed to streamline workflow and offer insights for more informed decision-making. DealEdge's quarterly benchmark functionality has been added to Sector Explorer and Portfolio Diagnostics modules. This new feature allows users to select a point-in-time benchmark to compare against (up to four quarters in the past) or select ‘latest’ for the latest deal and valuation updates the DealEdge universe has to offer. ↗

CAIS has announced improvements to the trade process on its platform. With the recently launched CAIS DocuSign enabled, it eliminates the need to process orders at both CAIS and Schwab separately; manual entry is no longer needed. It also increases the speed because users don't need wet signatures anymore. Additionally, users can send documents automatically. Documents signed using CAIS DocuSign removes the advisor requirement to submit a letter of authorization or subscription agreement manually to Schwab, saving time and effort. ↗

KEY ESG has announced a couple new updates to its platform. KEY ESG has released a new CSRD metric library and double materiality guide to its application. It also has continued improvements to its Scope 3 capabilities to include automated calculations. ↗

iConnections has unveiled its 2024 Q2 Product Release, which includes the launch of two new features on its platform: Roadshows and Investor Portal. Roadshows reimagines the way fund managers plan, execute, and manage their business trips. Investor Portal is a centralized platform for document management, which offers a secure, centralized hub for sharing and accessing critical investment documents. ↗

OneTrust has launched its Winter Release 2024, which includes new and updated features to its platform. This new update includes improved risk intelligence, new AI governance capabilities, and usability enhancements. These new platform features make it easier for users to govern their use of AI and accelerate AI innovation, ensure the responsible use of data across the entire data lifecycle, and achieve compliance program efficiency through enhanced automation and intelligence. Major platform updates include: new AI Governance automation rules, integrations with AWS SageMaker, AzureML, and Google Vertex for AI governance, AI Risk Assessments in AI Governance, new and improved DataGuidance experience, new data policy engine in Data Discovery and more. ↗

DEAL ACTIVITY

Rasa has completed its $30 million Series C funding round, co-led by StepStone Group and PayPal Ventures, with participation from Andreessen Horowitz, Accel, and Basis Set Ventures. Rasa is a generative conversational AI platform that powers AI assistants that are aligned with customers’ business logic to provide meaningful and practical user engagement. ↗

PARTNERSHIPS & INTEGRATIONS

Entrilia and qashqade has announced a new integration partnership together. This partnership creates an end-to-end solution, with data flowing to and from Entrilia’s fund accounting platform into qashqade for distribution waterfall calculations, via a proprietary data exchange module. The result means that Entrilia users can gain access to qashqade’s waterfall calculation technology seamlessly, improving accuracy and investor transparency. ↗

Clearstream and iCapital have strengthened its partnership to facilitate access to alternative investments. Now, the private market investment opportunities from global asset managers that are available on iCapital Marketplace, will also be accessible via Clearstream Fund Centre and Clearstream Vestima platforms. As a main goal of this partnership, Clearstream and iCapital will deepen the integration of their technology to further streamline operational and administrative processes for investing in private markets. ↗

SS&C Technologies has signed a long-term agreement with DDH Graham to deliver superannuation and funds management administration services. DDH Graham manages and administers over $7.8 billion in funds on behalf of 34 fund managers and superannuation funds in Australia. DDH will leverage SS&C's financial administration and technology resources on a sub-contracting basis to further expand its superannuation and managed funds business. SS&C will deliver member and investor administration, including unit registry and fund services, for DDH and their superannuation and managed fund clients. DDH will transition admin services to SS&C over the next few months. ↗

FIS has entered into a strategic partnership with Banked, a provider of open banking solutions, to drive new pay-by-bank offerings for both businesses and consumers. Pay-by-bank solutions simplify payments by combining the benefits of real-time payment rails with the flexibility and efficiency of open banking, where third-party financial service providers have direct access to banking data to complete digital payments. As a result, businesses and consumers can make payments directly between business and consumer bank accounts without the need for card details, account numbers or sort codes. Businesses benefit from less fraud, reduced friction, faster settlements and lower processing fees, while consumers enjoy a smoother payment experience, easier verification and faster access to funds. ↗

Alkymi has announced a strategic partnership with Lionpoint Group to provide mutual financial services clients with strategic services and technology. The joint offering provides the tools and resources required to manage and analyze an organization’s data, freeing firms’ internal resources to focus on other strategic and core business functions. ↗

Crunchbase has integrated with monday.com. Now, users can expand their monday.com CRM records with Crunchbase’s proprietary company data to: build workflow templates and surface qualified accounts, inform outreach with unique funding and revenue data, get daily updates and ensure CRM data freshness. ↗

Sweep and Axionable have partnered together to accelerate companies' climate transitions. This partnership combines Axionable's technology consulting and CSR with Sweep's turnkey ESG data platform. ↗

Canoe and Ellevate have announced its new strategic consulting partnership. Founded in 2023, Ellevate is a technology consulting and platform optimization services firm. For wealth management firms with investments in alternative assets, Canoe and Ellevate will collaborate to provide a turnkey experience. Additionally, whether clients lack in-house resourcing or are looking for an end-to-end alternative reporting solution, Canoe and Ellevate can work together to ensure mutual clients are getting the full ROI on their technology spend. ↗

Autoguard Group has partnered with Xpedition to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central. Business Central will provide a secure and reliable cloud-ready solution for its finance operations, closely integrated with its existing IT landscape, allowing Autoguard to work smarter, adapt faster, and perform better. ↗

CARTO and Markerr have announced a new data partnership together. This partnership allows CARTO users to subscribe to data built on over 150 million detailed property records. Professionals in financial services, insurance, urban planning, and real estate investment can benefit from using these datasets for enhanced market analysis and strategic decision-making. ↗

Addepar has announced that new impact data, from its partner Clarity AI, is now available within Addepar for tailored impact investment strategies and values-aligned reporting. ↗

Deloitte was recognized as Anaplan's 2024 Global Partner of the Year for the 10th year in a row. Deloitte APAC was also recognized as 2024 APAC Partner of the Year. Together, Deloitte and Anaplan help clients enhance business planning and execution for sales, operations, and finance using cloud-based connected planning. ↗

Standard Metrics has welcomed GreatPoint Ventures to its list of clients. With Standard Metrics, GPV will automate the collection, analysis and reporting of portfolio data. Additionally, GPV wants to automate admin work so that the investment team can stay focused on sourcing and closing deals. GPV also wants its back office to be able to quickly pull insights from portfolio companies' reporting. ↗

T. Rowe Price and Oak Hill Advisors have joined the SUBSCRIBE platform as its newest clients. SUBSCRIBE aims to deliver digital onboarding and electronic subscription document workflow for their wealth management customers. ↗

Vitech Systems Group has been chosen by Desjardins Group to help grow its insurance business. Vitech’s V3locity platform will be leveraged in Desjardins’ expansion strategy in group benefits to transform customer experience while scaling digital efficiencies. Vitech’s V3locity will integrate with Desjardins’ life, health and disability verticals and covers an expansive scope of operations including policy administration, billing and digital self-service portals for employers, employees and brokers. The initiative focuses on digitally transforming and simplifying the customer journey of members and clients with user-friendly systems for Desjardins’ group benefits block of business. ↗

Rest, one of Australia’s largest profit-to-member super funds, has selected Dasseti Collect to digitize and streamline operational and ESG due diligence. Dasseti Collect will allow Rest to digitize operational due diligence, manager monitoring and ESG due diligence across the portfolio. With Dasseti Collect, Rest will be able to scale manager operational and ESG due diligence to simplify processes and enhance insights. ↗

Atfinity has announced its newest client is Habib Bank Limited. Atfinity helped HBL with automating and planning their KYC and onboarding processes. ↗

OFFICE & PERSONNEL

Grandview Analytics has announced that Jeff Tincher, from its Consulting Services practice has been promoted to Senior Director, Head of Product for Rivvit, its data management and reporting platform. Before joining Grandview in 2020, Tincher was Director - Central Information at Guggenheim Partners. Tincher has 20 years of experience in the financial services industry, helping banks, investment firms and fintech companies understand and solve data, workflow and technology challenges. ↗

Bridget Deiters has been promoted to Vice President of Customer Success for Ontra's Contract Automation business. Deiters has been with Ontra since 2018 and was previously at Kirkland & Ellis. ↗

David Park has been appointed Chief Financial Officer at StepStone Group. Park, based in La Jolla, joined StepStone in 2019 and now leads StepStone’s Corporate Finance & Accounting team. ↗

Holland Mountain has welcomed Amardeep Singh as a new Managing Consultant in the London office. Singh will be leading consulting engagements and is part of the ATLAS team that works with private equity firms on their data strategy. Singh was previously Head of Insight at Colmore. ↗

Moonfare has announced its closing its Hong Kong office after 3 years in operation. Moonfare is shifting from digital private equity platform to private equity co-investment fund with the launch of the $62 million Moonfare Co-investment Fund I in December 2023. ↗

Anthony Keathley has been appointed Chief Accounting Officer at StepStone Group. Keathley joined StepStone in 2018 and is based in La Jolla. ↗

iCapital has announced 5 new additions/promotions at the company over the last few weeks. Dominick Ricci is part of Enterprise Solutions and was previously at Addepar. Peter O'Donnell is now an Assistant Vice President and has been with the company since 2021. Scott Magnotta is a Knowledge Management Specialist, Risk Services and has been with iCapital since 2021. Peter DeMarco is a Senior Vice President - Structured Investment Solutions and was previously at Luma Financial Technologies. Lastly, Lauren Baldwin is Vice President Communications and previously was VP, Global Communications at Kroll.

Ann-Katrin Petersen is taking on the position of BlackRock's Chief Investment Strategist for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Eastern Europe. Petersen has been with BlackRock with 2022 and was previously at Allianz Global Investors. ↗

Preqin has announced two new promotions within its company. Alina Garcia has been with Preqin since 2021 and held the role of Senior Associate - Segment Marketing, Acquisitions & Insights. Kyra Smith has also been with Preqin since 2021 and used to be a Senior Associate, Segment Marketing, Acquisition & Insights. Garcia and Smith are now Segment Marketing Managers.

Sophie Andre is a new Senior Consultant at Holland Mountain. Prior to joining Holland Mountain, Andre was a Product Manager - Fintech at Titanbay. ↗

Tonia Leigh-Morgan is the new Head of Private Wealth, Guernsey at IQ-EQ. Leigh-Morgan has been with IQ-EQ for over 20 years, taking on a range of different senior roles during this time, including Group Legal Counsel and since 2018 as a Client Services Director within IQ-EQ’s Guernsey Private Wealth team. ↗

Kimberly Miller has started a new position as Strategic Account Director at Alkymi. Prior to joining Alkymi, Miller was part of the institutional sales team at Bloomberg Second Measure. ↗

Lloyd Dean has started a new position as Director of Project Management at Allvue Systems. Previously, Dean was Managing Director, UK at LeadingMile Consulting. ↗

Anna Ward is the new Manager, Business Development at Tegus. Ward is now leading the Inbound BDR team. Prior to joining Tegys, Ward was a Mid-Market Account Executive at LinkedIn. ↗

Sam Coleman is a new Senior Software Engineer at IDR. Prior to joining IDR, Coleman worked at Innovation Group. ↗

Anaplan has appointed EJ Tavella as Senior Vice President of Applications for Supply Chain Planning. Tavella has more than 25 years of experience with supply chain and analytics and will leverage his functional expertise to help Anaplan design, build, and market planning applications for supply chain leaders and decision-makers. Most recently Tavella was Managing Director, Supply Chain & AI Sales Lead West at Accenture. ↗

VENDOR RESEARCH & WHITEPAPERS

Rundit has a new blog, "5 Fundraising Trends of 2023 for European Venture Capital Firms and an Outlook to 2024". In this blog, Rundit goes over trends that not only offer a clearer perspective on the industry’s current state but also provide insights into the broader trajectory of the venture capital market in 2024 and beyond. ↗

Holland Mountain has a new article, "Why Portfolio Monitoring Software Fails… and How to Fix it". This article examines the five reasons why portfolio monitoring software would fail and what advice Holland Mountain can give. ↗

ShareVault has a new blog, "How to Choose the Right Secure File Sharing Solution for Your Company". In this blog, ShareVault goes over 8 steps that will guide users through the process of choosing a secure file-sharing solution tailored to your company's needs. ↗

Katipult has a new blog, "Strategies for Fund Administration to Embrace Digital Transformation". Some of the strategies that Katipult discusses in this article are the adoption of technology and the importance of cybersecurity. ↗

DealsPlus has a new blog, "The excel replacement private equity funds need for investment structure management". In this blog, DealsPlus has summarized the key differences between DealsPlus and the existing way in which private equity investment structures are managed. ↗

DiligenceVault has a new whitepaper, "10 Ways Asset Allocators Are Using Form ADV Dataset". This paper reviews the various uses and how to build a strategy to integrate Form ADV dataset in your investment and diligence framework. ↗

Kroll has a new blog, "10 Trends Shaping 2024". In this piece, Kroll shares what it believes are the ten trends that will shape financial markets, governance, compliance and cybersecurity over this coming year. ↗

Arcesium has a new blog, "Has ESG Investing Peaked?". Arcesium states that as investment institutions increasingly factor ESG into their corporate decision-making and investment preferences, institutional investors must be up to date on regulations, aligned on sustainability to returns, and aware of innovations making the implementation of ESG initiatives easier. ↗

Broadridge has a new article, "Why AI Enablers are your best asset for digitalization". In this article, Broadridge discusses why it feels that the next generation of technology leaders in the workforce have to be “AI Enablers” — people who bring together knowledge about AI’s possibilities as well as an understanding of their own business. AI Enablers think of ways to apply AI that benefit the business, solve challenges, and how to create environments that embrace change on an institutional scale. ↗

IDR Group has a new post, "Here is why the private markets need an investor clearinghouse". In this post IDR Group looks at how, through connecting fund managers and investors within a centralized hub, an investor clearing house supports raising bigger funds and offers a better investor experience. ↗

Axial has a new post, "How to Prepare For Selling Your Business". This article focuses on what business owners should know prior to starting an engagement and the steps they can take to prepare for the transaction process. ↗

Private Equity International has a new article, "How AI could aid ESG teams?" In this piece, Private Equity International states that freeing up ESG experts to spend more time on strategic initiatives, AI could dramatically increase the impact of efforts by private funds. ↗

SAMETRICA has a new blog, "How To: Collecting Relevant Validated Portfolio Company Data with Minimal Effort". To enhance ESG and impact reporting, SAMETRICA feels that asset managers need to establish a process for gathering relevant data from their portfolio companies with minimal effort. It involves a strategic approach that identifies quantitative information for evaluating ESG factors. SAMETRICS has put together key elements that organizations should consider. ↗

DueDilio has a new post on how navigating the path to closing a deal can be a complex journey. So DueDilio put together five tips to identify and resolve obstacles, ensuring a successful deal closure. ↗

AlphaSense has a new blog, "Investment Banking Trends and Outlook for 2024". In this blog AlphaSense explores the top 10 trends in investment banking and important considerations for investors and firms as they build strategies for the future. ↗

Ontra has a new blog, "5 signs it’s time to automate your private equity NDAs". In this blog Ontra explains that since traditional outsourcing has evolved into contract automation, firms that still handle their NDAs in-house or send them to outside counsel should review the following five signs that it’s time for a new arrangement. ↗

SS&C has a new blog, "5 Considerations for Alternative Investment Firms Embarking on Digital Transformation". For this piece, SS&C has put together five key takeaways on digital transformation. ↗

Acuity Knowledge Partners has a new blog, "Decoding the use of ESG data for reporting – to proxy or not?". In this piece Acuity goes over what ESG data is and the types of data along with why it is important. ↗

Infrrd has a new blog, "Why Digital Transformation is Incomplete without Document Automation". In this blog, Infrrd unravels the secrets behind why digital transformation remains incomplete without automated document processing. Infrrd feels that document digitization is critical for digital transformation as it addresses the challenge of manual document processing, from inefficiencies, higher costs, and errors to compliance risks. With document digitization, organizations can effectively leverage data, automate processes, and drive innovation, setting the stage for a digital transformation journey. ↗

AWARDS

With Intelligence have announced the winners from the Fund Intelligence Operations & Services Awards 2024.

Winners from our Vendor Profiles database include:

Arcesium - Best back/middle-office tech provider
FundGuard - Best machine learning development
Arcesium - Best new front-office fintech solution
Arcesium - Best cloud-based back/middle-office solution
Northern Trust - Best multi series trust provider
IQ-EQ - Best regulatory reporting solution

Congrats to all the winners! ↗

DealCloud was named a bronze winner in the Best in Biz Awards for the Enterprise Product of the Year — All Other Software category. ↗