Key Takeaways
- • Dakota, a fundraising firm that says it has raised over $30 billion for its partners since 2006, reviews nine private market databases in a sponsored article promoting its own product, Dakota Marketplace.
- • The article cites an SEC figure of more than 18,000 private equity funds as of 2021, a nearly 60% increase from five years earlier.
- • Databases reviewed include S&P Global, MSCI's Burgiss, FactSet, Cambridge Associates' Optica, LSEG, RCP's GPScout, Bloomberg, PEI Group and Dakota Marketplace.
- • Dakota Marketplace, launched in 2019, reports over 1,000 served firms and more than 6,000 strategies with performance data.
- • Cambridge Associates' Optica is accessible only to limited partners, according to the article.
Summary
The article, published on Dakota's website, argues that private markets have grown substantially and that investment sales professionals need reliable private market databases to identify opportunities and manage portfolios. It cites an SEC quote indicating more than 18,000 private equity funds as of 2021, a nearly 60% increase from five years prior. Institutional investors such as pension funds, endowments and sovereign wealth funds, along with family offices and RIAs, are identified as key users of these tools.
The article profiles nine platforms. S&P Global offers private fund data including performance metrics and fundraising activity, along with portfolio monitoring, investor contacts and ESG resources, drawing on data from Preqin. MSCI's Burgiss, which describes itself as a private capital specialist with 40 years of experience, offers a Private Capital Manager Universe covering more than 5,000 managers, 20,000+ funds and 240,000 assets. FactSet's Cobalt Portfolio Monitoring Platform provides real-time data integration, performance analytics, risk assessment and customizable dashboards.
Cambridge Associates' Optica draws on more than 40 years of proprietary data and serves hundreds of clients globally, though only LPs can access its data. LSEG cites its acquisition of Refinitiv and partnership with Floww as expanding its private markets capabilities, including building a global network of private companies and investors. RCP says it has collected private market data for over 20 years through GPScout. Bloomberg's private markets platform covers market insights, fundraising data, portfolio management and performance analytics. PEI Group offers news, data and analysis through a portfolio of specialist brands.
Dakota Marketplace, launched in 2019, is described as an institutional and intermediary investor database serving more than 1,000 firms. It offers real-time updates on investment holdings, manager presentations, fee studies and profiles of over 6,000 strategies with performance data. The article notes that its opinions are Dakota's own and that the list is not a comprehensive ranking. Readers are invited to book a demo of Dakota Marketplace.
The article profiles nine platforms. S&P Global offers private fund data including performance metrics and fundraising activity, along with portfolio monitoring, investor contacts and ESG resources, drawing on data from Preqin. MSCI's Burgiss, which describes itself as a private capital specialist with 40 years of experience, offers a Private Capital Manager Universe covering more than 5,000 managers, 20,000+ funds and 240,000 assets. FactSet's Cobalt Portfolio Monitoring Platform provides real-time data integration, performance analytics, risk assessment and customizable dashboards.
Cambridge Associates' Optica draws on more than 40 years of proprietary data and serves hundreds of clients globally, though only LPs can access its data. LSEG cites its acquisition of Refinitiv and partnership with Floww as expanding its private markets capabilities, including building a global network of private companies and investors. RCP says it has collected private market data for over 20 years through GPScout. Bloomberg's private markets platform covers market insights, fundraising data, portfolio management and performance analytics. PEI Group offers news, data and analysis through a portfolio of specialist brands.
Dakota Marketplace, launched in 2019, is described as an institutional and intermediary investor database serving more than 1,000 firms. It offers real-time updates on investment holdings, manager presentations, fee studies and profiles of over 6,000 strategies with performance data. The article notes that its opinions are Dakota's own and that the list is not a comprehensive ranking. Readers are invited to book a demo of Dakota Marketplace.
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