August 13, 2024
The private markets landscape has experienced remarkable growth over the past few decades, becoming an essential component of the financial markets and a critical tool for investment sales managers. In the private equity space alone, there are more than 18,000 funds as of 2021, a nearly 60% increase from five years prior (quote from SEC).
Private markets play a pivotal role in providing assets to businesses that are not publicly traded, allowing for significant investment opportunities that can yield high returns. This is especially important for institutional investors like pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds and increasingly for family offices and RIAs. For investment sales professionals, staying ahead of this dynamic and fast-growing sector is crucial. Access to comprehensive and reliable private market databases enables you to make informed decisions, identify prime opportunities, and effectively manage investment portfolios.
At Dakota, our investment sales team has seen this shift from public to private markets come to fruition as we’ve been fundraising since 2006 and raised over $30 billion on behalf of our partners. Their CRM is the database we sell today, Dakota Marketplace, making it uniquely built by fundraisers for fundraisers.
In this article, we are going to review the top private market databases. By the end of this, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the databases below, and which may compliment your team the most!
It’s important to note that this is just our opinion at Dakota, it’s by no means a best of list.
S&P Global’s platform for private market data and analysis is robust, offering detailed information on private funds, including performance metrics and fundraising activities. It provides portfolio monitoring, investor contacts, sustainability solutions, and resources for integrating ESG factors. The platform also supports performance benchmarking and regulatory compliance with data from sources like Preqin. These features help investors make informed decisions and optimize their private market investments.
Burgiss is a part of MSCI, coining themselves as private capital specialists. For 40 years they have been dedicated to gathering data, analytics, and solutions to assist teams build out their private capital pools. In addition to analytics, MSCI offers benchmarking and investment decision support so you can browse these private funds by vintage, asset class, geography, or other metrics. You’ll have access to the Private Capital Manager Universe with data from 5,000+ managers, 20,000+ funds, and 240,000 assets.
Factset's private market database provides detailed insights into the private markets. The Cobalt Portfolio Monitoring Platform provides tools for comprehensive portfolio management, offering features such as real-time data integration, performance analytics, risk assessment, and reporting capabilities. The platform supports data visualization and customizable dashboards to enhance decision-making processes.
Optica is a database from Cambridge Associates to assist investors in private markets. The platform leverages over 40 years of proprietary data and research to empower sophisticated investors with better decision-making tools. Organized into product development, client support, and business development, the entrepreneurial team is passionate about client service and realizing Optica's vision. Optica serves hundreds of clients globally and continues to grow within the InvestTech space. It’s important to note that only LPs can access Optica’s data.
London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), is a leading provider of financial markets data and infrastructure. It offers comprehensive data, analytics, and technology to support market innovation and performance. Additionally, through its acquisition of Refinitive and partnership with Floww, LSEG is expanding its capabilities in private markets by building a global network of private companies and investors, facilitating primary capital raising, and enhancing market liquidity with reliable data and innovative solutions. This integration with LSEG's broader private markets database capabilities further supports companies throughout their funding lifecycle, from private to public markets.
From their website, RCP has been collecting and analyzing private market data for over 20 years. They enhance the investment process with analytical tools and benchmarking to track managers, funds, and portfolio companies. With GPScout, you’ll be able to make sense of private data to create opportunities.
Bloomberg's platform for private market solutions offer comprehensive tools and data for every stage of private equity investing. This includes market insights, fundraising data, portfolio management tools, and performance analytics. The platform supports decision-making with detailed financial information, industry trends, and proprietary analysis. It aims to streamline operations and enhance investment strategies for private equity firms.
PEI Group's private markets services deliver comprehensive insights and data, monitoring firms and individuals within the private equity sector. The platform offers news, data, and analysis on investments, providing industry-leading market insights, data, and journalism through a portfolio of specialist brands. These services are supported by a robust and scalable digital publishing, analytics, and database platform, ensuring clients have access to top-tier information and analysis.
Dakota Marketplace is an institutional and intermediary investor database meticulously crafted by fundraisers for fundraisers. Launched in 2019, it now serves over 1,000 firms, providing a comprehensive solution to navigate the private fund market efficiently. The platform offers real-time updates on investment holdings, facilitating connections with investors active in specific asset classes. Users have access to extensive datasets, including manager presentations, search details, fee studies, and more.
The platform integrates over 6,000 strategies with performance data, offering detailed and actionable information critical for informed investment decisions. The database includes key contacts, performance records, and insights into metro areas, fundraising trends, and investment opportunities. Exclusive manager interviews and profiles further enhance the understanding of the market.
Dakota Marketplace is designed to give financial professionals a competitive edge, combining extensive research with real-time data to ensure users stay ahead in the dynamic world of private funds. This platform is a vital tool for making well-informed investment decisions, tailored to the evolving needs of the private fund market.
The private market has grown substantially, becoming a vital part of modern investment strategies. For investment sales professionals, accessing comprehensive databases such as those from S&P Global, MSCI, Factset, Cambridge Associates, LSEG, RCP, Bloomberg, PEI Group, and Dakota Marketplace is crucial. These platforms provide invaluable data, performance analytics, and market intelligence, enabling professionals to make informed decisions and maintain a competitive edge. By leveraging these resources, professionals can effectively navigate the complexities and opportunities within the expanding private market landscape.
For more information on Dakota Marketplace, book a demo today!
Morgan Holycross is a Marketing Manager at Dakota.
