Solactive

Solactive AG operates as a financial index provider, offering customized and standard index solutions for a global client base that includes investment banks, asset managers, and ETF providers. Founded in 2007 by Steffen Scheuble, the company began as Structured Solutions just before the 2008 financial crisis. Scheuble, who had a background in derivatives at Deutsche Bank and later at a Swiss consulting firm, was initially a client of the service he would eventually acquire through a management buyout. The firm rebranded to Solactive in 2013.

The company's business model is centered on the development, calculation, and marketing of cost-effective indices across a wide range of asset classes. Revenue is generated by licensing these indices to clients for use in financial products like Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) and structured products, as well as for benchmarking active funds. Solactive provides two primary services: creating its own branded indices, such as the Solactive eGaming Index, and offering white-label index calculation services for clients like J.P. Morgan and BNP Paribas. The firm's offerings extend to a full suite of ETF services, including the calculation of Indicative Net Asset Value (iNAV), creation of Portfolio Composition Files (PCF), and production of factsheets.

A key milestone in Solactive's history was the 2009 acquisition of the S-Box index platform from the Stuttgart Stock Exchange, which formed the basis of its IT infrastructure. The company has since expanded its global footprint with offices in locations including Toronto, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam, the latter established following the 2021 acquisition of Dutch index provider Global Property Research B.V. In 2019, Solactive was registered as a benchmark administrator by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (BaFin). A significant growth equity investment of €50 million from Summit Partners in early 2021 was secured to support further global expansion and technological development. The company also made a strategic investment in ESG research firm Minerva Analytics in 2019 to bolster its capabilities in the sustainability sector.

Solactive's product portfolio is extensive, featuring thousands of indices from broad benchmarks like its Global Benchmark Series (GBS) to highly specific thematic indices covering areas such as geopolitical risk, humanoid robotics, green bonds, and the subscription economy. The firm leverages technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data to innovate and design new index solutions. This approach allows for high levels of customization, speed, and flexibility, which the company identifies as core to its client-centric strategy.

Keywords: financial indices, index provider, ETF services, custom indices, white-label indexing, benchmark solutions, asset management, investment banking, structured products, ESG indices, thematic investing, Global Benchmark Series, iNAV calculation, portfolio composition file, financial data, capital markets, BaFin, Steffen Scheuble, index licensing, index calculation, market benchmarks, financial technology, multi-asset class, equity indices, fixed income indices