aisot: The Venture Leader Fintech launching the new era of asset management

01.12.2023 09:00, Rita Longobardi

Meet Stefan Klauser, CEO of aisot. On a mission to empower investors with next-gen AI models, the ETH spin-off is the first company enabling asset managers to generate high-performing portfolios tailored to their preferences across financial markets, all without coding.

Name: Stefan Klauser
Location: Zürich, Switzerland
Nationality: Swiss
Graduated from: M.A. UZH, Graduate Certificates from LSE & MIT 
Job title: CEO
Number of employees: 10
Money raised: CHF 2.5M
Can you tell us who your product or solution helps, and how?
aisot's AI Insights platform helps asset managers, advisors, and brokers create personalized portfolios for a wide range of investors. Using advanced AI technology and custom financial products, Aisot supports the financial industry in adapting portfolios to market changes in real time.

What market are you addressing and what is the potential of your startup in that market?
aisot is addressing the asset/wealth management market, with a B2B platform as well as a B2B2C strategy by issuing white-labeled investment products and integrating aisot services with third-party platforms, such as brokers and portfolio management systems. The potential of aisot in this market is significant with an estimated USD 4.4bn serviceable obtainable market by 2027 (ARR), given the increasing demand for advanced technological solutions in the asset and wealth management sector. AI-powered asset management systems can provide more accurate predictions, automate processes, and personalize investment strategies, thereby attracting clients looking for efficient and data-driven investment solutions. As the financial industry continues to embrace technology, aisot is able to capture a substantial market share and establish itself as a leading player in the AI-driven asset management sector.

How and where did you come up with the idea for your startup?
The three founders of aisot, including myself, Dr. Nino Antulov-Fantulin, and Dr. Tian Guo, met at ETH while researching the intersection of social, complexity, and computer science. In 2018, two of us presented a paper on innovative Machine Learning prediction algorithms at the IEEE International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM). This caught the attention of funds interested in our approach, leading us to explore the market potential of AI in Asset Management. We initiated our MVP and officially registered the company in late 2019.

What do you expect from the Venture Leaders Fintech roadshow, and how will it help you achieve your vision?
aisot is a global-first company. Our interest in being a part of Venture Leaders Fintech originates from the aspiration to get in front of new clients and investors in one of the most sophisticated financial markets in the world. We hope to get market and tactical insights, increase our reach in the U.K. and get to know peers. 
What are your team’s key achievements to date?
In October 2023, we successfully launched our AI Insights Platform. The proprietary, cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI) solution empowers asset and wealth managers to offer personalized investment portfolios at scale. Prior to the launch, we introduced a fully AI-driven investment product for digital assets and an AI-optimized portfolio of S&P 500 stocks. Those products validated the business case and showed that we are able to outperform crypto as well as equity market benchmarks, which is a key requirement to offer personalized investment solutions that perform. aisot has successfully signed and onboarded the first users to its platform and is ready to grow. 

Is there a key principle or value that guides you as you build your company?
The central two focus points are customer orientation and team quality. It is only through working with the best team on real customer needs that a company can become successful. On top of that, aisot's growing team is guided by the key principles of innovation, integrity, collaboration, continuous learning, adaptability, quality focus and sustainability. These values serve as the foundation for our approach, ensuring that we remain agile, customer-focused, socially responsible, and committed to delivering high-quality products while creating a positive and inclusive workplace environment.

What is the most important lesson you have learned as a founder? 
Being a founder is running a marathon, not a sprint. So you need to be persistent, while at the same time being able to pivot, adjust strategies, and embrace change.

What is your favorite productivity hack/tool and why?
Reserve meeting-free blocks to be able to work on things that demand full concentration. Tool-wise, we introduced early on Jira to organize our sprints, allowing us to execute our strategy and build a basis for the exchanges between engineers, management, sales, and marketing. 

What was your dream job when you were a child?
As a child, my dream job evolved from wanting to be a train driver, then a tennis player, and even a rockstar. However, a consistent thread in my aspirations was a leaning towards entrepreneurial activities. In my youth, I found joy in organizing events, and as I grew older, I delved into publishing a magazine.

Do you recommend a podcast you want to share with us?
I highly recommend listening to various podcasts featuring our AI & Quant lead advisor Prof. Dr. Petter Kolm, explaining how modern finance can benefit from Machine Learning.

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ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The Venture Leaders Fintech 2023 were chosen from over 60 applications by an expert jury. The roadshow in London will accelerate their ventures’ growth and expand their international presence. Venture Leaders Fintech is organized in partnership with Swissnex, and supported by EPFL, ETH Zürich, Postfinance, and Walder Wyss.