A new impact investing platform, Swell, has officially launched.
With a minimum investment of $500, Swell provides consumers the opportunity to invest in six portfolios focused on a positive future: Green Technology, Renewable Energy, Zero Waste, Clean Water, Healthy Living and Disease Eradication.
Swell identifies high-impact, high-potential companies that are working toward innovative solutions to these challenges through in-depth research typically not available to everyday investors. Swell designed its purpose-driven profit model and intuitive user experience based on the insight that consumers want to invest consciously but aren't willing to sacrifice returns.
"At Swell, we believe performance is about more than just profit," says CEO Dave Fanger, in a statement. "Swell is on a mission to ensure that every person can have an impact while also investing in their financial future. We're proud to offer people a way to invest in progress, beginning today."
When building the portfolios, the impact analysis team first applies Swell's proprietary Engaged Impact Criteria, which screen for impact in a number of ways including a company's MSCI ESG rating and its alignment with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
Swell also requires that each company derives revenue from its associated impact theme, an indicator that it is actively contributing to progress.
Then, Swell's portfolio management team looks at the company's fundamentals to determine what percentage, if any, will be included in its portfolios to optimize the risk-return profile. Only when a company meets all of these criteria will it be considered for a Swell portfolio.
Swell is a venture startup incubated by Pacific Life, a company with nearly 150 years of experience in financial services. In 2015, Swell tapped global design firm IDEO to serve as creative partner and help evolve the company. In 2016, Swell hired Carbon Five as its software development partner.
IndexIQ Launches The IQ Chaikin U.S. Small Cap ETF
IndexIQ adds to its factor-based ETF offerings with a U.S.-listed strategic beta ETF built on the strength of the "Chaikin Power Gauge."
The IQ Chaikin U.S. Small Cap ETF (NASDAQ: CSML) is the first domestic equity-focused addition to IndexIQ's family of factor-based investment solutions.
CSML is designed to track the price and yield performance of the NASDAQ Chaikin Power U.S. Small Cap Index, which leverages the Chaikin Power Gauge (CPG), a proprietary 20-factor quantitative stock rating model, in the security selection process. The index is composed of highly rated stocks derived using the CPG, and has the potential to outperform market-weighted products and active strategies.
Baird Selects CAIS as Enterprise Alternative Investment Platform for Advisors
Baird announced its selection of CAIS as the enterprise alternative investment platform for its financial advisors. Baird has more than 3,400 associates serving the needs of individual, corporate, institutional and municipal clients, and has more than $170 billion in client assets under management.
CAIS is an open-architecture alternative investment product platform offering wealth management professionals a complete end-to-end solution comprising fund access, independent research and due diligence, execution and ongoing support.
CAIS has a diversified menu of hedge funds, private equity funds, credit/distressed strategies and real estate funds which are all available at lower investment minimums.
Upon selecting a fund, the investment experience is streamlined through the use of existing investor profiles as well as an automated subscription process and integrated custodial reporting. All funds are required to undergo independent due diligence by Mercer, and summary reports and ratings are made available on the platform to all advisor members.
