AltHub, Alqami Ally to Grow Alt Data Offerings

New York-based alternative data aggregator AltHub and London-based alternative data specialist Alqami have signed a global data distribution partnership that allows each company to distribute alt datasets sourced by the other, expanding the range of data that each can provide to clients, and accelerating moves into each other’s regional markets.

“We’re always trying to source unique datasets from other industries and translate them into something analysts can use. This gives us a way to expand our scouting capabilities globally, find new datasets, and prepare, package, and present them to investment managers,” says AltHub founder and CEO Scott Hall. “It takes months to bring an alternative data provider to market. So with two companies doing it, we can accelerate that capacity.”

The deal gives each provider access to about 20 alternative datasets overall, including around a dozen collected by Alqamy, and allows Alqamy to reach US investors with its primarily Europe-focused datasets, while enabling AltHub to distribute its primarily US-focused datasets in Europe via Alqami.

“So I think this will also be good for the vendors whose data we distribute, because now we have a global reach,” Hall adds.

For example, AltHub will be able to offer its clients access to datasets such as Shephard Media and Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) via Alqami. Shephard provides news, analysis, data and marketing solutions to companies operating in the global defense industry. By collecting its data for financial consumers, Alqami is exposing detailed information on manufacturing, procurement, supply chain and delivery activities for investment professionals following the industry. Meanwhile, ACL, which schedules and coordinates airlines booking flight landing slots on behalf of airports—and facilitates the trading of pre-booked slots between airlines—can be used as a leading indicator of freight and passenger volumes, since airlines often book these slots months in advance based on their own expectations of traffic and planning for future events.

Conversely, Alqami clients will be able to access datasets sourced independently by AltHub, such as Datonics, a new addition to AltHub’s portfolio, which provides insights into consumer behavior and brand trends, using data on search activity, carriers and device usage from more than 400 million North American users to drive its marketplace for advertising data.

Existing AltHub datasets that Alqami clients will gain access to include Intelligration and Captify. Intelligration provides consumer sentiment data correlated to US population demographics, based on data collected via online stock trading game app Vestly, where investors trade companies they like or dislike using virtual money. Captify provides information on consumer search activity to predict purchasing trends, gain insight into specific products and brands, companies, industries, and macro views.

AltHub’s sales team has already begun talking to clients about the Alqami data, which is being positively received by its buy-side clients, Hall says. And with buy-side firms asking AltHub about other datasets as well, the company has an opportunity to play “matchmaker” between clients and the broader world of alternative data, including other datasets it may source in future.

“There is some exclusivity around distribution of the content from Alqami, but if we find other companies that could work well with us, there is flexibility to be able to work with others,” Hall adds.