MSCI today announced the expansion of its megatrend index suite with the launch of five indexes focused on disruptive innovation.
The indexes track the performance of companies in dynamic fields, including autonomous technologies, genomics, fintech, and next generation internet. The new thematic indexes will leverage insights based on collaboration with ARK Invest, an expert in analyzing disruptive innovation in the public markets and a global investment manager.
By researching across sectors, geographies, and market capitalizations, ARK Invest seeks to provide a deeper understanding of innovation themes and how they will develop over time.
Stephane Mattatia, Head of Thematic Indexes at MSCI, said technological advances, health crises, scientific discoveries, and changes in business and consumer behaviour continue to transform global dynamics.
“Investors are increasingly demanding innovative tools that enable them to better identify growth from these economic and societal transformations,” Mattatia said. “Thematic investing continues to be an area of growth and focus for our clients, and we are therefore pleased to announce the launch of these new indexes as well as our collaboration with ARK Invest.”
ARK Invest Founder, CEO and CIO Catherine Wood said ARK was delighted that MSCI’s innovation-specific thematic indexes will offer institutional investors exposure to the five innovation platforms evolving today.
“We believe artificial intelligence, robotics, energy storage, DNA sequencing, and blockchain technology are game changing innovations that will transform the way the world works during the next five to ten years,” Wood said.
About the new indexes:
| Index | Index composition |
| MSCI ACWI IMI Autonomous Technology & Industrial Innovation Index | Companies that are expected to derive significant revenues, based on the underlying index methodology criteria, from the development of new products and services as a result of technological innovation in industrial automation, manufacturing, transportation, energy usage, energy storage, energy production as well as in artificial intelligence and machine learning. |
| MSCI ACWI IMI Genomic Innovation Index | Companies that are expected to derive significant revenues, based on the underlying index methodology criteria, from the development of new products and services in the field of genomic sequencing, synthesis, analysis or instrumentation, enable bio computing, bioinformatics, molecular diagnostics and agricultural biotechnology. |
| MSCI ACWI IMI Next Generation Internet Innovation Index | Companies that are expected to derive significant revenues, based on the underlying index methodology criteria, from the migration of technology infrastructure to the cloud, the increased use of shared technology, infrastructure and services as well as from the increased adoption of internet-based products and services, new payment methods, big data, the internet of things, and social media. |
| MSCI ACWI IMI Fintech Innovation Index | Companies that are expected to derive significant revenues, based on the underlying index methodology criteria, from the development of new products and services as a result of technological innovation in the financial sector. |
| MSCI ACWI IMI Innovation Index | Companies that have high exposure to the following themes through a well-diversified, rules-based and transparent index – Autonomous Technology & Industrial Innovation, Genomic Innovation, Fintech Innovation, and Next Generation Internet Innovation. |
The indexes will use MSCI’s current thematic index methodology framework and have several
potential applications for investors:
• As an investment policy benchmark to guide strategic asset allocation;
• To act as the underlying index for products, including ETFs, structured products and mutual
funds;
• As a benchmark to measure performance of asset managers.
For more information, visit msci.com.