Syntax
Syntax Data is a financial data and technology company that provides product-line classification data on 11,000+ public companies and a direct indexing platform for financial advisors, RIAs, asset managers, and ETF sponsors to create custom indices and portfolios.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Syntax does
Syntax Data is a private financial data and technology firm that provides structured, product-line-level company intelligence and index construction tools to financial professionals. Its core technology is the Functional Information System (FIS®), a patented classification framework protected by 23 U.S. patents that maps the revenue composition of over 11,000 public companies down to the product-line level, with full citations to public filings. FIS underpins three product segments: Syntax Direct (a direct indexing SaaS platform enabling advisors to build hyper-customized portfolios with automated factor scoring and rebalancing), Syntax Affinity (a data analytics platform covering 1,500+ business groups and 40+ risk lenses), and Syntax Indices (proprietary and custom indices licensed to ETF sponsors and asset managers). A new Market Share Data module and Saidee AI Agent extend the surface into competitive intelligence and advisor-facing automation, respectively.
The company primarily serves financial advisors, independent RIAs, asset and portfolio managers, and investment strategists, with a secondary customer base of ETF sponsors, UIT providers, and index publishers. Go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales (quote-based, annual subscription) with channel distribution through wealthtech platforms (TradePMR, Advyzon, SmartX, RFG Advisory) and partnerships with major index providers (MSCI ADR indexes, FTSE Russell) and asset managers (Texas Capital, 17 Asset Management, L&G, Mansueto Ventures). Revenue is generated through FIS data licensing subscriptions, Syntax Direct SaaS fees, Affinity platform subscriptions, and recurring index licensing royalties that scale with underlying product AUM.
Syntax LLC was formed through the 2023 merger with sister company Locus Analytics and the 2023 acquisition of Tyemill, consolidating patents and R&D under a single entity. The company is independently operated, headquartered in New York, employs 51-100 people, and is a UN PRI service provider signatory compliant with the EU-U.S. and Swiss-U.S. Privacy Shield Frameworks. No external parent company, PE sponsor, or VC funding has been disclosed.
Syntax firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Syntax
- Legal name
- Syntax LLC
- Website
- https://syntaxdata.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Syntax Data is a financial data and technology company that provides product-line classification data on 11,000+ public companies and a direct indexing platform for financial advisors, RIAs, asset managers, and ETF sponsors to create custom indices and portfolios.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Syntax industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Financial Data & Index Technology
- NAICS
- Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Finance Services (6199)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Analytics, Risk Models & Factor/Style Indices (FSAFAIAG)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Data Distribution, Connectivity & Market Data Platforms (Entitlements, Normalization, APIs) (FSAFAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Syntax is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Syntax business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Data Licensing (FIS®): Licensing of FIS financial database to institutional investors, asset managers, and financial advisors for company analysis, benchmarking, and research purposes. Data covers 11,000+ public companies worldwide with product-line level granularity.
- Syntax Direct Platform Subscription: SaaS platform subscription for creating and managing custom index solutions. Enables advisors to build, backtest, and deploy custom indices with full control over factor selection, sector exposures, and rebalance schedules.
- Index Licensing and royalties: Licensing of proprietary indices for creation of financial products such as ETFs, UITs, and structured products. Distribution partnerships with asset managers generate licensing fees.
- Affinity Data Platform: Subscription access to Affinity platform for product-line analysis, portfolio risk screening, and comparable company identification across 1,500+ business groups.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Enterprise licensing for large asset managers and institutional investors requiring full data access and API capabilities. |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Syntax product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Syntax builds and licenses financial data and index technology for financial professionals. Its core offering is the FIS® (Functional Information System) data platform, which classifies over 11,000 public companies by product-line revenue, complemented by Syntax Direct (a direct-indexing SaaS), Syntax Affinity (product-level analytics), and Syntax Indices (proprietary and custom indices). Customers use the platform to construct custom portfolios, design indices, and analyze competitive positioning.
Product overview
Syntax is a financial data and technology company offering a three-segment portfolio: Affinity Data (product-line revenue data via FIS), Syntax Direct (direct indexing platform for portfolio creation and management), and Syntax Indices (proprietary and custom indices). The platform enables financial advisors and asset managers to analyze 11,000+ public companies using granular product-line classifications, create custom index solutions with automated factor scoring and rebalancing, access ESG taxonomies and scoring, and utilize market share intelligence. The core offering connects structured data from public filings to portfolio construction tools.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Syntax Direct: Platform enabling swift, automated portfolio management for crafting tailored indexing solutions on-the-fly.
- Syntax Indices
- Affinity Data
- FIS (Functional Information System)
- Syntax Affinity
Products and services
- Syntax Direct Direct-to-index SaaS platform enabling financial advisors to create hyper-customized portfolios in seconds, with automated factor scoring, sector-relative tilting, security weighting, rebalancing, and backtesting for custom index construction.
- Syntax FIS (Functional Information System) Proprietary and patented data platform supporting in-depth examination of financial characteristics on over 11,000 public companies worldwide, providing statistics from fully-cited public filings for sector classifications, market shares, supply chain linkages, and product-line analysis.
- Syntax Affinity Data platform providing comprehensive, transparent product-level data on public companies, enabling search, screening, and analysis across 1,500+ business groups and 40+ lenses for portfolio risk screening and comparable company identification.
- Syntax Indices Proprietary and custom indices across global benchmarks and pure-play thematics enabling construction of bespoke financial products based on Syntax's industry data, including ESG indices, sector-specific indices, and thematic indices.
- Syntax Market Share Data Revenue-based market share intelligence quantifying the size of each company and its competitors in relation to the markets they sell into, supporting competitive analysis and capital allocation around true market leadership.
- ESG Taxonomies Custom ESG lenses including SDG Aligned/Misaligned, Clean Energy Transition, Clean Energy, ESG Materiality, Extraction by Resource, Fuel Cell Hydrogen, Water, Biodiversity Enablers, and Blue Economy taxonomies for filtering companies based on ESG preferences.
- ESG Scores and Ratings Proprietary ESG scores leveraging FIS data and multiple third-party ESG data sources to pinpoint material ESG risk, available as off-the-shelf scores or custom scoring approaches developed with clients.
- Saidee AI Agent An AI Agent and portfolio development application built for financial advisors that delivers AI-optimized investment solutions on top of the Syntax Direct custom indexing platform.
Quantifiable outcome
- Small-Cap Multifactor Index returned 11.41% annualized vs Russell 2000 at 9.40%, outperforming by 201 basis points per year over full backtest period (12/15/2017 to 5/31/2026)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Syntax
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Syntax technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
AI capability4 records
Feature6 records
Syntax partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- MSCI Inc.coreSyntax Data announced a partnership with MSCI Inc. to offer MSCI indexes on its Syntax Direct platform. The collaboration provides expanded access to MSCI's ADR indexes covering about 90% of global markets, enhancing global strategies within the U.S. market infrastructure. Nine MSCI ADR indexes are now available on the platform targeting the independent RIA channel.
- PM InsightscoreSyntax Data and PM Insights announced a strategic partnership to combine private and public market data and classification systems. This collaboration addresses a $3 trillion private market data gap and aims to provide institutional investors and RIAs with enhanced benchmarking, valuation intelligence, and competitive insights across private and public companies.
- RFG AdvisoryminorRFG Advisory expanded its model marketplace through a strategic partnership with Syntax Data, providing RFG's advisor clients access to Syntax's index solutions and custom indexing capabilities.
- Prometheum ATSminorSyntax Data and Prometheum ATS partnered to deliver indexing services into blockchain securities infrastructure, exploring opportunities in blockchain-based financial products.
- Donoghue ForlinesminorSyntax Data and Donoghue Forlines introduced Tactical Momentum and Dividend Indexes seeking downside risk mitigation, expanding Syntax's index product offerings.
- TradePMRminorSyntax Data and TradePMR collaborated to provide financial advisors with index and portfolio development capabilities through TradePMR's platform.
- FTSE RussellcoreSyntax Data announced a partnership with FTSE Russell to integrate its indices into the Syntax Direct platform, enabling financial advisors to create customized benchmarks for clients. The integration enhances portfolio personalization and expands FTSE Russell indices usage in wealth management.
- SmartTrust (Power Solutions Trust)minorSyntax Data to deliver index universe for new SmartTrust Power Solutions Trust UIT platform.
- WEBsminorWEBs and Syntax Data partnered to launch new Defined Volatility Indexes, expanding risk management product offerings.
- AdvyzonminorAdvyzon and Syntax Data entered a custom indexing partnership, enabling Advyzon's advisor clients to access Syntax Direct indexing capabilities.
- Parti Pris Investment PartnersminorParti Pris Investment Partners and Syntax Data announced a partnership to provide custom indexing solutions to Parti Pris clients.
- 17 Asset Managementminor17 Asset Management and Syntax announced the launch of the 17AM-SDG 9 US Infrastructure & Innovation Index on SMArtX platform, an ESG-focused index.
- Mansueto Ventures (Fast Company)minorSyntax and Mansueto Ventures launched the Fast Company Most Innovative Companies US-Listed Index on SmartX platform, tracking innovative companies.
- 17 Asset Management (Intentional Solutions Platform)minorSyntax and 17 Asset Management announced partnership and launch of the Intentional Solutions Platform for ESG-focused investing.
- Mansueto VenturesminorSyntax and Mansueto Ventures launched the Fast Company Most Innovative Company Index tracking innovative public companies.
- Texas CapitalminorSyntax partnered with Texas Capital on the launch of its first Exchange Traded Fund, marking Syntax's entry into the ETF space.
- Legal & General (L&G)minorSyntax appointed as data provider for the underlying index of the L&G Metaverse ESG Exclusions UCITS ETF, providing FIS classification data.
- Locus AnalyticscoreLocus Analytics is Syntax's sister company. In March 2023, Syntax LLC announced a merger with Locus Analytics, integrating patents and intellectual property to enhance data and technology offerings through the Functional Information System (FIS).
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Syntax competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MSCI: MSCI is the dominant global index provider and a direct competitor to Syntax's index construction business. Syntax Direct integrates MSCI ADR indexes (announced March 2026), and MSCI competes head-to-head on factor, thematic, and custom index offerings used by the same RIA and asset manager buyer base.
- FTSE Russell: FTSE Russell (LSEG) is a global index provider whose indices are integrated into Syntax Direct (announced February 2025). It competes directly on custom and benchmark indices for asset managers and RIAs, and is one of Syntax's primary go-to-market partner-competitors.
- S&P Dow Jones Indices: S&P Dow Jones Indices is a leading global index provider offering core benchmarks (S&P 500), factor/thematic indices, and custom index services. It targets the same asset manager, RIA, and ETF sponsor buyer base as Syntax, making it a head-to-head competitor in custom indexing and index licensing.
- Morningstar: Morningstar is a major investment data and research provider competing with Syntax FIS/Affinity on company-level data, ESG, and fund analytics. Morningstar also competes in custom direct indexing (Morningstar Direct, Managed Portfolios), making it a close peer in both data and indexing workflows.
- FactSet: FactSet is a leading financial data and analytics platform with deep coverage of fundamentals, supply chains, and portfolio analytics. It competes with Syntax FIS/Affinity for company classification data and with Syntax Direct for portfolio construction workflows at asset managers and RIAs.
- Solactive: Solactive is a German index provider specializing in custom and thematic indices for ETF sponsors and asset managers. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Syntax Indices and Syntax Direct, particularly for mid-market index licensing deals.
Broad incumbents
- Bloomberg Index Services Ltd: Bloomberg operates a large index business alongside its terminal and enterprise data products. It competes broadly with Syntax Indices and FIS at the upper end of the market, leveraging Bloomberg's data breadth and enterprise distribution.
- London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) / Refinitiv: LSEG owns FTSE Russell and Refinitiv, providing benchmarks, fundamentals, supply chain, and ESG data. It competes with Syntax FIS/Affinity on data and with FTSE Russell on indexing, while serving many of the same institutional buyers.
- Intercontinental Exchange (ICE): ICE owns ICE Fixed Income, NYSE, and several index/data businesses (including the former Bank of America Merrill Lynch indices). It is a broad incumbent in financial market infrastructure that competes with Syntax in fixed income and benchmark indices.
Emerging players
- CRSP (Center for Research in Security Prices): CRSP is a research-focused index and data provider widely used in academic and institutional finance. It competes with Syntax Indices on U.S. benchmark construction and with Syntax Direct on factor-based portfolio research, though it has less commercial custom-indexing focus.
Market position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Syntax social profiles
Digital presenceSyntax compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Syntax financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Syntax leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Syntax subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Syntax funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Syntax M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Syntax
What does Syntax do?
Syntax builds and licenses financial data and index technology for financial professionals. Its core offering is the FIS® (Functional Information System) data platform, which classifies over 11,000 public companies by product-line revenue, complemented by Syntax Direct (a direct-indexing SaaS), Syntax Affinity (product-level analytics), and Syntax Indices (proprietary and custom indices). Customers use the platform to construct custom portfolios, design indices, and analyze competitive positioning.
Is Syntax a public or private company?
Syntax is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Syntax founded?
Syntax was founded in -1. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Syntax based?
Syntax is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Syntax make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Data Licensing (FIS®) is the primary driver. The others are syntax Direct Platform Subscription, index Licensing and royalties and affinity Data Platform.
Who are Syntax's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MSCI, FTSE Russell, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Morningstar, FactSet and Solactive. Broad incumbents are Bloomberg Index Services Ltd, London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) / Refinitiv and Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). CRSP (Center for Research in Security Prices) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Syntax have an API?
No public API is recorded for Syntax.
What industry is Syntax in?
Syntax's product category is Financial Data & Index Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAFAIAG, Analytics, Risk Models & Factor/Style Indices, with a secondary code of FSAFAIAJ, Data Distribution, Connectivity & Market Data Platforms (Entitlements, Normalization, APIs). Its NAICS code is 523 and its SIC code is 6199.