What Ark Innovation does

ARK Investment Management LLC, operating as ARK Invest, is a U.S.-based registered investment adviser founded in 2014 by Cathie Wood that manages the ARK ETF Trust, a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The firm offers a suite of thematic actively managed and indexed exchange-traded funds organized around five disruptive innovation platforms: artificial intelligence, robotics, public blockchains, energy storage, and multiomics. Its flagship product, the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), launched October 31, 2014 and trades on Cboe BZX Exchange under ticker ARKK. The broader fund family includes ARKQ (autonomous tech & robotics), ARKW (next generation internet), ARKG (genomic revolution), ARKF (blockchain & fintech innovation), ARKX (space & defense innovation), PRNT (3D printing), IZRL (Israeli innovation), ARKB (Bitcoin in partnership with 21Shares), and the ARK DIET Buffer ETFs (ARKT, ARKD), plus the ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX), a closed-end interval fund providing private/public crossover exposure.

ARK earns revenue almost exclusively through management fees applied to assets under management, with expense ratios ranging from 0.21% (ARKB) to 0.89% (DIET Buffer ETFs) across ETFs and a 2.90% net expense ratio on the Venture Fund. Combined ETF AUM is approximately $17.4 billion across roughly 15 funds, down from a $29 billion peak in February 2021. Distribution is a direct-to-consumer model layered through exchange listings on NYSE Arca and Cboe BZX, self-directed brokerages (Fidelity, Schwab, Robinhood, Interactive Brokers, SoFi, Titan, Webull, Public.com), institutional RIAs served by Resolute Investment Managers, and Foreside Fund Services as distributor.

ARK's customer base spans retail investors seeking growth exposure to disruptive innovation, institutional investors and family offices, and accredited investors accessing the Venture Fund for private-market exposure. The firm is privately held and founder-controlled by Cathie Wood, who serves as CEO and CIO, with offices in St. Petersburg, Florida (ARK Innovation Center, opened January 2024) and a registered presence in the United States. Geographic expansion is gated by prospectus: ARK ETFs are registered for sale in the U.S. only.

Name

Ark Innovation

Legal name

ARK Investment Management LLC

Website

https://ark-funds.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ARK Invest is a U.S.-based registered investment adviser founded in 2014 by Cathie Wood that manages a suite of thematic actively managed ETFs (led by ARKK) and the ARK Venture Fund, organized around five disruptive innovation platforms and distributed to retail and institutional investors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Thematic Active ETF Asset Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Sector & Industry Equity ETFs (FSAAAFAC)

Keywords

• Thematic ETF management
• Disruptive innovation funds
• Active equity management
• Venture capital investing
• Digital asset funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Coimbatore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. ETF Management Fees: ARK generates revenue primarily through management fees charged on assets under management across its ETF lineup. The flagship ARKK charges 0.75% annual expense ratio, while other funds range from 0.21% (ARKB) to 0.89% (ARK DIET Buffer ETFs). The Venture Fund charges 2.90% net expense ratio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ARK Investment Management LLC manages and distributes a suite of thematic actively managed and indexed ETFs under the ARK ETF Trust, including the flagship ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), sector-focused funds (ARKQ, ARKW, ARKG, ARKF, ARKX), indexed funds (IZRL, PRNT), the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB), DIET Buffer ETFs (ARKT, ARKD), and the closed-end ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX). Products give investors concentrated exposure to disruptive innovation themes — AI, robotics, multiomics, blockchain, energy storage, and space/defense — and earn revenue through asset-based management fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) Actively managed ETF providing long-term growth of capital by investing in companies relevant to disruptive innovation themes; targeted at US retail and institutional investors.
• ARK Autonomous Tech & Robotics ETF (ARKQ) Actively managed ETF targeting companies involved in autonomous technology, robotics, 3D printing, energy storage, and space exploration.
• ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW) Actively managed ETF providing exposure to companies leveraging next-generation internet platforms including cloud computing, big data, e-commerce, fintech, and blockchain.
• ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG) Actively managed ETF targeting companies leveraging CRISPR, gene editing, therapeutic platforms, agricultural biology, and molecular diagnostics.
• ARK Blockchain & Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) Actively managed ETF offering exposure to fintech and blockchain innovation companies including transaction processing, asset management, digital wallets, and blockchain infrastructure.
• ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF (ARKX) Actively managed ETF providing exposure to space exploration, aerospace, defense innovation, and enabling technologies.
• The 3D Printing ETF (PRNT) Indexed ETF providing exposure to 3D printing, additive manufacturing, and related enabling technology companies.
• ARK Israel Innovative Technology ETF (IZRL) Indexed ETF tracking Israeli innovation companies across information technology, communications, healthcare, defense, and clean energy sectors.
• ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) Sub-advised Bitcoin ETF providing institutional-grade exposure to bitcoin performance with cold storage custody, tracking the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate.
• ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX) Closed-end interval fund providing retail and accredited investors with exposure to private and public crossover venture investments in disruptive innovation companies.
• ARK DIET Q1 Buffer ETF (ARKD) Actively managed options-overlay ETF designed to buffer downside losses on ARKK performance while capping upside capture beyond a 5% hurdle rate.
• ARK DIET Q4 Buffer ETF (ARKT) Actively managed options-overlay ETF providing quarterly reset downside buffering on ARKK performance with capped upside participation beyond a 5% hurdle rate.
• ARK Digital Asset Revolutions Fund Private fund for qualified investors offering exposure to digital assets and the broader digital asset revolution investment thesis.

Quantifiable outcome

• ARKK returned 35.58% in 2025 vs S&P 500's 16.6% gain, outperforming by nearly 19 percentage points
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 21Shares (EMIRAs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 202621Shares US LLC is the sponsor of the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB), a sub-advised ETF where ARK provides marketing assistance. ARKB has $2.44 billion in net assets.
• Titan Global Capital ManagementminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022ARK Venture Fund available on Titan platform for retail investors. ARK pays a fee to Titan for the fund to be made available on its platform.
• SoFi InvestminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2022ARK Venture Fund available on SoFi Invest platform. SoFi Securities LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser and member FINRA/SIPC.
• Resolute Investment ManagerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014Resolute Investment Managers serves as sales services provider for multiple ARK ETFs, providing additional distribution reach beyond direct platform listings.
• Foreside Fund ServicescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2014Foreside Fund Services serves as the distributor for ARK ETF Trust. The ARK Venture Fund distributor may pay distribution fees to platforms like Titan.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Global X Funds: Global X is a thematic ETF issuer with comparable products such as ROBO (robotics/automation), BOTZ (robotics/AI), LIT (lithium/battery), and FINX (fintech). The overlap with ARK is direct on sector/thematic active ETFs targeting disruptive technology, fintech, and genomics themes.
• First Trust: First Trust operates a wide lineup of thematic and sector ETFs (e.g., FDN for internet, NASDAQ tech-themed funds, robotics/machine-learning ETFs) directly competing with ARK in active thematic equity ETFs.
• WisdomTree: WisdomTree offers several thematic funds such as WCLD (cloud computing) and various tech/fintech themes that compete head-to-head with ARK's sector-focused innovation ETFs.
• VanEck: VanEck runs thematic ETFs spanning crypto (e.g., bitcoin ETPs), quality/AI themes, and disruptive-innovation-adjacent exposures that put it in direct thematic-competition with ARK's innovation platform suite.
• ETF Managers (ETFMG): ETFMG sponsors thematic ETFs such as BLOK (blockchain), VPN (cybersecurity), and AIQ (AI), directly overlapping with ARKF (blockchain/fintech), ARKQ (autonomous/robotics), and ARK's core AI thesis.
• ProShares: ProShares offers thematic and innovation-focused ETFs (e.g., generative-AI and tech-themed funds), directly competing with ARK's thematic/active product suite in active asset classes.
• Direxion: Direxion issues thematic, leveraged, and sector ETFs that overlap with ARK's technology/innovation themes for retail investors seeking active thematic exposure, though leaning more toward tactical/leveraged products.

Broad incumbents

• iShares (BlackRock): iShares is the world's largest ETF issuer with broad-based innovation/tech ETFs (e.g., robotics, AI-themed funds) and competes with ARK across retail and institutional channels via superior scale and lower fees.
• Invesco: Invesco operates the QQQ Trust (Invesco QQQ), one of the largest Nasdaq-100 ETFs and a key competitor to ARKK for tech/growth allocation, plus other innovation-aligned ETFs.
• Vanguard: Vanguard is the dominant low-cost ETF provider and competes structurally with ARK on price (e.g., VGT vs ARKK) for advisor and retail allocations to technology/innovation themes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ark Innovation