ICR Partners, LLC

Background

ICR Partners, LLC is a specialized investment research and advisory firm established in 2019. The company focuses on delivering technology-enabled manager research, contracting, model delivery, and custodial support services tailored for banks, trust companies, and private client groups.

Key Strategic Focus

ICR Partners aims to empower financial institutions by providing comprehensive investment research and advisory services. Their offerings include:

Manager Research: In-depth analysis of a wide array of money managers, encompassing Unified Managed Accounts (UMA), Separately Managed Accounts (SMA), mutual funds, and ETFs.

Manager Contracting: Access to a network of pre-vetted money managers with competitive fee structures, streamlining the contracting process.

Model Hub: Distribution of manager portfolios across multiple technology platforms, enhancing efficiency and scalability.

Traditional SMA Delivery: Support for specialized data flows required for delivering traditional SMA strategies to trust companies, ensuring seamless integration and regulatory compliance.

Financials and Funding

As of March 26, 2024, ICR Partners reported Assets Under Management (AUM) of $224.9 million, serving seven banking or thrift institution clients. The company has undergone two funding rounds:

Seed Round (September 3, 2019): Amount undisclosed.

Early Stage Venture Capital (December 14, 2021): Raised $2.3 million.

Technological Platform and Innovation

ICR Partners leverages its proprietary platform, ResearchModelxChange (RMx), which integrates model manager portfolios, research, due diligence, and marketing materials into a unified digital hub. This platform facilitates streamlined model delivery and billing processes, tightly integrated with InvestEdge's portfolio management system, providing clients with turnkey trading and billing workflows.

Leadership Team

Robert Mehringer, CPA, CFA: Founder, President, and Managing Director. With over two decades of experience in investment research and advisory services, Mehringer previously founded Access Partners in 1999, which was acquired by Foliodynamix in 2013. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in Accounting from the University of Evansville.

Gautam Talluri: Chief Technology Officer.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The investment research and advisory sector is characterized by a growing demand for integrated technology solutions that cater to the specific needs of banks, trust companies, and private client groups. The market emphasizes the importance of comprehensive research, efficient model delivery, and seamless integration with existing portfolio management systems.

Competitor Analysis

Key competitors include:

Envestnet: A financial technology firm offering wealth management solutions, including portfolio management, research, and analytics tools.

Vestmark: Provides portfolio management and trading solutions for financial institutions, focusing on scalable and customizable technology platforms.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

In October 2021, ICR Partners partnered with InvestEdge, a comprehensive wealth platform technology provider. As part of this collaboration, ICR acquired InvestEdge's model manager hub, MMxChange, integrating its delivery into ICR's ResearchModelxChange (RMx). This partnership enhances ICR's ability to provide integrated technology solutions encompassing model manager portfolios, research, due diligence, and marketing materials.

Operational Insights

ICR Partners differentiates itself through its deep understanding of the bank trust ecosystem, including portfolio management, trust accounting systems, and the unique regulatory frameworks governing fiduciary institutions. This expertise enables the firm to offer tailored solutions that address the specific needs of its clients, providing a competitive edge in the market.

Strategic Opportunities and Future Directions

ICR Partners is poised to expand its market presence by leveraging its proprietary RMx platform and strategic partnerships. The firm aims to continue enhancing its technology-enabled services, focusing on delivering comprehensive investment research and advisory solutions that meet the evolving needs of financial institutions.