As with most established technologies, recent evolutions of the VDR incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning. DFIN’s Venue, however, is the only solution that intuitively adapts to your specific needs. It has a number of AI functions that create significant efficiencies, drive increased accuracy and give you more insight into your business and data.
Recently, a surge in AI-powered virtual data rooms (VDRs) have proved helpful in optimizing due diligence tasks like redaction. Data redaction tools have emerged to remove key terms quickly and relatively easily, saving sellers time and energy. Where these tools fall short, however, is in their ability to eliminate much of the manual effort still needed to structure and guide how information is redacted.
Actively-managed investors evaluate risks and opportunities before selecting stocks to add to their portfolios. Indexed or "passive" investors, who have been increasingly in size over the past decade, may not have the same opportunity as active managers to "pick and choose" which companies they will own, but once they find them owning them, they are keenly interested in understanding the risks and opportunities facing those companies, and are eager to eager to engage their portfolio companies on these issues in the course of their ongoing "stewardship" efforts.
According to the 2020 Global Private Equity Survey by EY, there is an increasing trend for PE firms to deploy technologies to support the investment process. The report also points to the necessity and relevance of deploying AI in obtaining limited partner commitments, closing investment opportunities and providing value across the organization.
In recent years the FinTech industry has experienced significant changes on every front, from increased regulatory requirements to growing investor expectations. In this article, Eric Johnson, DFIN’s president of Global Investment Companies, addresses the top issues facing fund and asset companies heading into 2022.
At this time last year, the outlook for 2021 was heavily influenced by the global pandemic and how FinTech companies were pivoting to meet shifting needs. How did DFIN see that play out over the last 12 months?
Every issuer is on its own ESG journey, regardless of whether the firm is disclosing ESG and sustainability reports today. As ESG initiatives and decision-useful reporting continue to gain importance, many C-suite and boards of directors are truly starting to pay attention. The power of ESG is only beginning to be unlocked as companies realize ESG risk equates to financial risk. Ownership of ESG and sustainability should reside at the top of any company with full support for the CEO and the board.
Legal tech has gained considerable traction amongst law firms and corporate legal departments over the past several years. From data or document analytics, document automation to project and workflow management – the progressive adoption of technology in the legal industry has reflected the fact that many such tools are market-ready and have started transforming the way legal practitioners work.
Private companies are not required to make specific Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosures. Why, then, do so many of them dedicate substantial time and resources to these issues? And why is ESG important to investors?
IPO or SPAC merger? That is the question I’ve been getting from a lot of private company leaders lately. And a lot of payment and fintechs are using both methods to go public.
There’s a lot to consider, and companies are often unsure how to proceed. Some have even started down the traditional IPO route and then pivoted mid-filings. When asked, I often reply with a question of my own: “What’s most important to you?”
DFIN has had quite a week. On Wednesday, the company announced its quarterly financial results – highlighted by a nearly 28 percent growth in our software solutions sales. You can read the press release here.