The Benzinga Global Fintech Awards are a yearly showcase of the best and brightest in fintech. In preparation for its biggest installment yet in May 2018, we're profiling the companies competing for the BZ Awards.

Our next feature is on I Know First.

What does your company do? What unique problem does it solve?

Yaron Golgher, Co-Founder & CEO: I Know First is an Israeli AI-WealthTech company that specializes in the development and application of advanced self-learning forecasting algorithms for capital markets by utilizing artificial intelligence and machine learning. The proprietary AI-engine generates predictions for over 8000 securities globally: stocks, ETFs, indexes, and more, for various time horizons.

I Know First’s advanced forecasting & ranking system allows market participants to benefit from the cutting-edge technology, which makes their investment decisions more informed and confident, as well as drives innovative investment products development.

On one side, the solution helps active investors by providing them with AI-based stock market intelligence information in the form of daily updated forecasts, that identify and rank investment opportunities within the universe of their interest (sectors, markets, custom portfolios), and add real measurable value to their research and investment processes.

On the other side, the forecasting and ranking system is utilized in structuring AI-powered investment products and strategies, bringing new alpha sources to investors.

The system is built upon decades of research and experience in the field of AI and machine learning, studying nature of chaotic systems. It is continuously optimized and further developed by I Know First’s unique R&D team, headed by Dr. Lipa Roitman.

The idea behind the engine and the final solution is to help active investors solve two of their biggest challenges on the way to be successful and consistently outperform the market:

to digest the rapidly growing, overwhelming amounts of financial and alternative Big data; and

to adjust to the continuously changing and evolving beyond established theories market characteristics and conditions.

Traditional models aren’t sufficient enough to explain and predict capital markets due to high levels of complexity and dynamics. Investors need advanced self-learning systems in order to model the financial market, adapt to the changes it continuously goes through and gain the different perspective that will allow them to have the edge over the competition.

I Know First’s algorithm incorporates deep and wide neural networks and genetic algorithms. It considers the markets holistically by searching for patterns and relationships/interconnections in huge historical daily updated data sets and viewing the financial world as a large complex system as a whole.

It is an adaptable and scalable system, allowing it to integrate additional markets and customize services depending on clients’ needs, ranging from asset management firms, banks, family offices and hedge funds to self-directed DIY-investors.

Who are your customers?

Banks, asset management companies, financial advisors, wealth management firms, family offices and hedge funds as well as online brokerages/trading platforms and private self-directed DIY investors.

How long have you been in business?

Since 2011.

Where are you located?

Tel Aviv, Israel and Netanya, Israel.

Who is your company's leadership? What kind of experience do they have?

The groundwork for later incorporation of I Know First (2011) was laid decades ago and far removed from the financial markets. Dr. Lipa Roitman, PhD in organic and physical organic chemistry from the Weizmann Institute of Science and future Co-Founder, Head of R&D and CTO, was obsessed with searching for and finding order in highly complex and even seemingly random chemical processes. He succeeded by applying a wide range of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, including neural networks and genetic algorithms, and he later utilized his know how in other industries as well.

In 2009, Dr. Roitman met Yaron Golgher – his future Co-Founder & CEO at I Know First – working on a project together that Yaron was managing for one of his clients at OIC, one of the Israeli leading consulting firms. Yaron has over 18 years of experience in managing and leading AI, deep learning and machine learning projects including development of AI forecasting algorithms and predictive analytics, quantitative trading strategies, and big-data solutions for hedge funds and institutional clients. After completing his degree in Engineering at the Tel-Aviv University, Yaron worked as a division manager at OIC. He received his executive MBA from Ben Gurion University, before founding I Know First.

After successful completion of the project, Yaron and Lipa decided to combine their industry and technological expertise to deliver innovative AI-based solutions to a complex industry with large quantities of structured data and a huge need to be able to digest and effectively use it. It was a natural choice when they founded I Know First to help investors make smarter investment decisions, discover investment opportunities and develop new investment products.

Yaron serves as the CEO of I Know First and Lipa is responsible for the design, development, characterization, specification, and implementation of AI-based algorithmic forecasting and trading solutions.

Who are your investors, if any?

Self-financed by founding partners, bootstrapped.

Is there anything else Benzinga should know about your company?

I Know First is offering its products for the U.S., European, Israeli and Brazilian stock exchanges and is entering East-Asia in 2018 in order to complete the global AI-based investment opportunities scanner and help investors take advantage of this technology across various markets and regions. Solutions for Hong Kong, India and Tokyo stock exchanges are available as of January 2018.

To check out companies like I Know First for yourself, grab a ticket to the Benzinga Global Fintech Awards May 15-16 in New York.