How Alternative Data and AI Are Predicting Market Moves Before Everyone Else

How Alternative Data and AI Are Predicting Market Moves Before Everyone Else

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Pouya Taaghol, founder and CEO of Big Data Federation, to explore how AI and alternative data are changing the way investment firms forecast company performance. From satellite imagery and geolocation data to AI-powered financial models, Pouya explains how investors can identify market signals long before traditional financial reports are released. They also discuss why scientific, data-driven investing outperforms intuition, how to reduce bias in investment decisions, and the challenge of maintaining alpha in increasingly competitive markets. If you're looking to understand how AI is reshaping quantitative investing and the future of alternative data, this episode is packed with practical insights. Key Moments:  04:53 Profiles of fintech company founders 08:06 Staying focused amidst market noise 12:23 Analyzing historical company sales data 15:18 Understanding alternative data use 17:58 Starting an investment fund 21:04 Challenges of alternative data in investing 25:17 Discussing data sources for analysis 27:18 Using alternative data strategies About the guest :  Pouya Taaghol is the founder and CEO of Big Data Federation. With a background in wireless technology and multiple networking patents, he now helps investment firms use alternative data and AI to predict company fundamentals, uncover market opportunities, and build data-driven investment strategies. How to connect Pouya :  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pouyataaghol/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/pouyataaghol/] Big Data Website: https://www.bigdatafed.com/ [https://www.bigdatafed.com/] Financial AI: https://thefinancial.ai/ [https://thefinancial.ai/] About the host :  Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results. Connect Stan :  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/] Website www.acadia.im [http://www.acadia.im]

How Hedge Funds Use AI to Turn Data Overload into Investment Edge

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Ashutosh Agarwal, CEO of Matterfact, to explore how AI is transforming hedge fund research, workflows, and the pursuit of alpha. Drawing from his experience at Millennium and Google, Ashutosh explains why the real power of AI is not just automation - it’s uncovering insights that investment teams would otherwise miss. They discuss AI prompting, workflow design, the rise of podcasts as an investment research source, and how smaller funds can now access capabilities once reserved for the largest institutions. If you’re looking to build smarter research workflows, improve decision-making, and stay competitive in an AI-driven investment landscape, this episode delivers practical strategies you can apply immediately. Key Moments:  04:47 Origin of the SaaS idea 08:15 Common mistakes in AI prompting 10:19 AI's current limitations and needs 12:46 Using AI for car inventory analysis 18:05 Industry discussions and market trends 20:53 Understanding current AI capabilities 25:16 Final thoughts on empowering ideas 25:53 Ken Griffin impressed by AI system About the guest : Ashutosh Agarwal is the CEO of Matterfact and a former quant at Millennium and tech lead at Google. He focuses on building AI-powered tools that help investment professionals uncover deeper insights, improve research workflows, and generate alpha more efficiently. How to connect Ashutosh :  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashutoshagwl/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashutoshagwl/] About the host :  Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results. Connect Stan :  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/] Website www.acadia.im [http://www.acadia.im]

How AI Is Transforming Investment Due Diligence for Asset Managers | Stan Altshuller & Monel Amin

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Monel Amin, founder of DiligenceVault, to explore how AI is reshaping operational due diligence for institutional investors. From managing overwhelming amounts of data to streamlining workflows between allocators and asset managers, Monel explains how technology is transforming one of the most time-intensive areas of investment management. They discuss the evolution of diligence processes, the challenges of fragmented information, and how AI-powered collaboration is helping firms make faster, smarter investment decisions. If you’re looking to modernize due diligence, reduce operational inefficiencies, and improve decision-making across investment teams, this episode delivers practical insights into the future of institutional investing. Key Moments:  05:05 Discussing varying risk tolerances 08:30 Discussing data room limitations 10:02 Digitizing manager communication process 13:15 Streamlining document collaboration 17:02 Verifying facts with AI 22:16 AI and investment due diligence About the guest :  Monel Amin’s journey to founding DiligenceVault began over a decade ago while working at Citi. During her tenure, she held a pivotal role overseeing risk both as an asset manager and as an allocator. This unique vantage point allowed her to observe firsthand the complex dynamics between allocators and asset managers, particularly the due diligence process they undertake when evaluating one another. Witnessing the challenges and inefficiencies in this critical process inspired her to launch Diligence Vault, with the vision of transforming how diligence is conducted across the asset and wealth management industry. How to connect Monel:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/monel-amin/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/monel-amin/] Website : https://diligencevault.com/ [https://diligencevault.com/] About the host :  Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results. Connect Stan :  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/] Website www.acadia.im [http://www.acadia.im]

The New Alpha: How AI Is Democratizing Access to Data

In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, host Stan Altshuller sits down with Kirk McKeown, CEO and Founder of CarbonArc, to explore how AI is reshaping the economics of data access—and redefining where alpha comes from. For years, alternative data was expensive, fragmented, and largely reserved for hedge funds and institutional investors with deep pockets. Kirk built CarbonArc to challenge that model by making high-value data more accessible through modern, consumption-based pricing and AI-driven analytics. Stan and Kirk break down how traditional financial research evolved into today’s alternative data ecosystem—and why the next wave will be powered by AI agents that can analyze information faster than ever before. They also discuss the friction that has historically slowed adoption, why accessibility matters, and how industries beyond finance are beginning to leverage these tools for smarter decisions. From Wall Street to enterprise strategy, this conversation explores what happens when access to intelligence becomes cheaper, faster, and more scalable. If you’re an investor, operator, data leader, or simply curious about the future of AI-powered decision-making, this episode offers a compelling look at where the market is heading. Key Takeaways : * Why traditional alternative data models were broken * How CarbonArc is changing data accessibility * The shift toward consumption-based pricing models * Why AI agents will transform research workflows * How alternative data extends beyond hedge funds * The future of investment intelligence * Why access to data may become the ultimate competitive advantage  Key Moments:  04:57 Building a frictionless data market 08:38 Transforming the license structure 13:37 Rev share and flexible solutions 17:25 Exploring data and analytics 19:34 AI economy and data structure 24:51 Understanding alpha in trading strategies 26:55 Understanding data accessibility challenges 30:58 Evaluating company decisions 33:35 Expanding developer community About the guest :  Kirk McKeown is the CEO and Founder of CarbonArc, a company focused on democratizing access to alternative data through modern pricing models and AI-driven infrastructure. With over two decades of experience in financial data and investment research, Kirk has helped reshape how institutions source and consume intelligence for better decision-making. Connect Krik :  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-mckeown-400607214/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirk-mckeown-400607214/] Website: https://www.carbonarc.ai/ [https://www.carbonarc.ai/] About the host :  Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results. Connect Stan :  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/] Website www.acadia.im [http://www.acadia.im]

How to Get Your Brand Mentioned by ChatGPT and AI Search

Resource Mentioned  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15RN0Aee72Y [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15RN0Aee72Y] In this episode of Momentum: Where FinTech Meets AI, Stan Altshuller sits down with Ben Tannenbaum, founder and CEO of AISO, to break down how brands can win visibility in the age of AI search. They explore why SEO isn’t dead but evolving, how ChatGPT actually selects brands, and what “fan-out search” means for your marketing strategy. Ben shares practical strategies to help you get mentioned inside AI tools -  from identifying the right questions users are asking to optimizing content for AI-driven discovery. If you’re a marketer, founder, or growth leader trying to stay relevant as search shifts from Google to AI assistants, this episode gives you a clear, actionable roadmap. Key Moments: 02:00 – Is SEO dead or just evolving? 04:30 – Why clicks are decreasing but revenue may not be 06:30 – Understanding AI as a research assistant, not a search engine 08:30 – What is “fan-out search” and why it matters 11:00 – How ChatGPT chooses which brands to mention 13:30 – Why you don’t need to rank #1 on Google anymore 16:00 – The simplest way to get mentioned by AI tools 19:00 – How to find what users are actually asking ChatGPT 22:00 – Turning AI conversations into actionable content strategy 25:00 – Medium, LinkedIn, and off-site strategies that work 27:00 – Why Reddit can damage your brand if done wrong 30:00 – How AISO collects real AI conversation data 34:00 – From raw data to actionable marketing insights 38:00 – The fastest way to increase AI mentions (2x to 10x) 41:00 – The future of AI-driven market research and customer insights About the Guest :  Ben Tannenbaum is the founder and CEO of AISO, where he helps brands understand how people use AI tools like ChatGPT and how to get discovered within them. With a background in data platforms and alternative data, Ben specializes in turning real AI conversations into actionable insights that help companies improve visibility, content strategy, and growth. Website : https://www.getaiso.com/ [https://www.getaiso.com/] Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentann/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bentann/] About the host :  Stan Altshuller is a leading figure at the intersection of fintech and artificial intelligence. As an investor, founder, and advisor, he has collaborated with some of the world’s top hedge funds, asset managers, and data companies, helping them leverage technology for smarter decision-making and growth. Stan hosts the Momentum podcast, where each week he shares practical AI strategies designed to help financial professionals cut through the noise, beat data overload, and build intelligent, data-driven workflows. With a passion for exploring what’s next in finance, Stan empowers his audience to stay ahead of the curve by turning ideas into actionable results. Connect Stan :  LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanalt/] Website www.acadia.im [http://www.acadia.im]