For Professional Investors
From Research to Implementation
We connect professional investors with vetted academics, engineers, and dev shops who can turn academic papers into working systems—or build whatever else you need.
Currently in private beta. We're onboarding select funds.
The Problem
Great Research. No Way to Implement It.
You found a paper that could give you an edge. Maybe it's a new factor, a signal, or an approach to portfolio construction. But turning it into something usable requires skills your team doesn't have—or doesn't have time for.
Finding talent is hard.
Upwork is a mess. Recruiters don't understand quant finance. Your network is tapped out.
Scoping is harder.
You're not sure what you need—a PhD, a data engineer, a full dev shop? How long should it take? What should it cost?
The stakes are high.
A bad hire wastes months. Sensitive IP is at risk. You need someone who gets finance.
You shouldn't need to become a recruiting expert to get a project done.
The Solution
We Handle the Hard Part
Academic Signal Marketplace connects you with pre-vetted talent who specialize in turning research into production systems. We help you scope the project and match you with the right people—then you work directly with them.
Scoping Call
You tell us what you're trying to build. We help you define the project—deliverables, timeline, skill requirements. No charge for this.
Curated Matches
We introduce you to 1-3 vetted providers who've done similar work. Academics, engineers, or dev shops—depending on what you need.
You Choose
Interview the candidates, pick the best fit, negotiate directly. We're here if you need help evaluating.
Project Kickoff
Work directly with your chosen provider. Our job is done once the match is made—you take it from there.
Who This Is For
When You Need to Build but Can't Build In-House
This isn't for funds with full-time quant engineering teams. It's for everyone else.
Teams Without Technical Resources
You have investment ideas but no engineers to implement them. You need outside help to turn research into something real.
Teams at Capacity
Your internal team is good—but they're maxed out. You need extra hands for a specific project without a full-time hire.
Testing Before Committing
You want to build an MVP or pilot before investing in internal headcount. Prove the concept first, then decide whether to bring it in-house.
Whether it's a quick proof-of-concept or a full production system, we'll match you with the right talent to get it built.
The Talent
Specialists, Not Generalists
We curate talent specifically for investment teams. Everyone in our network has either worked in finance or has deep experience serving financial clients.
Academic Researchers
PhDs and postdocs who can replicate papers, validate methodologies, or conduct original research.
Ideal for: Factor research, backtesting frameworks, literature reviews.
Quant Engineers
Engineers who speak both Python and finance. They can build data pipelines, implement models, and deploy to production.
Ideal for: Signal generation, portfolio optimization, execution systems.
Dev Shops
Small agencies with track records serving hedge funds and asset managers. Full-stack capability for larger builds.
Ideal for: Dashboards, internal tools, end-to-end systems.
ML/AI Specialists
Machine learning engineers experienced with financial data—NLP for filings, alternative data processing, predictive models.
Ideal for: Earnings call analysis, sentiment extraction, forecasting.
Use Cases
From Papers to Production
Implement an Academic Paper
"We found a momentum factor paper we want to test. Can someone replicate it and backtest against our universe?"
Build a Data Pipeline
"We need to pull alternative data from 5 sources, normalize it, and feed it into our research environment."
Create an Internal Tool
"Our analysts waste hours on repetitive tasks. We want a simple dashboard that automates the workflow."
NLP on Filings & Transcripts
"We want to systematically analyze 10-K risk factors and earnings call sentiment across our coverage."
Custom Research Project
"We have a thesis but need someone to validate it rigorously—literature review, data analysis, write-up."
If it involves research, data, or code—and it's for an investment team—we can help you find the right person.
Why Academic Signal
Built for How Investment Teams Work
Finance-Native Talent
Everyone in our network understands finance. No explaining what a 13F is or why latency matters.
We Help You Scope
Not sure what you need? We'll help you figure it out before you talk to anyone. Free, no obligation.
Vetted & Curated
We don't dump 50 profiles on you. You get 1-3 qualified matches who've done similar work.
IP Protection
All providers sign NDAs. We work with funds who take confidentiality seriously—and so do we.
Matchmaker, Not Middleman
We make the introduction and step back. You work directly with your provider—no layers, no overhead, no interference.
Aligned Incentives
We only get paid when you hire. We're motivated to make great matches, not just technically legal ones.
Pricing
Simple, Success-Based Pricing
We charge a 30% placement fee on the total project value. You pay nothing until you've hired someone and the project is underway.
Example: You hire a dev shop for a $30K project. Our fee is $9K, paid after the project kicks off.
No upfront costs. No subscription. You only pay when we deliver a match you want to hire.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Get Early Access
We're currently onboarding select funds for our private beta. Tell us about your team and what you're looking to build—we'll be in touch.
Questions? Email us at hi@academicsignal.com