Quant Trading: from Data to Alpha | Marco Aboav, Etna Research: Marco Aboav - Etna Research

An exploration of how quant hedge funds strategically source and use data to fulfil their ultimate goal of alpha generation. Marco Aboav, ex-hedge fund manager and CEO of Etna Research unveils how the most sophisticated asset managers build a sustainable trading advantage.

USEFUL LINKS

Etna Research: https://www.etnaresearch.com/

Marco on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-jean-aboav/

Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@investology_podcast📩 George's Investment Management Newsletter: https://bit.ly/3AxnyTY (Free)

🎧 Audio Podcast: https://pod.link/1511595070

This episode was produced by Orama - a video and podcast studio for B2B Brands: https://orama.tv/

KEY CONCEPTS

data & alpha

the intersection of technology and investment

the importance of adaptive strategies

the role of hedge funds in the financial ecosystem

passive, active & quantitative investing

ABOUT THE INVESTOLOGY PODCAST

A podcast that helps you think about critical topics and principles of investment management.Each episode explores the technology, mythology, psychology, and narratology of investment management through interviews with acclaimed authors, innovative startup founders, and industry pioneers.

ABOUT ETNA RESEARCH

At Etna Research, we help global institutional clients and asset owners harness frontier AI—so they can push the boundaries of quantitative investing without drowning in complexity or spiralling costs.
How Etna drives value for you:
- Stay ahead in quantitative investing with advanced AI solutions built for real-world capital market challenges.
- Cut AI, data, and computing costs by at least 50%, reducing overhead and freeing resources for strategic investments.
- Accelerate innovation by 100x, delivering results faster than any internal alternative.
Currently focused on quantitative investment strategy tech in macro asset classes, expanding into equity, credit and crypto soon.

ABOUT GEORGE ALIFERIS

George Aliferis on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-aliferis-caia-60078312/

Ex-financial markets sales: Natixis, Deutsche Bank, Invesco (Source), covering alternative investments, derivatives, ETFs

Founder of Orama a podcast and video agency working with the finance industry

CAIA Charterholder (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association)

Masters from HEC, Paris & UTDT, Buenos Aires

Greek, French, UK-based (Brighton); Likes to swim, ski, surf; Dad x2

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 A conversation that reframed many investment management concepts00:49 Marco Aboav's Professional Journey: Quant, Hedge Fund, Entrepreneur04:55 Understanding Hedge Fund Dynamics08:38 Data & Research for Hedge Funds13:51 Challenges in Data Acquisition26:52 Building a Quant Pod30:13 Understanding Alpha generation32:29 Accelerating Alpha Discovery39:47 Adaptability in alpah strategies44:12 Future of Hedge Funds & Active Management53:56 Closing Thoughts and Podcast Information

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit investorama.substack.com