Preqin
Preqin, headquartered in London, was founded in 2003 by Mark O'Hare and Nick Arnott.
Profile
Preqin sells data, analytics, and research on alternative assets to financial professionals.
Preqin, headquartered in London, was founded in 2003 by Mark O'Hare and Nick Arnott. The company provides data, analytics, and research on alternative assets, covering private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, real estate, private credit, infrastructure, secondaries, and natural resources. As of March 31, 2026, Preqin reported 472 employees.
The company was acquired by BlackRock in a deal that valued it at an undisclosed amount as of June 30, 2024. Preqin claims over 200,000 professionals use its platform, which includes the Preqin Pro terminal and the Preqin Insights+ research subscription. In 2026, the company published its Global Reports series, drawing on surveys of more than 430 investors and 550 fund managers.
A notable recent integration is with BlackRock's Aladdin platform, which announced new private credit capabilities using Preqin data. Preqin has also acquired at least three companies, including Colmore. The firm competes with other alternative data providers such as PitchBook, Burgiss, and MSCI's private capital solutions.
Its customer base spans fund managers, institutional investors, investment consultants, banks, placement agents, and advisory firms. The company's core product, Preqin Pro, offers fundraising, manager selection, and business development tools. Preqin has faced a challenging fundraising environment for its clients, with private equity fundraising declining 28% from its 2021 peak to $673.7 billion in 2024, according to its own data.
Products by Preqin
Who buys this
- Fund managers raising capital and sourcing deals
- Institutional investors (pension funds, endowments, insurance companies) conducting manager selection and due diligence
- Investment consultants advising on private markets strategies
- Banks identifying opportunities and driving business growth
- Placement agents and third-party marketers building investor networks
Strengths and what to watch
Strengths
- Broad coverage across eight alternative asset classes (private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, real estate, private credit, infrastructure, secondaries, natural resources) in a single platform.
- Integration with BlackRock's Aladdin platform for private credit data, providing a distribution channel to a large institutional user base.
- Proprietary survey data from over 430 investors and 550 fund managers for its annual Global Reports, offering primary research not available from public sources.
Watch for
- Acquisition by BlackRock: The company's integration into a much larger financial technology ecosystem could lead to product changes, data-sharing conflicts, or loss of independence that alienates non-BlackRock clients.
- Fundraising slowdown for clients: Preqin's own data shows private equity fundraising fell 28% from its 2021 peak to $673.7 billion in 2024, which could reduce demand for its fundraising tools and data subscriptions.
- Competitive pressure from larger, well-capitalized rivals such as MSCI (which owns Burgiss and Real Capital Analytics) and PitchBook, which may offer broader datasets or more aggressive pricing.
Key Information
- Industry
- Financial & Market Data
- Founded
- 2002
- Headquarters
- London
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Preqin and what does it do?
Preqin is a London-based company founded in 2003 that sells data, analytics, and research on alternative assets. It covers private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, real estate, private credit, infrastructure, secondaries, and natural resources for financial professionals.
Who uses Preqin's data and analytics platform?
Preqin's customers include fund managers, institutional investors like pension funds and endowments, investment consultants, banks, placement agents, and advisory firms. Over 200,000 professionals use its platform for fundraising, manager selection, and business development.
Did BlackRock acquire Preqin and what does that mean?
Yes, BlackRock acquired Preqin in a deal valued at an undisclosed amount as of June 30, 2024. The integration with BlackRock's Aladdin platform has already added private credit capabilities using Preqin data, but could lead to product changes or data-sharing conflicts.
What are Preqin's main products like Preqin Pro?
Preqin's core product is Preqin Pro, a terminal offering fundraising, manager selection, and business development tools. It also offers Preqin Insights+, a research subscription. The platform covers eight alternative asset classes in one place.
How does Preqin compare to competitors like PitchBook and Burgiss?
Preqin competes with PitchBook, Burgiss, and MSCI's private capital solutions. Its strengths include broad coverage across eight asset classes and proprietary survey data from over 430 investors and 550 fund managers. However, rivals may offer broader datasets or more aggressive pricing.
What does Preqin's data show about private equity fundraising trends?
According to Preqin's own data, private equity fundraising declined 28% from its 2021 peak to $673.7 billion in 2024. This slowdown could reduce demand for Preqin's fundraising tools and data subscriptions from its clients.
Sources
- www.preqin.com — Company description, product portfolio, customer segments, claim of 200,000+ professionals, BlackRock Aladdin integration announcement.
- www.preqin.com — 2026 Global Reports details, survey methodology (430+ investors, 550+ fund managers), asset class coverage.
- tracxn.com — Founded year (2003), founders (Mark O'Hare, Nick Arnott), employee count (472 as of March 31, 2026), acquisition status, valuation date (June 30, 2024), competitor list.
- www.preqin.com — Private equity fundraising decline (28% from 2021 peak to $673.7 billion in 2024), deal-making data ($1.2tn in 2024), distribution vs. capital call trends.
- www.preqin.com — Private debt fundraising data (direct lending 77.4% of capital raised in 2024, $152.7bn), LP sentiment survey (92% see US as best opportunity).