eFront was founded in 1999 as a technology platform aiming to quickly and efficiently develop vertical enterprise software applications.
eFront is the leading technology solution suite for alternative investment management, covering the needs of alternative investment professionals end-to-end – from fundraising and portfolio construction to investment management and reporting. With more than 850 clients in 48 countries, eFront services clients worldwide across all major alternative asset classes.
In 2019, eFront was acquired by BlackRock and integrated with Aladdin®, its investment technology, bringing together public and private asset classes to deliver the industry-leading multi-asset investment platform.
Founding year
1999
eFront was founded in 1999 as a technology platform aiming to quickly and efficiently develop vertical enterprise software applications.
Expansion
2000
From 1999 through 2002, eFront continued to expand its focus, creating multiple vertical enterprise software applications in various areas including expense management, timesheets, and CRM.
Product launch
2002
Guided by CDC Innovation (eFront’s investor at the time), eFront created and launched Front Venture, its first software solution dedicated to venture capital investors. Through FrontVenture, eFront brought efficiency to fund and operations management and reporting activities. Over time, FrontVenture expanded beyond venture capital, fully encompassing private equity and evolving into eFront’s current flagship product, eFront Invest.
Alternative investment specialization
2003
From 2003 through 2008, eFront continued to refine its focus, evolving towards a specialization in alternative investment software solutions focusing on fund administration, operations and reporting through its flagship solution, eFront Invest (previously named FrontInvest). eFront also continued to expand internationally throughout Europe and the Middle East.
Growth
2004
eFront’s client base continued to grow internationally, expanding to more than 100 clients.
IPO
2006
eFront went public with an IPO on Alternext, signaling the next phase in its development and empowering eFront to begin building an international presence through global offices.
International expansion
2008
From 2006 through 2015, eFront solidified its presence in and strategical focus on alternative investment needs through product development and organic scope extensions while continuing to expand internationally throughout North America and Asia-Pacific.
Growth
2010
eFront’s client base continued to grow globally, expanding to more than 200 clients across 28 countries.
Going private
2011
eFront was acquired by Francisco Partners, marking a new phase in eFront’s strategic development, characterized by acquisitions with a focus on North America.
DMLT acquisition
2012
eFront acquired DMLT, the developer of the Investment Café investor portal (now called eFront Investment Café) allowing eFront to expand its features and capabilities throughout the investment life cycle.
AnalytX acquisition
2013
eFront acquired AnalytX, the developer of the Private Equity Office solution now known as eFront PEO/VC, solidifying its solution offerings for private equity investors. Through this acquisition, eFront went on to establish an office in Belgrade, which now employs over 400 people.
Growth
2013
eFront’s client base expanded to 300 clients across 39 countries serviced by 17 offices around the world.
Product launch
2014
eFront Portfolio Monitoring was officially launched, offering an innovative approach to portfolio company data collection and direct investment monitoring.
Acquisition by Bridgepoint
2015
eFront was acquired by Bridgepoint, marking a new phase in eFront’s strategic development characterized by product development and the integration and optimization of previous acquisitions.
Product launches
2015
eFront Data Intelligence (previously named eFront Investor Cloud) and eFront ESG were both launched, reinforcing eFront’s position as a pioneering leader in alternative investment data collection.
Product suite launch and internal growth
2016
eFront reorganized its product offerings with a streamlined solution suite. In order to support its growing product suite and client base, eFront expanded to more than 600 employees.
Product launch
2017
eFront VaR was officially launched, offering a powerful approach to value-at-risk measurement.
Product launch
2018
eFront Insight was officially launched, with the mission of streamlining exchanges between general and limited partners.
Rebranding
2018
eFront refreshed its corporate image with completely new branding, supporting eFront’s message as it continued to grow over 2018. eFront’s client base expanded to 850 clients across 48 countries, supported by over 800 employees in 21 offices around the world.
Acquisition by BlackRock
2019
In 2019, eFront was acquired by BlackRock and began operating as a specialized business unit within BlackRock Solutions, alongside Aladdin Institutional and Aladdin Wealth.
Over 20 years, eFront has grown from an entrepreneur’s dream to become the leading software provider of solutions dedicated to alternative investments. From humble beginnings in Paris to eventual expansion across the globe, eFront has gone on to influence alternative investing in a big way. Our journey has been both exhilarating and challenging, and a lot of fun. In 2019, we proudly celebrated 20 years of innovation and growth, which would not have been possible without our dedicated employees and valued clients.
Interested in working at BlackRock?
eFront complies with the Avenir law which aims to eliminate all gender pay disparities in France.
eFront’s gender equality index is reported here.