Dan Ives, a high-profile technology analyst with more than 25 years covering technology stocks and eight years at Wedbush Securities, is exiting the firm to launch a merchant bank that melds research, advisory, capital raising and investing into a single enterprise.
According to reporting, the new firm is being positioned as a "modern merchant bank" that will focus on helping companies and investors capture the opportunities arising from artificial intelligence and other broad structural changes in the economy. The planned services include proprietary research, strategic advisory work, capital-raising services and direct investments.
Executives said the new platform intends to operate across multiple sectors. The stated areas of focus include technology as a central sector, with activity also planned in energy and financials. The firm will seek to recruit talent from across Wall Street and aims to place itself at the center of the AI-driven transformation affecting industry participants.
While building the broader business, Ives indicated he plans to continue contributing to technology coverage in a research capacity. The company is expected to be formally announced in the coming weeks, according to the reporting. Details about structure, capital commitments or specific hiring plans have not been disclosed in the report.
Ives has gained recognition for bullish calls on companies viewed as beneficiaries of artificial intelligence and for frequent television appearances. The reporting also noted he launched a clothing line last year. Those activities form part of his public profile as he moves from a traditional securities firm role into merchant banking.
Summary
- Dan Ives will leave Wedbush Securities after eight years to start a merchant bank combining research, advisory, capital raising and investing.
- The new firm will target AI-related opportunities and plans to operate across technology, energy and financials, with a formal announcement due in the coming weeks.
- Ives intends to continue technology research coverage while helping build the new enterprise.
Key points
- The initiative is framed as a "modern merchant bank" that integrates multiple services - research, advisory, capital raising and investing - under one roof.
- Sector focus is broad: primary emphasis on technology, with planned involvement in energy and financials, reflecting cross-industry implications of AI-driven change.
- The firm plans to recruit talent from across Wall Street to position itself at the center of AI-related industry shifts.
Risks and uncertainties
- The firm has not yet been formally announced, leaving timing and finalized structure uncertain - this affects clarity on operational rollout and market positioning.
- Recruitment plans and the ability to attract suitable talent from across Wall Street remain unproven based on the information provided.
- While Ives plans to continue covering technology stocks in a research capacity, the dual role of research contribution and firm building introduces questions about how responsibilities will be balanced; the report does not provide detail on governance or conflict-management arrangements.