https://www.ft.com/content/0a706330-5f28-11e6-ae3f-77baadeb1c93#axzz4HZFYVuvD besides Quantopian, the article mentions a new firm (I haven't previously heard of) in the backtesting and funding platform business, https://www.quantiacs.com
Everybody seems to be taking on hedgefunds nowadays.... http://www.cnbc.com/2016/04/07/start-ups-take-on-hedge-funds-with-social-trading.html It starts feeling a bit as if the guys playing Fifa 16 say: watch out Ronaldo and Messi, we're coming after you!
According to the article, 80k people have signed up to Quantopian already, with user numbers sharply rising. Quandl adds all kind of different datasets regularly. It certainly allows mathematically-inclined people from anywhere in the world to backtest and implement a statistical arbitrage strategy. All kind of statistical anomalies will be grazed over and over. An army of piranhas will immediately pounce on any flesh they can find. Crocodiles may become extinct. How is this going to impact market structure and behavior?
Good point. I wasn't clear enough. They COULD do it before. But they didn't. Because previously the hurdles were too high, it was too costly, and a very significant time investment - we are mainly talking about tech guys and university researchers doing this in their free time. It is a bit like AirBnB. Of course you could have rented out your apartment (during times when you don't need it) before. Advertise your apartment on a lamppost next to the airport. Select trustworthy renters. But now with AirBnB (and competitors) the process is much easier. And the sharing takes off.
AirBnB seems to streamline the process of listing not the process of "development". But I've got your point.