The now 67-year-old Cathie Wood founded investment company ARK Invest in 2014. The economist\u2019s intention was, firstly, to focus solely on disruptive innovation, primarily in the public equity markets, and, secondly, to open up research and become a \u2018sharing economy\u2019 company in the asset management space. \u201cWe're all about finding the next big thing,\u201d is one of Wood\u2019s core statements. The global company has six ETFs under active management: ARK Innovation, ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics, ARK Next Generation Internet, ARK Genomic Revolution, ARK Fintech Innovation and, since March 2021, the ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF as well. Other products offered include the 3D-Printing and Israel Innovative Technology index ETFs. In total, the firm currently manages some USDbn 11. The five biggest ETFs \u2013 ARK Innovation, ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics, ARK Next Generation Internet, ARK Genomic Revolution and ARK Fintech Innovation \u2013 feature in the Disruptive Innovation Index launched at the end of 2020.<\/p>\n
Although the ARK specialists can look back on more than 40 years of experience in investment in technologies, they are not immune to setbacks. Soaring inflation coupled with hefty rises in interest rates have had a tangible impact on tech stocks \u2013 and thus ARK ETFs \u2013 over the past year. The flagship, the ARK Innovation ETF, for instance, lost around two thirds of its value in 2022. Genomic Revolution and Autonomous Technology & Robotics performed rather better, shedding \u201conly\u201d around half their value. Although Cathie Wood has recently made several adjustments in her portfolio, such as selling the stake in Nvidia and buying Tesla shares, she is still essentially following a clear strategy of investing in companies that own world-changing products. Satisfying the needs of investors focused on the short term, however, is not on her agenda. The funds are still ahead on a long-term view, with the biggest ETF, ARK Innovation, boasting a return of 10.00% p.a. since its launch. Even better were the performances of the two portfolios based on Genomic Revolution (12.20% p.a.) and Autonomous Technology & Robotics (14.40% p.a.).<\/p>\n