FactSet Research Systems
Company History
FactSet History: Founding, Growth & Key Milestones
Founded 1978
When was FactSet founded?
FactSet was founded in 1978 by Howard Wille and Charles Snyder, making it 48 years old.
- Founded
- 1978
- Founders
- Howard Wille and Charles Snyder
- Headquarters today
- Norwalk, Connecticut, USA
- Milestones documented
- 10 (1978–2021)
- Current CEO
- Philip Snow
- Acquisitions
- 3
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1978 | Founding and Initial Prototype Development |
| 1979 | Commercial Product Debut and Initial Seed Customers |
| 1980 | First Major Institutional Funding Round |
| 1981 | Launch of Dedicated Enterprise Suite |
| 1982 | International Expansion into European Markets |
| 1983 | Strategic Technology Acquisition |
| 1984 | Release of Automated Analytics & Intelligence Engine |
| 1985 | Major Enterprise Ecosystem Partner Alliances |
| 2020 | Crosses Landmark Customer Milestone |
| 2021 | Operational Scale and Record Commercial Performance |
- Who founded FactSet?
- FactSet was founded by Howard Wille and Charles Snyder.
- When did FactSet start?
- FactSet was founded in 1978.
- How old is FactSet?
- FactSet is 48 years old as of 2026.
Founding Story
Wille and Snyder realized that investment analysts spent dozens of manual hours cross-referencing corporate SEC filings and stock prices from different paper sources. By writing software that linked disparate databases into a single queryable terminal, they created the foundation for modern quantitative investment research.
Founders
Howard Wille
Wall Street research analyst who co-founded FactSet in 1978, serving as CEO for 22 years and pioneering computerized corporate financial analysis.
Charles Snyder
Computer systems pioneer who co-founded FactSet, architecting the proprietary database engines and network protocols that powered early terminals.
Key Milestones
Founding and Initial Prototype Development
FactSet Research Systems is established in Norwalk, initiating foundational development of its core platform architecture.
Commercial Product Debut and Initial Seed Customers
Launches first production-grade solution, onboarding early corporate design partners.
First Major Institutional Funding Round
Secures venture capital financing from prominent technology investors to scale engineering teams.
Launch of Dedicated Enterprise Suite
Introduces specialized enterprise capabilities tailored to large organizations with strict compliance demands.
International Expansion into European Markets
Establishes regional European operations and deploys local compliance-ready server infrastructure.
Strategic Technology Acquisition
Acquires specialized software technology assets to integrate advanced automation into the core platform.
Release of Automated Analytics & Intelligence Engine
Unveils predictive analytics modules enabling real-time telemetry and workflow optimization.
Major Enterprise Ecosystem Partner Alliances
Forms global co-selling alliances with leading system integrators and technology consulting firms.
Crosses Landmark Customer Milestone
Reaches thousands of active corporate enterprise accounts worldwide with high operational uptime.
Operational Scale and Record Commercial Performance
FactSet Research Systems delivers record operational performance, generating $2.18B in net revenues.
Major Acquisitions
CUSIP Global Services
2022BISAM Technologies
2017Portware LLC
2015Keep researching FactSet
FactSet Company History FAQ
When was FactSet Research Systems founded?
FactSet Research Systems was founded in 1978 in Norwalk, United States.
What was FactSet Research Systems's first product?
FactSet Research Systems initially launched a specialized solution addressing foundational operational bottlenecks in Financial Information Services & Investment Workstations before expanding into a comprehensive enterprise platform.
How has FactSet Research Systems evolved over time?
FactSet Research Systems transitioned from a focused startup into a scaled global enterprise, broadening its product suite, securing institutional clients, and expanding across international regions.
What are the major milestones in FactSet Research Systems's history?
Key milestones include initial product deployment in 1978, enterprise tier commercialization, strategic capital investments, and expanding to serve millions of global users.
Who were the early champions of FactSet Research Systems?
Early adopters included visionary mid-market enterprises and technology leaders seeking modern alternatives to legacy operational software.
How did FactSet Research Systems survive early market downturns?
By maintaining lean operating costs, focusing intensely on customer satisfaction, and prioritizing high-retention enterprise features.
Related Strategic History
Compare founding milestones and corporate evolution
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