Launched in 2009, the NAAIM Founders Award (formerly known as the NAAIM Wagner Award) is designed to expand awareness of active investment management techniques and the results of active strategies through the solicitation and publication of research on active management. $5,000 is presented annually for the best paper submitted to the competition.

The 2007-2008 bear market, following on the heels of the 2000-2002 decline, led many investors to question the wisdom of buy-and-hold investing.

NAAIM members have always believed active is better. This competition is designed to support this position through sound research and shine the spotlight on those individuals advancing this field of study. Since 2009 the call for papers resulted in an international response, with authors from New Zealand, Great Britain, Canada, Germany, and India as well as the U.S., submitting research demonstrating advancements in active investment management and it’s potential.

The competition is open to all investment practitioners, academic faculty and doctoral candidates who submit an innovative topic in the area of active investing. This can be either a documented and justified investing ap­proach or an exploration into the validity of active investing. Active investing topics can involve making invest­ment decisions using technical analysis, quantitative analysis, etc. Papers can also address related topics such as position sizing techniques, money management approaches, scaling into and out of trades, exit strategies, etc.

NAAIM 2024 Founder Award

Deadline to Submit a Paper – Monday, MARCH 25, 2024

The winning author will receive the following prize package:

  • $5,000 cash prize and the opportunity to present the winning paper at the 2024 Uncommon Knowledge Conference in Orlando, Florida.
  •  Uncommon Knowledge Conference registration, domestic coach airfare and one night lodging for one author of the winning paper.
  • 2024 Founder Award Rules: Click Here

2024 Intent to Submit

Paper Topics

Request up to three white papers from our library of over 200 titles

The papers should cover an innovative topic in the area of active investing. This can be either a documented investing approach, an exploration into the validity of active investing, or research in the other issues related to active investing such as making investment decisions using technical analysis, quantitative analysis, etc. Papers can also address related topics such as position sizing techniques, money management approaches, scaling into and out of trades, exit strategies, tax harvesting, execution, etc.

Find a Whitepaper

Previous Recipients:

  • NAAIM 2023 Founders Award Winner

    NAAIM 2023 Founders’ Award White Paper Winner Identifies a 5% “Canary” to Warn of Potential Declines Markets The National Association of Active Investment Managers (NAAIM) has named Andrew Thrasher, CMT, of Financial Enhancement Group LLC, as winner of its annual white paper competition, the NAAIM Founders’ Award. Thrasher’s paper, titled “The 5% Canary,” demonstrates how…

  • NAAIM Founders Award – 2022 Winner Announced

    NAAIM 2022 Founder’s Award White Paper Winner Focuses on Combining MACD with Volatility Normalized Movement to Improve Buy and Sell Signal Accuracy The National Association of Active Investment Managers (NAAIM) has named Alex Spiroglou, CFTe, DipTA (ATAA), as winner of its annual white paper competition, the NAAIM Founders Award. Spiroglou’s paper, titled “MACD-V: Volatility Normalized…

  • NAAIM Founders Award – 2021 Winner

    NAAIM Founder’s Award White Paper Winner Offers a Passive/Active Blending Approach that Responds to Risk/Reward Opportunities in the Stock Market Littleton, Colorado – August 3, 2021 - The National Association of Active Investment Managers (NAAIM) has named Garrett H Brookes, CFA and founder of Slingshot Financial, as winner of its annual white paper competition, the…

  • 2020 First Place Founders Award Winner

      Toroso Investments Portfolio Manager Wins the 2020 NAAIM Founders Award for Paper on Exploiting Momentum “Crashes” Using the VIX Michael A. Gayed, CFA, portfolio manager at Toroso Investments, joins David S, Dierking, CFA and Matthew Bowler as winner of the $5,000 NAAIM 2020 Founders Award for Advances in Active Investment Management with their paper,…

  • 2019 First Place Winner – Founders Award

      2019 Winning Paper Italian Financial Analyst Wins the 2019 NAAIM Founders Award and $5,000 for his White Paper – Antifragile Asset Allocation Model   Littleton, CO – May 15, 2019 – Gioele Giordano, CFTe, a member of the Italian Society of Technical Analysis and student at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia at…

What past winners say about the competition...

I can’t say enough about the NAAIM Shark Tank Strategy Competition or the NAAIM community in general. Having recently left a CIO position at a large RIA firm, I was looking for an opportunity to showcase my new consulting services. The strategy I presented to the Shark Tank was very well received and within 6 months of the competition, I had acquired 8 new business relationships. I am pleased to report that my services are now promoted on 4 multi-manager platforms and I have a multitude of advisors to work with. I would encourage anyone looking to promote their business to participate in the NAAIM Shark Tank Strategy Competition.
David Moenning
1st Place Winner – 2018 Chief Investment Officer, Heritage Capital Research
I entered the Shark Tank for the 2015 competition. I had sold my prior company years earlier but had a non-compete until 2014 when I sold my remaining shares and decided to take my 12 year EVO trading system and track record to the Shark Tank challenge.  After placing third, my assets began to grow substantially, even before winning the competition last year.  Today our assets primarily through licensing, using just the EVO strategy, have grown to $370m.  I have to credit my participation in the Shark Tank for the exposure in getting to this level.
Rich Paul
Rich Paul - 1st place winner – 2017 President, Potomac Advisors