The CrowdInvest Wisdom Index (CROWDWIS), the first index to invest in crowd sentiment-researched equities, marked its first anniversary on Jan. 7, 2016 by outperforming the S&P 500 by 147 basis points over the same time frame. This outperformance demonstrates how the index, designed to harness wisdom of the crowd by using data from the CrowdInvest app, continues to deliver competitive performance compared to passive benchmarks and actively managed investment strategies.

The index’s anniversary coincides with the launch of the newest version of the free CrowdInvest app (Crowd-Invest). Originally launched in 2015, the 2016 version of the CrowdInvest app was created after receiving and implementing a year’s worth of feedback from users. The app, which can be downloaded for free from the iTunes store, invites individual users to vote for and express their individual outlook on any stock trading on a U.S. exchange.

Votes from the app are used to construct CrowdInvest’s CROWDWIS Index, which was created to bring the benefits of investing via wisdom of the crowds to a broader audience.

“The performance of the index over the first year validates the theory that by placing investment decisions squarely in the hands of the crowd, we can construct an intelligent, competitive portfolio that is a compilation of equities with the largest net positive or bullish sentiment,” said Martin Mickus, Founder and CEO of CrowdInvest. “The app is a tool that allows individual investors to take back control of their investment decisions and develop an index that is flexible and responsive, with the ability to change on a monthly basis based on the crowd’s sentiments.”

Users also are able to retrieve data from StockTwits to see what investor sentiment is on stocks in real-time. Furthermore, the app provides up-to-the-minute information about the most popular and favorite stocks based on users’ votes.

About CrowdInvest

CrowdInvest was created to democratize the asset management industry by harnessing the wisdom of the crowd in surveying users via the CrowdInvest mobile app. Based on users’ opinions of various equities, the portfolio managers are able to construct the CrowdInvest Wisdom Index, an index that is designed to rebalance on a monthly basis in the interest of staying true to a crowd sentiment-weighted portfolio. CrowdInvest was nominated for the Benzinga FinTech Awards in 2016. Votes can be cast here.