iConnections vs. Markets Group
One Continuous Platform vs.
Regional Forums
Markets Group runs hundreds of hyper-regional, invitation-only LP/GP forums every year: 30+ countries, intimate format. iConnections is the platform those same allocators and managers use to find each other in between events, all year long.
Forums end. Relationships don’t. This page explains where each delivers the most value.
iConnections vs. Markets Group at a Glance
| Aspect | iConnections | Markets Group |
|---|---|---|
| Core model | Year-round LP-GP capital introduction platform plus flagship capital introduction events | Regional, invitation-only, investor-centric forums per year |
| Format | Always-on platform + flagship Global Alts events | Single-day or multi-day in-person regional forums |
| Follow-through infrastructure | Native platform: schedule meetings, share documents, track engagement post-event | No persistent platform between events: relationships continue off-platform |
| AI matching | Behavioral signals, mandate data, first-party meeting data from allocators and managers active on the platform | Manual organizer-led matchmaking; no platform AI |
| Event tech | Purpose-built iConnections platform (proprietary) | No persistent technology platform between events |
| LP coverage | Active allocators on platform; consistent year-round access | Strong U.S. pension and regional allocator depth; rotates by event |
| Geography | Global, year-round (Miami, NYC, Singapore, Paris) | Regional, episodic (U.S., Singapore, Tokyo, Riyadh, London expansion) |
| Pricing | Membership-based; bundled access to platform + events | Per-event ticketing; varies by region/format |
Core Model
| iConnections | Year-round LP-GP capital introduction platform plus flagship capital introduction events |
| Markets Group | Regional, invitation-only, investor-centric forums per year |
Format
| iConnections | Always-on platform + flagship Global Alts events |
| Markets Group | Single-day or multi-day in-person regional forums |
Follow-through infrastructure
| iConnections | Native platform: schedule meetings, share documents, track engagement post-event |
| Markets Group | No persistent platform between events: relationships continue off-platform |
AI matching
| iConnections | Behavioral signals, mandate data, first-party meeting data from allocators and managers active on the platform |
| Markets Group | Manual organizer-led matchmaking; no platform AI |
Event tech
| iConnections | Purpose-built iConnections platform (proprietary) |
| Markets Group | No persistent technology platform between events |
LP coverage
| iConnections | Active allocators on platform; consistent year-round access |
| Markets Group | Strong U.S. pension and regional allocator depth; rotates by event |
Geography
| iConnections | Global, year-round (Miami, NYC, Singapore, Paris) |
| Markets Group | Regional, episodic (U.S., Singapore, Tokyo, Riyadh, London expansion) |
Pricing
| iConnections | Membership-based; bundled access to platform + events |
| Markets Group | Per-event ticketing; varies by region/format |
How We’re Different
Three Differences That Show Up Every Day
01
Forum moments vs.
Year-round platform.
Markets Group creates regional, invitation-only rooms. But after the forum, connections move to your CRM and inbox. iConnections adds the year-round layer: allocator-managed profiles, mandate data, and direct meeting requests whenever LPs are ready to reconnect on their own terms.
“iConnections puts the right LPs in one place and makes it easy to have focused, pre-qualified conversations that would normally take months to set up.“
GP Survey
02
Event volume vs. relationship depth.
Markets Group offers scale: 100+ investor-focused events across 30+ countries. But event count only shows how many doors open. iConnections supports every next step with AI-matched meetings, document sharing, and behavioral signals that reveal when allocators are researching your strategy.
“iConnections provides a year-round, highly efficient digital platform connecting us directly with qualified LPs for targeted discovery, meeting booking, and relationship nurturing.”
GP Survey
03
Event access vs. fundraising platform.
Markets Group forums deliver a room for the day or two they run. iConnections is purpose-built for one job: connecting LPs and GPs in alternatives year-round. AI matching trained on alts behavioral data. Profiles structured around mandate, strategy, and AUM.
“We generally target 50 meetings throughout the week with allocators from all over the globe. That’s a hugely efficient use of time, especially given our limited distribution team.”
GP Survey
Where Markets Group Shines
What Markets Group Does Best
Many of our members attend both. The question isn’t one or the other. It’s whether you have infrastructure to convert any relationship into pipeline.
Regional depth
U.S. pension and regional allocator coverage is strong, particularly for mid-market GPs who don’t always make the cut for the largest global events.
Intimate format
Smaller rooms (often 100–300 attendees) mean conversations are easier to have, especially for first-time or emerging managers.
Geographic expansion
New launches in Singapore, Tokyo, Riyadh, and London are creating regional access points in markets that were under-served by traditional events.
How We’re Different
Forums Get You In the Room.
Now Build Underneath It.
Markets Group answers: “Which regional rooms should I be in this quarter?”
iConnections answers: “Where do I keep building once the room empties out?”
Intimate, regional, invitation-only forums with U.S. pensions and regional allocators
Markets Group
Year-round platform infrastructure to maintain LP relationships between events
iConnections
Both: regional forums for tactical access and a platform for follow-through
Many fundraising teams use both
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Markets Group runs regional, event-based forums. iConnections provides year-round LP–GP relationship infrastructure that extends before, during, and after events. The two formats support different parts of the fundraising cycle.
Event count is a top-of-funnel metric. It tells you how many opportunities there are to meet new allocators, not what happens after. iConnections concentrates on infrastructure: a single platform where allocators are accessible year-round, with AI matching, document sharing, and behavioral data on every interaction.
iConnections is an LP-GP capital introduction platform that complements or replaces the regional-forum circuit depending on your strategy. Markets Group runs well-organized, invitation-only forums that produce valuable initial introductions. iConnections provides the year-round infrastructure those introductions need: a shared platform where allocators engage with your fund profile between events, AI-matched meeting scheduling, and behavioral signals that show when LP interest is live. Many fundraising teams use both.
Yes: many of the most effective fundraising teams do exactly this. Markets Group forums are tactical: get in the right regional rooms, meet specific allocators, build initial contact. iConnections is strategic: bring those contacts onto a platform where they can self-serve, schedule meetings, and engage with your fund profile on their own time.
Different models. Markets Group is per-event ticketing. Costs vary by region, format, and timing. iConnections is membership-based: one annual fee covers year-round platform access plus participation in flagship Global Alts events. For teams attending more than a few forums per year, the platform model often comes out cheaper on a fully-loaded basis.
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