One year ago this week, Prospr Aligned, in partnership with Vident Asset Management, introduced The Frontier Economic Fund (NYSE: AKAF), the first exchange-traded fund built to track companies with meaningful operations, workforce presence, and capital investment in Alaska. The fund reaches its one-year anniversary this week, a milestone that gives institutional investors their first full 12-month track record to evaluate.
“A year ago, this was a bet that Alaska’s economy deserved its own ticker,” said Derek Kreifels, CEO of Prospr Aligned. “What I’m most proud of isn’t the launch, it’s that everything Alaska has done since has made the case for us. Every job added, every project breaking ground, every dollar invested back into this state is proof that the conviction was well placed. AKAF gave investors a way to stand behind the Alaska story before the rest of the market caught on, and a year later, it’s still exactly the story we believed in.”
The fund’s holdings have grown to approximately 147 companies, selected for their Alaska workforce presence, capital investment, and contribution to state revenue. Industrials, energy, and materials together account for more than 60 percent of the portfolio, with additional positions spanning transportation, mining, tourism, and consumer companies tied to the state’s economy. Vident Asset Management serves as the fund’s asset manager and the creator of the underlying index, the Alaska Last Frontier Index.
Alaska’s economy has continued to build on the trends that shaped AKAF’s launch:
- Employment: Added 7,700 jobs in 2024, returning to pre-pandemic employment levels
- Construction: Grew 25 percent since 2019
- Oil and gas: Forecasted to add 600 jobs in 2025, with another 1,000 jobs expected in 2026, an 11 percent increase, tied to the start of production at the Pikka oil field on the North Slope
“Institutional investors wait for a 12-month track record for good reason: conviction without proof is just a hunch,” Kreifels said. “We have the proof now, and it only strengthens our belief that Alaska is one of the most overlooked growth stories in the country. This anniversary isn’t a finish line, it’s confirmation that we were right to bet on this state, and motivation to keep building on it.”
AKAF rang the NYSE closing bell on July 2, 2025, alongside leaders from Alaska and Vident Asset Management. To learn more, visit https://thealaskaetf.com/.
At Prospr Aligned, our mission is to empower investors to align their investments with their values—taking back control and amplifying their voice to ensure capital is used with integrity, not ideology. As a leading consulting partner for institutional investors, we deliver tailored business solutions that reflect client’s values without compromising fiduciary excellence. We believe true prosperity is built on alignment—where every dollar reflects your values and where fiduciary duty is upheld. In short, we work to focus investors capital on returns, not politics.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260707297715/en/
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