Behind the Ticker: The AIMS ETF & Acuitas Investments

Why It Matters

The AIMS ETF gives advisors a scalable, active small‑cap solution, unlocking alpha potential while bypassing capacity limits of boutique managers, a shift that could reshape the niche ETF market.

Key Takeaways

• Acuitas launches AIMS ETF, a multi‑manager active small‑cap fund.
• ETF aggregates 10+ vetted micro‑cap managers for streamlined exposure.
• Multi‑manager structure solves capacity limits of individual boutique managers.
• Active selection aims to avoid non‑earning “junk” stocks in small caps.
• $77 million AUM in first month signals strong institutional demand.

Summary

The episode of Behind the Ticker introduces Acuitas Investments' new AIMS ETF, an active, multi‑manager small‑cap vehicle launched Feb 10, quickly amassing $77 million.

Acuitas explains the ETF’s construction: it selects and pairs multiple boutique micro‑cap managers, receives daily model portfolios, aggregates them via a trading sub‑advisor, and offers a single ticker on platforms like Fidelity and Schwab. The firm emphasizes daily monitoring, weight bands, and periodic portfolio meetings to adjust allocations.

Host highlights quotes such as “active exposure to small cap… managers that simply aren’t available direct to retail investors” and the firm’s focus on avoiding non‑earning stocks while seeking deep security selection. The multi‑manager model also mitigates capacity constraints that limit individual managers.

The launch reflects growing institutional appetite for efficient small‑cap exposure, offering advisors a turnkey solution and potentially delivering alpha over benchmarks. If successful, the model could reshape how boutique managers reach broader markets and influence the small‑cap ETF landscape.

Original Description

In this episode of Behind the Ticker, Brad Roth, Founder & CIO of Thor Funds, sits down with Chris Tessin, Founder, Managing Partner, CIO of Acuitas Investments, to discuss the launch of their groundbreaking new ETF, the Acuitas Small Cap Active ETF (AIMS).

Launched in February 2026, AIMS reached $77 million in assets in just its first month by solving a massive problem for investors: how to access the inefficient, high-alpha world of micro and small-cap equities without the headache of managing dozens of individual manager relationships.

Highlights from this episode include:

-How AIMS aggregates curated model portfolios from specialized managers into a single, liquid ETF ticker.

-Why traditional small-cap funds close to new investors, and how the Acuitas structure creates a scalable solution.

-Tessin believes 30% projected earnings growth for the Russell 2000 this year makes small caps a coiled spring compared to stretched large-cap valuations.

-How Acuitas delivers a multi-manager strategy for a single 75-basis point all-in fee, avoiding the dreaded fee-on-fee structure.

Follow along with the conversation here: https://www.etf.com/sections/podcasts/behind-ticker-aims-etf-acuitas-investments

You can learn more about Acuitas at https://acuitasinvestments.com