# KX Systems

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{{Short description|Computer company founded by Arthur Whitney}}
{{COI|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox company
| name = KX Systems Inc.
| logo = Kx logo.svg
| logo_size = 100px
| trading_name = KX Systems
| type = [Private](/source/Privately_held_company)
| industry = [Software](/source/Software) & Tech Services
| fate = 
| predecessor = 
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = -->
| founded = {{Start date and age|1993}} in [Palo Alto, California](/source/Palo_Alto%2C_California)
| founders = {{Unbulleted list |Janet Lustgarten |[Arthur Whitney](/source/Arthur_Whitney_(computer_scientist))}}
| hq_location_city = [New York, New York](/source/New_York%2C_New_York)
| hq_location_country = United States
| num_locations = 14 offices<ref name="locates">{{cite web |url=https://kx.com/about-kx/#contact-us |title=KX: Contact Us |work=Kx |access-date=March 6, 2018}}</ref>
| num_locations_year = 2018
| area_served = {{Unbulleted list |[Asia](/source/Asia) |[Europe](/source/Europe) |[North America](/source/North_America)}}
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list |Ashok Reddy<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youinvest.co.uk/articles/latestnews/248261/fd-technologies-appoints-ashok-reddy-ceo-kx-division |title=FD Technologies appoints Ashok Reddy as CEO of KX division |website=youinvest.co.uk |date=August 5, 2022}}</ref> |([CEO](/source/Chief_executive_officer)) |Eric Raab<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Kc Systems|url=https://craft.co/https://kx.com/news/appointment-of-eric-raab-as-kx-cto/|access-date=|website=Craft}}</ref>|([CTO](/source/Chief_technology_officer)) |David Humphries<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Kc Systems|url=https://kx.com/news/fd-appoints-david-humphries-as-global-coo/|access-date=|website=Craft}}</ref> |([COO](/source/Chief_operating_officer))<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fow.com/3516843/Exchange-capacity-key-issue---Kx-COO.html |title=Exchange Capacity 'Key Issue'—Kx COO |publisher=Futures and Options World |date=December 23, 2015 |first=Alice |last=Atwood |access-date=January 26, 2016 |archive-date=February 4, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204214243/http://www.fow.com/3516843/Exchange-capacity-key-issue---Kx-COO.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> }}
| products = {{Unbulleted list |[k](/source/k_(programming_language)) |[kdb+](/source/kdb%2B) |[q](/source/Q_(programming_language_from_Kx_Systems))}}
| brands = 
| services = 
| revenue = 
| revenue_year = <!-- Year of revenue data (when known) -->
| operating_income = 
| income_year = <!-- Year of operating_income data (when known) -->
| net_income = <!-- or: | profit = -->
| net_income_year = <!-- or: | profit_year = --><!-- Year of net_income/profit data (when known) -->
| assets = 
| assets_year = <!-- Year of assets data (when known) -->
| equity = 
| equity_year = <!-- Year of equity data (when known) -->
| parent = [TA Associates](/source/TA_Associates)
| website = {{URL |https://kx.com}}
}}

'''KX''' is a [privately owned](/source/privately_held) [software](/source/software) company that sells a [time series database](/source/time_series_database) [kdb+](/source/kdb%2B), used for financial modeling and data analysis, and its associated proprietary programming language [q](/source/q_(programming_language_from_Kx_Systems)).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Search &#124; STAC - Insight for the Algorithmic Enterprise &#124; STAC |url=https://stacresearch.com/search?search_api_views_fulltext=kdb%2B |website=stacresearch.com|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20230407115058/https://stacresearch.com/search?search_api_views_fulltext=kdb%2B|archive-date=2023-04-07}}</ref><ref name="que">{{cite journal |date=February 2009 |title=A Conversation with Arthur Whitney |url=http://queue.acm.org/detail.cfm?id=1531242 |journal=ACM Queue |volume=7 |issue=2 |pages=12–13 |doi=10.1145/1515964.1531242 |access-date=October 29, 2015}}</ref>

It was founded in 1993 by Janet Lustgarten and [Arthur Whitney](/source/Arthur_Whitney_(computer_scientist)),<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=7490110 |title=Company Overview of Kx Systems, Inc. |magazine=Bloomberg Business |access-date=October 29, 2015}}</ref> the developer of the [K](/source/K_(programming_language)) programming language. In 2014, First Derivatives increased their ownership interest to 65 percent; in 2018, the company (now FD Technologies plc) announced plans to buy out the remaining shares of KX.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-44685608 | title=First Derivatives in £41m share buyout | work=BBC News | date=2 July 2018 }}</ref> KX has offices in [New York City](/source/New_York_City), [London, England](/source/England), [Ireland](/source/Ireland), [Germany](/source/Germany), [Australia](/source/Australia), [Singapore](/source/Singapore), [Tokyo](/source/Tokyo), and [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong).<ref name="locates" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnbc.com/id/100886612 |title=Kx Systems |date=15 July 2013 |publisher=CNBC |access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130824121400/https://www.cnbc.com/id/100886612|archive-date=2013-08-24}}</ref>

==Overview==
In 1993, Whitney and Lustgarten joined to commercialize the k programming platform Whitney had created after building the [A+](/source/A%2B_(programming_language)) language and other trading systems at [Morgan Stanley](/source/Morgan_Stanley).<ref name="que"/><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/witsend/2011/06/janet-lustgarten-ceo-at-kx-systems.html |title=Janet Lustgarten, CEO at KX Systems, On Shampoo Apps, Databases and Founding Her Own Company |publisher=Computer Weekly |first=Jenny |last=Williams |date=June 1, 2014 |access-date=October 29, 2015|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20130119114821/http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/witsend/2011/06/janet-lustgarten-ceo-at-kx-systems.html|archive-date=2013-01-19}}</ref> The purpose of the software was to access and explore large data volumes in financial services computer systems.<ref name ="rac">{{cite web |url=http://raconteur.net/technology/what-data-can-tell-you-about-customers |title=What Data Can Tell You About Customers |publisher=Raconteur |first=Michael |last=Dempsey |date=February 8, 2015 |access-date=October 29, 2015}}</ref> Initially, Kx Systems had an exclusive contract with [Swiss](/source/Switzerland) global [financial services](/source/financial_services) firm [UBS](/source/UBS) to provide them with the K language.  In 1998, the contract with UBS expired and the firm launched the [kdb+](/source/kdb%2B) database.  As part of [kdb+](/source/kdb%2B), Whitney developed a new language named [q](/source/q_(programming_language_from_Kx_Systems)) that operated with k and uses English keywords.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.timestored.com/kdb-guides/history-of-kdb-arthur-whitney |title=History of Kdb+/q Database by kx.com |publisher=Time Stored |first=John |last=Dempster |access-date=October 29, 2015}}</ref>

In 1999, the company reached a marketing agreement with a [Northern Ireland](/source/Northern_Ireland) based firm, First Derivatives.;<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=In Brief: Kx Systems Signs European Marketing Deal |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54162497.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409133333/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-54162497.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |work=American Banker |date=March 19, 1999 |access-date=March 6, 2018}}</ref> it opened an office in [Manhattan](/source/Manhattan) in 2002,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.finextra.com/news/fullstory.aspx?newsitemid=7017 |title=Kx Systems Opens New York Office |publisher= Finextra |date= October 18, 2002 |access-date= October 29, 2015}}</ref> [Germany](/source/Germany) and [Japan](/source/Japan) in 2003,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-100746531.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409050044/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-100746531.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |title=Kx Systems Expands to Germany and Japan |first=Melanie |last=Wold |publisher=Financial News |date=February 24, 2003 |access-date= October 29, 2015}}</ref> and [Hong Kong](/source/Hong_Kong) in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://intelligenttradingtechnology.com/article/kx-systems-opens-asian-office-hong-kong-appoints-burke-head |title=Kx Systems Opens Asian Office in Hong Kong, Appoints Burke to Head |publisher=Intelligent Trading Technology |date=February 11, 2009 |access-date=October 29, 2015 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 2014, First Derivatives purchased a 65 percent share of Kx Systems.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://marketsmedia.com/iex-launches-real-time-market-surveillance/ |title=IEX Launches Real-Time Market Surveillance |publisher=Markets Media |date=January 2, 2015 |access-date=October 29, 2015}}</ref> Kx became a technology supplier to [NASA](/source/NASA)'s Frontier Development Lab.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/final-frontier-first-derivatives-selected-for-nasa-project-1.3560108|title = Final frontier: First Derivatives selected for NASA project| newspaper=[The Irish Times](/source/The_Irish_Times) }}</ref> In July 2018, FD Technologies bought all remaining shares in KX Systems that it did not already hold;<ref>{{Cite web|title=FD to buy out minority Kx Systems shareholders|url=https://fdtechnologies.com/news/fd-to-buy-out-minority-kx-systems-shareholders/|access-date=2021-10-22|website=FD Technologies plc|language=en-US}}</ref> Whitney and Lustgarten then went on to found Shakti.<ref>{{Cite web|title=shakti|url=https://shakti.com/|access-date=2021-10-22|website=shakti.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Butcher |first=Sarah |date=27 November 2019 |title=The new data platform from the reclusive genius of banking IT |url=https://www.efinancialcareers.co.uk/news/2019/11/shakti-arthur-whitney |access-date=2021-10-22 |website=eFinancialCareers |language=en}}</ref>

In 2025, FD Technologies sold KX to [TA Associates](/source/TA_Associates) as part of their downsizing of spinning-off divisions such as the company and other subsidiary First Derivative which was sold to EPAM Systems.<ref>{{Cite web |title=AI Ready Vector Database and Data Analytics Platform {{!}} KX |url=https://kx.com/ |access-date=2025-11-12 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-12-19 |title=First Derivative's new owners invest in Newry |url=https://www.newryreporter.com/business/first-derivatives-new-owners-invest-in-newry-4916357 |access-date=2025-11-12 |website=Newry Reporter |language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{APL programming language}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://kx.com/}}

Category:1993 establishments in the United States
Category:Companies based in California
Category:Technology companies of the United States
Category:Technology companies established in 1993
Category:Companies based in Palo Alto, California

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [KX Systems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KX_Systems) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KX_Systems?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.