Insights AI News How AI tools for investment banking analysts save hours
post

AI News

28 Oct 2025

Read 17 min

How AI tools for investment banking analysts save hours

AI tools for investment banking analysts cut weeks of grunt work and generate pitch decks and models.

AI tools for investment banking analysts cut hours of slide work, modeling, and draft writing. With fresh backing for Rogo Technologies from Sequoia Capital, these systems assemble pitch decks, draft IPO sections, and update LBO models so teams move faster, reduce errors, and spend more time on clients. Young bankers still log 80-hour weeks. Much of that time goes to formatting slides, checking links in Excel, and copying numbers into documents. New software promises to remove a large share of this grind. Investors are paying attention. Sequoia Capital is reported to lead a new round for Rogo Technologies that values the New York start-up at about US$750 million. Earlier this year, Thrive Capital led a US$50 million Series B. The rising interest points to a clear shift: automation is moving from the back office to the core of deal work. Rogo was founded in 2022 by former bankers and engineers. The team includes alumni of Lazard and JPMorgan, plus experienced software talent. The company says its product drafts slide decks, updates financial models, and prepares parts of IPO paperwork. A former Lazard managing director recently joined as president, which signals a push to sell into large banks. The goal is simple: let analysts and associates spend less time on manual steps and more time on thinking and client calls.

Why Wall Street is betting on banker-focused AI now

Banks face pressure on fees and headcount. Deal cycles are uneven. Leaders want to ship the same quality with fewer all-nighters. Large language models and new code tools now make that plausible. – Cost pressure is high. Automating repetitive tasks cuts overtime and vendor bills. – Model quality has improved. Generative AI can structure text, figures, and visuals with fewer errors than before. – Security options exist. Vendors now offer private deployments, audit logs, and redaction to protect client data. – The talent model is changing. Analysts can add value with insight and story, not just with Excel speed. Sequoia’s interest in a banker-first platform shows a maturing market. Generic chatbots are not enough. Teams want tools that understand coverage lists, valuation methods, and the tone of a sell-side deck. That is where domain-specific training and tight integrations matter.

What these systems actually do on a deal

Most banking work follows set patterns: gather data, build a model, craft a narrative, check numbers, and ship. Software now assists at each step.

Decks and storylines

– Drafts a first version of a pitch or CIM chapter from a brief and data room files. – Suggests headline options and calls out the key value drivers. – Aligns slides to house templates and brand rules.

Models and assumptions

– Creates a base DCF or LBO shell from company financials. – Flags broken links, circular references, and layout issues in Excel. – Updates scenarios and sensitivity tables on command.

IPO and filings drafts

– Prepares early text for sections like Business, Risk Factors, and MD&A. – Pulls peer language and cites sources for review. – Ensures consistent numbers across sections and exhibits. These are assistants, not magic. Bankers still review every number and line. But getting to a solid first draft fast changes the week. Instead of starting at midnight, teams start at 70% done by mid-afternoon.

AI tools for investment banking analysts: where they save the most time

Time savings cluster in a few parts of the workflow. Here is where teams feel it first.

Origination

– Fast market maps with logos, revenue bands, and EV/EBITDA ranges. – Short memos on a target with public data, recent news, and ownership history. – Draft outreach emails that sound like your coverage team.

Diligence and modeling

– Quick import of management’s financials into standardized Excel structures. – Auto-built schedules (working capital, capex, debt) that follow firm style. – Suggested checks for data gaps and inconsistent metrics.

Execution and documentation

– First-pass information requests for data rooms based on deal type. – IPO section drafts that reflect sector-specific metrics. – Clean, on-brand exhibits exported to Word and PowerPoint.

Marketing materials

– Slide variants that adapt to a buyer’s angle or a PE firm’s thesis. – One-click updates when the model changes key outputs. – Speaker notes that match the banker’s tone. In short, these tools cut setup time and reduce rework. The analyst still owns the analysis. The machine handles the copy-paste, the formatting, and the plain-language summaries.

Human-in-the-loop: the new analyst workflow

Generative systems work best with a clear process. A simple loop keeps quality high. – Define the brief: deal type, objective, must-include items, red lines. – Feed clean data: financials, comps, prior decks, brand templates. – Generate a draft: deck, model upgrade, or document section. – Review and annotate: accept, edit, or reject suggestions with comments. – Regenerate targeted pieces: only the parts that need a new pass. – Finalize and log: export files and keep a traceable change history. This loop helps junior staff grow faster. They see a full draft early, test different angles, and learn from comparisons. Seniors get better leverage because they can give comments sooner and with more context.

Guardrails that matter: accuracy, privacy, and compliance

Banks cannot risk leaks or errors. Strong controls are non-negotiable. – Data protection. Use private environments, row-level security, and encryption at rest and in transit. – Redaction. Strip PII and client names when using shared resources. – Source traceability. Link every output number to a data source and timestamp. – Version control. Keep an immutable audit trail for models, slides, and texts. – Hallucination checks. Require citations for factual claims and numeric outputs. – Regulatory filters. Flag language that may be promotional in filings or research. Legal, risk, and IT should join pilots early. If they help set rules, adoption moves faster.

Build or buy: choosing your path

Some banks consider in-house builds. Others pick a vendor. Weigh these factors.
  • Speed to value: Buying a focused platform gets teams live in weeks, not quarters.
  • Maintenance: Vendors ship updates, model options, and security patches on schedule.
  • Customization: In-house builds can reflect firm-specific models and styles with full control.
  • Cost: Buying looks cheaper up front; building may pay off at scale if you have strong engineering.
  • Risk: Vendor lock-in is a concern; internal projects risk delays and staff turnover.
  • A hybrid often wins. Use a vendor for the core and extend with your own prompts, templates, and private datasets.

    Rolling out in 90 days: a practical plan

    You do not need a big-bang launch. A tight pilot can show value fast.

    Days 1–30: scope and guardrails

    – Pick two live deals and one sector team. – Define success metrics: hours saved, defects reduced, speed to first draft. – Set data controls and user roles with IT and compliance. – Import templates, logos, and example decks.

    Days 31–60: hands-on production

    – Train analysts and associates with real tasks, not slides. – Use the tool on pitch drafts, model checks, and data room requests. – Hold daily stand-ups to capture issues and wins. – Log before/after comparisons for each deliverable.

    Days 61–90: measure and expand

    – Review metrics with seniors: cycle times, error rates, rework. – Document new playbooks for origination, modeling, and IPO drafts. – Decide on a wider rollout by group, sector, or region. Aim for steady progress, not perfection. Small wins build trust.

    How to measure ROI without guesswork

    Make impact visible with simple, hard metrics.
  • Time-to-first-draft: hours from brief to usable deck or model version.
  • Defect rate: formatting errors, broken links, and footnote mismatches per deliverable.
  • Rework cycles: number of editor passes to reach sign-off.
  • Analyst leverage: outputs per week per team, adjusted for deal complexity.
  • Client response time: hours to turn comments into a revised deck.
  • Track baseline numbers for two weeks before the pilot. Then collect the same data during the pilot. The delta tells the story.

    What to look for in a banker-grade platform

    Not every AI app fits a deal team. Use a strict checklist.
  • Office-native exports: pixel-true PowerPoint, robust Excel formulas, and clean Word styles.
  • Model awareness: understands DCF, LBO, trading comps, and transaction comps.
  • Data connectors: link to CapIQ, Bloomberg, FactSet, and internal databases.
  • Security posture: SOC 2 Type II, SSO, SCIM, data residency options, and VPC or on-prem.
  • Citations and lineage: show where numbers and statements come from.
  • Template control: enforce fonts, colors, slide masters, and footers.
  • Redaction and watermarking: protect sensitive names and draft status.
  • Prompt management: reusable prompts and guardrails for consistent outputs.
  • Audit logs: who did what, when, and why, for every file.
  • Ask vendors to run on your templates and data in the demo. Do not judge by a generic tech pitch.

    What the new funding signals for the street

    Sequoia’s reported lead investment valuing Rogo near US$750 million is a clear sign: this category is moving fast. Rogo’s founders come from Lazard and JPMorgan, and the company recently hired a senior banker to push growth. The platform aims to speed up deck building, model creation, and IPO draft work. The round is said to target between US$50 million and US$100 million and had not closed at the time of reporting. For bankers, the message is practical. The skills that matter are changing. Analysts still need accounting, finance, and market judgment. But they also need prompt craft, data hygiene, and fast editorial sense. Associates must give crisper briefs. VPs and MDs must give earlier, clearer feedback that the system can translate into changes. For clients, the benefits are clear. Faster drafts mean faster iterations. More time goes to strategy and fit. Fewer errors build trust. And cost savings can support sharper pricing.

    Common concerns and how to answer them

    – “Will this replace junior roles?” It will change tasks, not the need for judgment. Teams will still need people to test assumptions, read a room, and push a thesis. – “What about mistakes?” Keep human review in place. Use tools that cite sources and log changes. Reward careful checks. – “Will it leak data?” Choose private deployments, strong access rules, and vendors with proven security controls. A cautious rollout addresses these points. When teams see fewer late-night fixes and fewer broken links, adoption follows.

    A day-in-the-life example

    Consider a sell-side pitch week for an industrial target. – Monday morning: The VP shares a brief and a data pack. The system drafts a 25-slide pitch with a market map, trading comps, and headlines. The analyst tweaks the story and adds two sector-specific case studies. – Monday afternoon: The tool checks the Excel comps file, fixes broken links, and builds sensitivity tables. It pushes updated charts to the deck. – Tuesday: A new news article changes the company’s guidance. The platform updates the financial summary and flags the impact on valuation. The team regenerates three slides in minutes. – Wednesday: The MD requests an alternative buyer list and a carve-out angle. The analyst prompts the system for a carve-out case and gets a clean set of slides to review. – Thursday: The team runs a rehearsal with speaker notes generated from the latest draft. The analyst edits tone and inserts client-specific comments. – Friday: The deck ships on time, with fewer last-minute changes and no broken references. This is not fiction; it is the direction many teams now take. The key is control and review at every step.

    The bottom line

    Firms that deploy AI tools for investment banking analysts get earlier drafts, cleaner models, and faster turns. They do not remove the human edge. They amplify it by cutting manual steps and surfacing issues sooner. With investors backing players like Rogo and with banks hungry for efficiency, now is a good time to run a focused pilot and measure results. Banking work will always demand rigor, judgment, and trust. The teams that embrace AI tools for investment banking analysts will save hours, reduce errors, and earn more time for clients and strategy. (p)(Source: https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330558/sequoia-capital-invests-ai-tool-could-replace-junior-bankers)(/p) (p)For more news: Click Here(/p)

    FAQ

    Q: What tasks can AI tools for investment banking analysts automate on a deal? A: They can draft initial pitch decks and parts of IPO paperwork, build and update financial models such as DCF or LBO shells, and handle routine slide formatting and Excel link checks. These systems also generate market maps, comps, and speaker notes to speed the first-draft process. Q: How has Sequoia Capital’s backing affected Rogo Technologies’ valuation and market signal? A: Sequoia is reported to lead a round valuing Rogo at about US$750 million, more than doubling its valuation from earlier this year when Thrive Capital led a US$50 million Series B. The round was said to target between US$50 million and US$100 million and had not closed at the time of reporting. Q: How do AI tools for investment banking analysts save time for junior bankers? A: By taking on repetitive work like formatting slides, copying numbers, checking links, and producing first drafts, these tools move teams to a solid starting point much earlier, often around 70% done by mid-afternoon. That frees analysts to spend more time on analysis, client calls, and higher-value judgment. Q: Will AI tools replace junior bankers? A: They change the nature of junior roles rather than eliminate the need for human judgment, since bankers still review every number, test assumptions, and shape the narrative. Human-in-the-loop review and senior oversight remain essential safeguards. Q: What security and compliance guardrails should banks require when adopting these systems? A: Banks should insist on private deployments, encryption, row-level security, redaction, source traceability, version control, audit logs, and regulatory filters to protect data and ensure traceability. The article also recommends hallucination checks and requiring citations for factual claims and numeric outputs. Q: Should a bank build its own platform or buy from a vendor? A: The choice depends on speed to value, maintenance, customization, cost, and risk: buying gets teams live faster while building offers full control but can take longer and require engineering resources. The article notes a hybrid approach—using a vendor core and extending with private prompts, templates, and datasets—often wins. Q: How can teams measure ROI from AI tools for investment banking analysts without guesswork? A: Use hard metrics such as time-to-first-draft, defect rate (formatting errors and broken links), rework cycles, analyst leverage, and client response time, and collect baseline numbers for two weeks before the pilot. Comparing before-and-after deltas on those metrics provides a clear view of impact. Q: What does a practical 90-day rollout plan for these tools look like? A: In days 1–30 define scope, pick two live deals and a sector team, set success metrics, and establish data controls; in days 31–60 run hands-on production with training, daily stand-ups, and real tasks; and in days 61–90 measure results, document playbooks, and decide on broader rollout. This phased approach focuses on small wins, control, and measurable outcomes.

    Contents