Mention the Plato Partnership to any senior European equities trader and you'll likely get one of three responses: a dismissive laugh; a "you know as much as me" shrug of the shoulders; or a contractually-bound “no comment”.

Just over six months after the Plato Partnership first came to light in a Financial Times article, firm details about Europe's newest equity trading venue have largely been restricted to what was in that original piece: that it will target large-sized stock orders, will be not-for-profit, and any revenues it does generate will fund academic research.