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February 19, 2020 | 4 Min Read

StartEngine Is the 10th Fastest-Growing Private Company in California!

fast growing private company

StartEngine Is the 10th Fastest-Growing Private Company in California!

I am thrilled to announce that StartEngine has been ranked #10 in the 2020 Inc. 5000 Series list of the fastest-growing private companies in California!

This list provides a look into one of the most potent startup ecosystems in the world and shows just how diverse small businesses in California are. I am proud to be included among so many other great companies, and it’s an honor to receive this recognition for all the hard work my team has done over the past few years.

Our Mission

Our company mission is to help entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. To accomplish that mission we’ve built a platform that upsets the existing fundraising model and gives control back to the entrepreneurs. But when I first founded StartEngine as a tech accelerator back in 2011, I did not know it would lead here.

For context, after co-founding Activision in the early 90s and guiding the company to become the $37B market cap video game leader, I founded another video game company called Acclaim Games, which I led to an acquisition by The Walt Disney Company. After founding those two businesses, I decided I wanted to try my hand at the other side of the startup ecosystem.

I wanted to invest in 60 companies and help other entrepreneurs develop their ideas. But after I invested in them, I witnessed just how hard it was for them to raise additional capital.

The venture capital model is broken. Less than half of seed-funded companies go on to raise a Series A funding round. 2.2% of VC dollars go to female founders. Biases are rampant, and often the only thing determining whether a business can succeed is the founder’s ability to meet and sell VCs on their business.

Equity crowdfunding is a great equalizer. Through the JOBS Act, any US business can now turn to the crowd for funding on their terms. It doesn’t matter if the business is not in San Francisco where VC meetings are more accessible. It doesn’t matter what the founder’s race or gender is. Any entrepreneur can make their pitch, and the crowd can decide whether it is a good investment opportunity or not.

StartEngine is built upon that ethos.

Our Progress

An early version of the StartEngine website, circa summer 2014

We launched the first ever Regulation A+ offering in 2015. Then in 2016, we launched 10 more offerings. In 2017, over a hundred.

Today, we have helped more than 300 companies raise capital from our community of 225,000+ users. In total, those companies have raised $125M+. In 2019, we also established a broker-dealer subsidiary, StartEngine Primary LLC. All this we’ve done with a team of just 23 employees.

We are also true to our beliefs: we’ve never accepted venture capital. When I founded StartEngine with my business partner Ron Miller, we both invested our own money to start the platform. Since then, we do exactly what we tell other companies to do: raise capital from the crowd.

To date, we’ve raised over $10M via equity crowdfunding and have over 7,000 investors on our cap table.

Our Future

I believe that StartEngine will transform the way businesses grow and that the investment opportunities on StartEngine will become a part of the modern investor’s portfolio. We’ve come a long way since we started, and our inclusion in Inc.’s ranking at #10 highlights that progress. However, I see a much bigger future for StartEngine.

Our goal as a platform is to raise $10B by 2029. Not only do we want to help thousands of entrepreneurs achieve their dreams, but we also want to provide liquidity to investors.

We are hard at work to get regulatory approval to launch an investor trading marketplace where everyday people can invest in startups and then later trade those investments, all without leaving StartEngine. If we are able to launch that trading platform in addition to our core business, I believe we will unlock equity crowdfunding’s potential.

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Important Message

IN MAKING AN INVESTMENT DECISION, INVESTORS MUST RELY ON THEIR OWN EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUER AND THE TERMS OF THE OFFERING, INCLUDING THE MERITS AND RISKS INVOLVED. INVESTMENTS ON STARTENGINE ARE SPECULATIVE, ILLIQUID, AND INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK, INCLUDING THE POSSIBLE LOSS OF YOUR ENTIRE INVESTMENT.

www.StartEngine.com is a website owned and operated by StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc. (“StartEngine”), which is neither a registered broker-dealer, investment advisor nor funding portal.

Unless indicated otherwise with respect to a particular issuer, all securities-related activity is conducted by regulated affiliates of StartEngine: StartEngine Capital LLC, a funding portal registered here with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and here as a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), or StartEngine Primary LLC (“SE Primary”), a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and FINRA / SPIC. You can review the background of our broker-dealer and our investment professionals on FINRA’s BrokerCheck here. StartEngine Secondary is an alternative trading system (ATS) regulated by the SEC and operated by SE Primary. SE Primary is a member of SIPC and explanatory brochures are available upon request by contacting SIPC at (202) 371-8300.

StartEngine facilitates three types of primary offerings:

1) Regulation A offerings (JOBS Act Title IV; known as Regulation A+), which are offered to non-accredited and accredited investors alike. These offerings are made through StartEngine Primary, LLC (unless otherwise indicated). 2) Regulation D offerings (Rule 506(c)), which are offered only to accredited investors. These offerings are made through StartEngine Primary, LLC. 3) Regulation Crowdfunding offerings (JOBS Act Title III), which are offered to non-accredited and accredited investors alike. These offerings are made through StartEngine Capital, LLC. Some of these offerings are open to the general public, however there are important differences and risks.

Any securities offered on this website have not been recommended or approved by any federal or state securities commission or regulatory authority. StartEngine and its affiliates do not provide any investment advice or recommendation and do not provide any legal or tax advice concerning any securities. All securities listed on this site are being offered by, and all information included on this site is the responsibility of, the applicable issuer of such securities. StartEngine does not verify the adequacy, accuracy, or completeness of any information. Neither StartEngine nor any of its officers, directors, agents, and employees makes any warranty, express or implied, of any kind whatsoever related to the adequacy, accuracy, or completeness of any information on this site or the use of information on this site.

Investing in private company securities is not suitable for all investors. An investment in private company securities is highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk. It should only be considered a long-term investment. You must be prepared to withstand a total loss of your investment. Private company securities are also highly illiquid, and there is no guarantee that a market will develop for such securities. Each investment also carries its own specific risks, and you should complete your own independent due diligence regarding the investment. This includes obtaining additional information about the company, opinions, financial projections, and legal or other investment advice. Accordingly, investing in private company securities is appropriate only for those investors who can tolerate a high degree of risk and do not require a liquid investment. See additional general disclosures here.

By accessing this site and any pages on this site, you agree to be bound by our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, as may be amended from time to time without notice or liability.

Canadian Investors

Investment opportunities posted and accessible through the site will not be offered to Canadian resident investors. Potential investors are strongly advised to consult their legal, tax and financial advisors before investing. The securities offered on this site are not offered in jurisdictions where public solicitation for offerings is not permitted; it is solely your responsibility to comply with the laws and regulations of your country of residence.

California Investors Only – Do Not Sell My Personal Information (800-317-2200). StartEngine does not sell personal information. For all customer inquiries, please write to contact@startengine.com.

StartEngine Marketplace

StartEngine Marketplace (“SE Marketplace”) is a website operated by StartEngine Primary, LLC (“SE Primary”), a broker-dealer that is registered with the SEC and a member of FINRA and the SIPC.

StartEngine Secondary (“SE Secondary”) is our investor trading platform. SE Secondary is an SEC-registered Alternative Trading System ("ATS") operated by SE Primary that matches orders for buyers and sellers of securities. It allows investors to trade shares purchased through Regulation A+, Regulation Crowdfunding, or Regulation D for companies who have engaged StartEngine Secure LLC as their transfer agent. The term “Rapid,” when used in relation to transactions on SE Marketplace, specifically refers to transactions that are facilitated on SE Secondary, This is because, unlike with trades on the StartEngine Bulletin Board (“SE BB”), trades on SE Secondary are executed the moment that they are matched.

StartEngine Bulletin Board ("SE BB") is a bulletin board platform on which users can indicate to each other their interest to buy or sell shares of private companies that previously executed Reg CF or Reg A offerings not necessarily through SE Primary. As a bulletin board platform, SE BB provides a venue for investors to access information about such private company offerings and connect with potential sellers. All investment opportunities on SE BB are based on indicated interest from sellers and will need to be confirmed. Even if parties express mutual interest to enter into a trade on SE BB, a trade will not immediately result because execution is subject to additional contingencies, including among others, effecting of the transfer of the shares from the potential seller to the potential buyer by the issuer and/or transfer agent. SE BB is distinct and separate from SE Secondary. SE Secondary facilitates the trading of securities by matching orders between buyers and sellers and facilitating executions of trades on the platform. By contrast, under SE BB, SE Primary assists with the facilitation of a potential resulting trade off platform including, by among other things, approaching the issuer and other necessary parties in relation to the potential transaction. The term “Extended”, when used in relation to transactions on SE Marketplace denotes that these transactions are conducted via SE BB, and that these transactions may involve longer processing times compared to SE Secondary for the above-stated reasons.

Even if a security is qualified to be displayed on SE Marketplace, there is no guarantee an active trading market for the securities will ever develop, or if developed, be maintained. You should assume that you may not be able to liquidate your investment for some time or be able to pledge these shares as collateral.

The availability of company information does not indicate that the company has endorsed, supports, or otherwise participates with StartEngine. It also does not constitute an endorsement, solicitation or recommendation by StartEngine. StartEngine does not (1) make any recommendations or otherwise advise on the merits or advisability of a particular investment or transaction, (2) assist in the determination of the fair value of any security or investment, or (3) provide legal, tax, or transactional advisory services.

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This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. For more information about this offering, please view StartEngine’s offering circular and risks associated with this offering.

 

Kevin O’Leary is a paid spokesperson for StartEngine. Read the 17(b) disclosure here.

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