Invest in Pre-IPO Companies on StartEngine Private
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Exclusively for Accredited Investors. IRA Investing Available.
Investing in these companies carries inherent risks, including the possibility that the company may never undergo an Initial Public Offering.
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The Top 20 Private Companies Outperformed Public Markets by 7x in 2025
Source: Caplight; See Footnote 2
Top 20 Private Companies — 148%
Nasdaq 100 — 20%
Source: Caplight; See Footnote 2
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Read the Full Story »Pre-IPO Investing: Frequently Asked Questions
StartEngine Private is a pre-IPO investing platform that gives accredited investors access to shares in high-growth private companies. Below are answers to common questions about how pre-IPO investing works, who qualifies, and what to expect.
What is pre-IPO investing?
Pre-IPO investing means buying shares in a private company before it lists on a public stock exchange. Accredited investors can access these opportunities through platforms like StartEngine Private, which sources shares on the secondary market from employees, early investors, and advisors.
How does StartEngine Private work?
StartEngine Private is a pre-IPO investing platform that allows accredited investors to invest in high-growth private companies. When you invest, you purchase an interest in a Series of StartEngine Private LLC, which holds shares in the underlying company either directly or through a special-purpose vehicle (SPV).
Who can invest on StartEngine Private?
StartEngine Private is exclusively available to accredited investors. In the US, an accredited investor is an individual who earned income exceeding $200,000 (or $300,000 with a spouse) in each of the prior two years, has a net worth over $1 million (excluding primary residence), or holds a valid Series 7, 65, or 82 license.
What are the risks of pre-IPO investing?
Pre-IPO investments are speculative and illiquid. There is no guarantee the company will ever conduct an IPO or liquidity event. Investors should be prepared to hold their investment indefinitely and bear the risk of losing their entire investment. Always review the full offering documents before investing.
How much can I invest on StartEngine Private?
There are no investment caps for accredited investors on StartEngine Private. Offerings are made under Regulation D, Rule 506(c), which imposes no limit on the amount accredited investors may invest. Minimum investment amounts vary by offering.
Can I invest in pre-IPO stocks using an IRA?
Yes. StartEngine Private supports IRA investing. You can open a self-directed IRA account through StartEngine and use it to invest in pre-IPO opportunities on the platform. If you already have a self-directed IRA with another provider, you may still be able to invest, though the process may be manual.
Disclaimers
1. The companies listed on StartEngine Private are not involved in or endorsing this investment, and have not approved StartEngine Private LLC or its affiliates.
Rather, when you invest through StartEngine Private, you are buying an interest in a separate Series of StartEngine Private LLC, not stock directly in the companies listed. The Series may hold shares directly or through a special-purpose vehicle (SPV). Your interests may differ from the companies' stock in both rights and value, and there may not be a one-to-one economic parity between the value of Series interests and the underlying shares. The Series also bears its own costs (such as transaction and administrative expenses), which may reduce investor returns.
This offering is made under Regulation D, Rule 506(c), through StartEngine Primary LLC (member FINRA/SIPC), and is available only to accredited investors. These investments are speculative, illiquid, and high risk, and you should be prepared to hold them indefinitely and to bear the risk of losing your entire investment.
StartEngine and its affiliates do not provide financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. This update may include information from third party or public sources that has not been independently verified and may be incomplete or inaccurate. Before investing, review the full offering documents on the offering page and consult your advisors.
2. Source: Caplight, "Private Tech Outperformed Public Markets by 7x in 2025 (Slide 2)," 2025 Secondary Market Update, January 15, 2026
The Caplight Top 20 Index is a financial index tracking the performance of the largest late-stage, venture capital-backed, private companies with active secondary markets. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. Data as of January 12, 2026.