StartEngine – the largest equity crowdfunding platform in the US – allows everyday Americans to invest and own shares in startups and early-stage companies in a landscape that was previously dominated by experienced investors and venture capitalists.
Startups can craft investment pitches onto a webpage and raise capital from thousands of investors online. Investors, in turn, can browse through projects, diving deeper into campaigns and view necessary information like investor snapshots and financial documents laid out in a simple format. Unlike legacy crowdfunding platforms like GoFundMe and Kickstarter - which are typically used for one-off creative projects or financial assistance - StartEngine's pitches are thoroughly vetted and supported by Account Managers to help with legal and financial technicalities.
Although the largest, StartEngine faces stiff competition from platforms like Wefunder and Nextseed (who, although smaller in terms of deal volume, have a higher funding success rate at 93%). The company has passed 1 million registered users and is set to see further growth following its partnership with IndieGoGo.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle