PeerStreet is a technology company.
PeerStreet has raised $111.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at PeerStreet.
PeerStreet has raised $111.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Key people at PeerStreet.
PeerStreet has raised $111.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
PeerStreet's investors include Andreessen Horowitz, BlueRun Ventures, CRV, FINTOP Capital, Lumia Capital, Owl Rock Capital Partners, Thomvest Ventures, Wildcat Ventures, Greg Kidd, Oneal Bhambani, FPV Fund, XYZ Venture Capital.
# High-Level Overview
PeerStreet is a technology platform that democratizes access to real estate debt investments by connecting accredited investors with vetted private lenders across the United States.[2] The company operates a two-sided marketplace where individual and institutional investors can diversify capital into fixed-income real estate assets that were previously difficult for non-institutional players to access, while private lenders gain expanded lending capacity to fund residential and commercial real estate projects.[2][5]
The platform addresses a fundamental inefficiency in mortgage finance: small and mid-sized lenders lack direct access to diverse capital sources, and individual investors lack transparent pathways into institutional-grade real estate debt. PeerStreet's mission is to "level the playing field between Main Street and Wall Street" by enabling this direct connection, creating alignment across all ecosystem participants—investors seeking returns, lenders seeking capital, and borrowers seeking funding for real estate ventures.[3][5]
# Origin Story
PeerStreet was founded in 2013 by Brew Johnson (CEO and co-founder) and Brett Crosby (COO and co-founder).[2] The company launched publicly to accredited investors in October 2015, marking the beginning of its rapid expansion.[3] The founding team secured backing from prominent venture capitalists including Andreessen Horowitz, World Innovation Lab, and Thomvest, validating their vision early on.[2]
The company's growth trajectory has been exceptional. It took three years to reach $1 billion in transacted loans, the second billion in just one year, and the third billion in approximately six months—demonstrating accelerating momentum.[2] By February 2020, the platform had facilitated over $3.5 billion in transactions, and by March 2021, this figure exceeded $4 billion.[1][4]
# Core Differentiators
# Role in the Broader Tech Landscape
PeerStreet exemplifies the fintech democratization trend—the broader movement to disintermediate financial services and grant retail participants access to previously gatekept asset classes. The company rides several converging forces: the growth of alternative investments as traditional fixed-income yields compressed, the rise of accredited investor networks seeking diversification, and the maturation of marketplace lending technology.
The timing has been critical. Real estate finance is one of the world's largest financial markets, yet it remained fragmented and opaque for individual investors.[2] PeerStreet's emergence coincided with post-2008 skepticism of traditional banking and growing interest in direct real estate exposure. The company's recognition in Deloitte's 2019 Technology Fast 500 and Forbes' top startup employers list reflects its influence in reshaping how capital flows through real estate markets.[4]
By connecting thousands of investors with hundreds of loan originators through a single platform, PeerStreet influences the broader ecosystem by reducing friction in real estate lending, enabling smaller lenders to compete with larger institutions, and creating local economic benefits through funded real estate projects that rejuvenate aging housing stock.[5]
# Quick Take & Future Outlook
PeerStreet has demonstrated that marketplace models can unlock significant value in traditionally opaque financial sectors. The company's exponential growth—doubling year-over-year loan volume since 2015—suggests strong product-market fit and sustained investor demand for alternative real estate exposure.
Looking forward, PeerStreet's trajectory will likely be shaped by three factors: continued expansion of product offerings (as evidenced by the Credit Opportunity Fund launch), potential institutional adoption as family offices and RIAs seek diversified real estate exposure, and regulatory evolution around marketplace lending. The company's stated ambition to serve individuals, family offices, RIAs, and institutions positions it to capture multiple investor segments as the real estate debt market matures.
The fundamental insight driving PeerStreet remains compelling: when you align incentives across lenders, investors, and borrowers, everyone benefits. As real estate markets evolve and capital seeks new opportunities, platforms that provide transparency and access will likely become increasingly central to how capital flows through this massive industry.
PeerStreet has raised $111.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $60.0M Series C in October 2019.
