SharesPost is a company.
SharesPost has raised $15.0M across 1 funding round.
Key people at SharesPost.
SharesPost has raised $15.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Key people at SharesPost.
SharesPost has raised $15.0M in total across 1 funding round.
SharesPost is a financial services platform that operated as an online marketplace for buying and selling shares in late-stage, venture-backed private companies, providing liquidity solutions for pre-IPO securities.[1][2][3] It connected accredited investors with shareholders—often startup employees exercising stock options—and offered market data, analytics, and transaction services, facilitating over $5 billion in private securities transactions for more than 100,000 investors before its acquisition.[1][3] As an investment firm focused on private markets, its mission centered on dematerializing access to illiquid private investments, with a philosophy emphasizing transparency, regulatory compliance, and seamless liquidity in a rising private marketplace ecosystem.[1][3] SharesPost targeted the private growth asset class, impacting the startup ecosystem by enabling employee liquidity and investor diversification into high-growth VC-backed firms like SpaceX and others listed on successor platforms.[1][4]
SharesPost was founded in 2009 in San Francisco, California, amid growing interest in secondary markets for private company shares as VC-backed startups delayed IPOs.[1][2][3] Key details on founders or initial partners are not specified in available sources, but the firm quickly evolved from a brokerage buying and selling private securities to a full marketplace platform.[1][5] A pivotal moment came with its acquisition by Forge Global on May 12, 2020, after raising $24.47M in funding, shifting its operations under Forge to expand liquidity services in an increasingly important private market segment.[1] This evolution positioned it as a leader in private securities, handling billions in transactions by connecting shareholders, investors, and companies.[1][3]
SharesPost stood out in the private investment space through these key strengths:
Post-acquisition, these capabilities integrated into Forge Global, enhancing pre-IPO trading platforms.[1][4]
SharesPost rode the trend of prolonged private company lifespans, where startups like SpaceX and Brex achieve massive valuations without IPOs, creating demand for secondary liquidity markets.[1][4] Its timing aligned with post-2008 VC booms and regulatory shifts enabling accredited investor access to pre-IPO shares, fueled by market forces like employee retention needs and investor hunger for high-return alternatives to public markets.[2][3] By facilitating $5B+ in trades, it influenced the ecosystem by reducing liquidity risk for early employees and democratizing private market entry, paving the way for platforms like Forge, EquityZen, and Notice.co amid rising private valuations (e.g., SpaceX at $46B).[1][4] This supported broader tech growth by keeping talent incentivized and capital flowing to innovation.
Post-2020 acquisition, SharesPost's legacy endures within Forge Global, likely expanding as private markets grow to $46B+ valuations in unicorns like SpaceX, with trends like AI-driven curation and tokenized assets accelerating liquidity demand.[1][4] Expect deeper integration of data analytics and global networks to handle surging transaction volumes, evolving its influence toward mainstream private investing tools. This builds on its founding role in bridging public-like access to private tech giants, solidifying liquidity as a startup ecosystem cornerstone.[1][3]
SharesPost has raised $15.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series C in June 2018.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2018 | $15.0M Series C |
