SharesPost.com is a company.
Key people at SharesPost.com.
SharesPost.com was founded by Sam Hayes (Co-Founder, Founding COO & EVP).
SharesPost.com was founded by Sam Hayes (Co-Founder, Founding COO & EVP).
Key people at SharesPost.com.
SharesPost operated as an online marketplace facilitating private securities transactions, connecting buyers and sellers of stock in VC-backed pre-IPO companies, and providing funding for startup employees to exercise stock options.[1][2] Its mission centered on enhancing liquidity in private markets for accredited investors and shareholders, having facilitated over $5 billion in transactions involving more than 100,000 accredited investors by the time of its acquisition.[1] SharesPost targeted the financial services sector, particularly pre-IPO investments in high-growth private firms, playing a key role in the startup ecosystem by offering secondary market liquidity when primary funding rounds were scarce.[1][2]
Founded in 2009 and headquartered in San Francisco, SharesPost emerged during a period when private company valuations soared and liquidity options for employees and early investors were limited.[1][2] The company evolved from a niche broker-dealer into a leading platform for private market trading, raising $24.47M in total funding before being acquired by Forge Global on May 12, 2020 (with the merger finalized November 9, 2020).[1][3] This acquisition integrated SharesPost's infrastructure into Forge, amplifying its focus on private marketplaces amid rising demand for pre-IPO access.[1][3]
SharesPost capitalized on the trend of prolonged private company lifespans, where unicorns delayed IPOs, creating demand for secondary liquidity markets.[1][3] Its timing aligned with post-2008 recovery in VC funding and the explosion of high-valuation startups, making private share trading essential for employee retention and investor diversification.[2] Market forces like regulatory shifts toward accredited investor platforms and the rise of "private markets for the public" favored its growth, influencing the ecosystem by normalizing pre-IPO trading and paving the way for consolidators like Forge.[1][3]
Post-acquisition, SharesPost's operations are embedded in Forge Global, which continues tracking pre-IPO valuations and liquidity for firms like SpaceX and Anduril, signaling sustained relevance in expanding private markets.[3] Trends like further IPO delays, AI-driven unicorns, and regulatory easing for secondary trading will likely boost Forge's (and legacy SharesPost's) volume. Its influence may evolve toward deeper integration with fund structures, offering broader access while managing risks in volatile private valuations—reinforcing its foundational role in democratizing pre-IPO investments.[1][2][3]