StartCaps Ventures is an investment company that finances startups with a high growth potential at their early stages of development. It offers support to projects within the new technologies sector. The company provides its clients with technological support as well as mentoring and guidance. StartCaps Ventures’ focus areas include mobile, healthcare, gaming, big data, and education. The company was founded in 2011 by Ignacio Vilela. It is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

StartCaps Ventures

Structure Capital help passionate teams build great companies by investing seed-stage capital, time, experience and relationships. Building a valuable company is hard—They've done it—they can help you do it too. They love helping entrepreneurs reach their dreams. They focus on companies that create a new market or new set of buyers by exploiting, capitalizing and profiting on under-utilized assets and excess capacity. Assets might include cars, houses, planes, airports, time, skills, knowledge, storage, transport, office space, hotel rooms, event space, personal property, and much, much more. they also like service and solutions companies that support these types of companies. As a team, they've invested at the early stage of many Unicorns, including Salesforce.com, Uber, Tesla, Facebook, Google and more. They're proud to be first round investors in Uber which is a Structure Capital portfolio company. 10 of their current portfolio have raised next round financing within 12 months of their round.

Structure Capital

Marc Bell Ventures is a venture capital firm that offers early-stage and private equity investment services to firms in the finance, hospitality, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 2000 by Marc Bell and is based in Florida.

Marc Bell Ventures

Augusta Investments

Draper Associates is an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in industry-transforming companies. They invest globally, in great teams of people creating revolutionary companies in new media, gaming, SaaS, cloud, new finance, IOT, and mobile. Their portfolio companies disrupting markets in the tens of billions and are on a clear path to later rounds of fundraising. Draper Associates encourages entrepreneurs to drive their businesses to greatness, to transform industries with new technologies, and to build platforms for extraordinary growth, jobs, and wealth creation. It was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in San Mateo, CA, USA.

Draper Associates

Streamlined Ventures is a seed-stage investment firm investing in companies transforming verticle markets through Data Science, APIs, Blockchain/Web3, AI, and Software Automation.

Streamlined Ventures

Ceyuan Ventures is a Beijing-based early stage venture capital firm focused on IT and emerging growth companies. They emphasize backing great teams, technology and business innovation. Their mission is to assist entrepreneurs in creating and building world-class businesses.

Ceyuan Ventures

Panorama is a growth private equity firm based in Omaha, with professionals in Palo Alto, Denver, and NYC, having deep roots in Mid-America and Silicon Valley. Over $125M in committed capital from leading family offices, foundations, and entrepreneurs worldwide in Panorama Point Partnership, LP (Fund I), and Co-Investments. Panorama is raising its second investment fund, Panorama Growth Partners, LP (Fund II) – targeting $200M.   Founded on 25 years of investment experience by Stephen J. George, who was previously the Co-Founder and CIO of Capricorn Investment Group, a $5B private investment firm; and Clarey L. Castner, the former CEO of the University of Nebraska Foundation.  Commenced operations in 2013 with the mission to be the most dynamic and rewarding private equity partnership worldwide. At the core of Panorama’s investment philosophy is to invest in compelling, hard-to-access diversified growth-stage companies across the risk-reward spectrum.

Panorama Point Partners

Financial Technology Partners LP and FTP Securities LLC (''FT Partners'') is the only investment banking firm focused exclusively on the financial technology sector. They broadly define the sector as the dynamic convergence of technology-based solutions and financial services. FT Partners was recently recognized as ''Dealmaker of the Year'' and ''Investment Banking Firm of the Year'' by The M&A Advisor.  The firm was founded by Steve McLaughlin, Managing Partner, formerly a senior investment banker in Goldman Sachs & Co.'s Financial Technology Group and Financial Institutions Group in New York and San Francisco. The firm's Founder and senior bankers are all highly experienced investment bankers formerly with the financial technology, M&A and investment banking groups of Goldman Sachs & Co in New York, San Francisco, London and Los Angeles.

Financial Technology Partners

Operative Capital is an early stage investor specialized focused on disruptive financial technology startups.

Operative Capital

Oyster Ventures is a venture capital firm investing in exceptional new-frontier technology companies. They target companies that bring liquidity and efficiency to antiquated industries, companies that enable globalization, with leverage to massively scale. It also specializes in early-stage investments in startups in fintech, with a focus on blockchain, crypto, E-commerce, market place, artificial intelligence, fintech, media tech, and SaaS companies.  Oyster Ventures was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, United States.

Oyster Ventures

Aggregate of world-class athletes and influencers teaming up to invest in transformative companies and accelerate their mission.

Concrete Hill

Our experienced investors work closely with the Munich Re Group businesses across the globe to fund and partner with the best emerging companies that are developing new technologies and business models – and risks – for tomorrow’s world. As one of the global providers of reinsurance, primary insurance and insurance-related risk solutions, Munich Re is uniquely positioned to help the world adopt new innovations by transferring the risks from invention and by developing solutions for loss prevention.  As strategic investors, Munich Re Ventures provides capital and guidance to current and future Munich Re partners who are creating the world around us. We invest out of three funds with the Munich Re Group companies as Limited Partners: the Munich Re Fund for the Reinsurance Group, the HSB Fund for specialty insurer Hartford Steam Boiler, and the ERGO Fund for European and Asian primary insurer ERGO. With Munich Re’s strong balance sheet, flexibility and vast insurance and industry relationships, these businesses provide value to our investments from day one. Whether de-risking the go-to-market strategy for an early stage renewable energy technology provider company or providing insurance capacity for a startup offering a new type of insurance for autonomous vehicles, our businesses deliver innovative solutions in an ever-changing world.

Munich Re Ventures

Supporting founders who are building iconic companies in their respective industries

Ambition VC

Forge

Forge Global is a private securities marketplace that serves the complex and emerging needs of the private market ecosystem by forging new connections through its technology, data, and expertise. Founded in 2014, the firm empowers investors and shareholders by facilitating liquidity in the private markets.  Forge is backed by top Silicon Valley investors and large, global institutions including Deutsche Börse, Temasek, Wells Fargo, BNP Paribas, FT Partners, Draper Associates, Peter Thiel, Munich Re Ventures, and LUN Partners Group.

Forge provides marketplace infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for the private equity market. Forge’s platform facilitates users to trade private company shares with authorized investors. It also provides assistance and guidance for market participants throughout the timeline of buying and selling shares in a private company. In addition, it provides valuation data and private company insights that investors can use to value a private company stock.

Retail investors demanding sophisticated passive investment strategies are looking for an edge.

Retail Trading Infrastructure

<div>Forge is a leading private securities marketplace that facilitates trading between buyers and sellers of private company shares. Its platform, Forge Markets, enables private company shareholders to sell their shares to accredited investors, providing liquidity before an initial public offering (IPO) or acquisition. Forge Markets has facilitated over USD 12 billion in transaction volume, as of September 2022. The company leverages innovative trading technology and operating expertise to streamline transactions in the private market ecosystem.</div>

Forge Global, Inc. and Motive Capital Corp Announce Closing of Business Combination to Create the First Publicly Traded Private Securities Marketplace

Forge Global became the first publicly traded private marketplace Tuesday. Its CEO details what the future of pre-IPO investing looks like.

Private Markets Are Becoming Increasingly Less Private

Forge Releases Enhanced User Experience For Data Clients, Extends Volume Weighted Average Pricing to Markets Customers

Forge launches first private market index based on active trading and liquidity data

Forge Releases Trading System for Private Company Securities

What is a Private Marketplace? – Forge Definitions & Examples

Private Securities Marketplace Forge Global Trades On NYSE Following SPAC Deal

Secondary Marketplace for Private Company Shares

Exploring Innovative Digital Platforms for Private Securities Distribution: A Dive into EquityZen, Forge Global, InvestX Capital, tZERO, Floww, and PM Alpha

Forge To Expand Global Private Market Platform Into Europe With Strategic Partner Deutsche Börse

A More Accessible Private Market

Eliminating financial intermediaries by directly connecting individuals and businesses

P2P Financial Platforms

Stripe, Databricks Among Forge’s Private Magnificent 7

Forge provides marketplace infrastructure, data services, and technology solutions for the private equity market. Forge’s platform facilitates users to trade private company shares with authorized investors. It also provides assistance and guidance for market participants throughout the timeline of buying and selling shares in a private company. In addition, it provides valuation data and private company insights that investors can use to value a private company stock.The platform has a minimum transaction requirement of USD 100,000 in value and charges a 5% commission on transactions above the minimum transaction value threshold. Forge charges a higher commission for transactions with a value of less than USD 100,000.For the year 2021, Forge generated USD 125 million in revenue less transaction-based expenses and USD 3.2 billion in trading volume.In 2020, Forge acquired SharesPost, one of its rival platforms offering private stock trading, for USD 160 million. The following year, Forge completed integration with SharesPost and received FINRA approval to operate as a broker-dealer.In May 2021, Forge raised USD 150 million in funding. The company intended to utilize the funds to develop new products and services.

Ellevest is a hybrid investment management platform that specifically targets women, with an algorithm that takes into account gender-specific factors such as career breaks, longer life expectancy, and income differences.Ellevest currently offers services under three categories: Ellevest Essential (at a monthly fee of USD 1), Ellevest Plus (USD 5 per month), and Ellevest Executive (USD 9 per month). All three offerings include portfolio customization, banking services (spending and savings accounts), access to human advisors, and on-demand learning for subjects such as investing, career, and money. Ellevest Plus is more costly because it handles retirement accounts for clients. Meanwhile, Ellevest Executive handles both retirement accounts and investment management for multiple goals. The company also offers private wealth management services for clients who wish to invest USD 1 million or more through the platform. A dedicated advisor will work together with clients to create investment plans to meet their goals.Ellevest reported assets under management (AUM) of USD 1.4 billion as of December 2021, growing 44% during the year.In April 2022, Ellevest raised USD 53 million in Series B <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9622?industryIds=28">funding </a>co-led by BMO and Contour Venture Partners. The company planned to use the funds to expand its product offering and provide personalized coaching.

Ellevest

ComposedPro is a digital investment advisor that handles clients’ investment accounts at their employers (such as employer-sponsored accounts) as well as private investment accounts, focusing on low cost Employer-Coordinated Portfolios. The company oversees USD 25 million in total assets over 181 customer accounts as of the company’s Q2 2020 filing. ComposedPro manages half of the company’s accounts on a discretionary basis, meaning an investment advisor has the discretion to make buy and sell decisions for a client’s account. ComposedPro also has 46 non-discretionary accounts totalling USD 7.9 million in assets. The average investment account size is USD 138,222 placed across exchangeable assets such as exchange-traded funds (ETFs), equities, bonds, and options.

ComposedPro

Guideline provides automated investment management services for employer-sponsored retirement accounts. The services also include plan set-up and administration, enrollment and education, recordkeeping, compliance with Retirement Income Security Act, and reporting.As of July 2023, Guideline had assets under management (AUM) of over USD 9 billion and over 350 employees. The company stated that it is the only provider that does not charge plan participants (i.e. employees) with any fees. Guideline charges the employers with a straightforward pricing of one flat fee per participant, in contrast to the asset-based fee model predominant in the industry (i.e. fee is charged on account balances). The standard service has a base fee of USD 49 per month and an additional USD 8 per participant. The standard service includes unlimited phone/email support to both plan participants and employers. For prime service, access to a dedicated account manager is available at a higher base fee of USD 129 and an additional fee of USD 8 per participant. In addition, the company stated that it has a low mutual fund expense ratio, at 0.08%. It purchases mutual funds from Vanguard and other fund providers.Funding and financialsIn June 2021, Guideline raised USD 200 million in funding led by General Atlantic. The company intends to utilize the funding to broaden its 401(k) offerings and introduce new retirement plan solutions.

Guideline

Based in Plano, Texas, AssetBuilder is a robo-advisory company that develops investment portfolios based on the Fama/French school of thought, using low-cost active index funds. It has Dimensional Fund Advisors (the eighth largest fund company in the world as of September 2019) as its funding partner. Human advisors are available to provide investing guidance. As of April 2019, the firm’s assets under management (AUM) amounted to USD 765.9 million. The firm’s business model relies on a fee-only structure, meaning a customer solely pays AssetBuilder to create and manage investments (the company does not receive product-specific commission). The minimum investment for AssetBuilder is USD 50,000 with an asset management fee ranging from 0.24% to 0.45%; the higher the investment, the lower the fee. Though the firm does not have a setup fee, it requires a custodial cost for setting up a portfolio of USD 11.95 per trade for each recommended mutual fund. Most of the platform’s portfolios require about 11 to 14 mutual funds, costing about USD 131.45 to USD 167.30 to open an account.

AssetBuilder

Based in Canada, Smart Money Invest provides portfolio management services to individual clients, advisors, and employers (such as group saving plans for retirement). Human advisors are available to serve individual investors.The company provides financial tools to develop a long-term financial strategy by calculating net worth, setting a budget, managing investment accounts, and planning for retirement.

Smart Money Invest

Robo advisory startups that offer automated investment services directly to individuals solely via digital platforms.

Robo advisory startups that offer automated investment services to individuals via both digital platforms and human financial advisors.

Provide solutions for financial advisors/asset managers to automate wealth management and administration functions.

Robo advisory startups that offer automated investment services to businesses via both digital platforms and human financial advisors.

Provides solutions for financial institutions to set up their own robo-advisory function and offer services to clients.

Startups that offer online platforms for investors to trade various securities such as stocks, ETFs, and options directly via the platform

Operates a B2B SaaS model to support financial institution in offering various investment related services

Leverages AI/ML to automate allocation and management of investment funds to cater to retail investors

<div>
 
 Forge is a leading private securities marketplace that facilitates trading between buyers and sellers of private company shares. Its platform, Forge Markets, enables private company shareholders to sell their shares to accredited investors, providing liquidity before an initial public offering (IPO) or acquisition. Forge Markets has facilitated over USD 12 billion in transaction volume, as of September 2022. The company leverages innovative trading technology and operating expertise to streamline transactions in the private market ecosystem.
 
 
 
 
 Forge also offers proprietary data services through Forge Data and Forge Intelligence, providing investors with valuable insights and analytics to make informed investment decisions in private markets. These solutions include pricing data, trading activity summaries, and integrated public market comparisons.
 
 
 
 
 In March 2022, Forge completed its business combination with Motive Capital Corp, becoming a publicly-traded company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol &quot;FRGE.&quot; The company aims to expand its offerings and create greater participation in private company liquidity.
 
 
 
 
 In September 2022, Forge announced plans to establish Forge Europe in partnership with Deutsche B&ouml;rse. Leveraging Forge's technology and Deutsche B&ouml;rse's market expertise, Forge Europe will provide a digital marketplace for European companies and investors, facilitating liquidity programs and access to Forge's US liquidity network.
 
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<div>
 
 Wise (formerly TransferWise) is a financial technology company that provides low-cost international money transfers and multi-currency accounts for individuals and businesses. Founded in 2011 and based in London, Wise operates a peer-to-peer network that allows customers to transfer money across borders without the high fees and markups charged by traditional banks.
 
 
 
 
 Wise's core offering is a money transfer service that leverages the mid-market exchange rate and charges transparent, upfront fees rather than hiding markups in exchange rates. It supports transfers to over 160 countries across 50+ currencies. For personal users, transfers up to around USD 5,000 tend to be most cost-effective through Wise.
 
 
 
 
 In addition to money transfers, Wise provides multi-currency accounts that allow customers to hold, convert between, spend, and receive over 40 currencies. Users can get local bank details in 10 major currencies like USD, GBP, and EUR to receive money like a local. The Wise debit card enables spending in over 170 countries at the mid-market rate.
 
 
 
 
 Wise is regulated by financial authorities in the countries where it operates, including FinCEN in the US It has over 16 million customers and processed USD 11 billion in cross-border transactions per month as of 2024. Key features include low transparent pricing, fast transfers (50%+ instant, 90% within 24 hours), and user-friendly web/mobile interfaces.
 
</div>

Wise

<div>
 
 Remitly is an online money transfer service that enables individuals to send money internationally from the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, and the UK to over 180 countries worldwide. The company's primary focus is on facilitating remittances, allowing immigrants and expatriates to securely and conveniently send money back home to their families and loved ones. Established in 2011 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Remitly has grown to serve over 3 million customers annually, with a total transaction volume exceeding USD 20 billion as of 2021.
 
 
 
 
 Remitly offers two distinct transfer options: Express and Economy. The Express service facilitates near-instant transfers, with funds typically arriving within minutes for cash pickups or a few hours for bank deposits. This option is ideal for urgent fund transfers but comes at a higher cost. Alternatively, the Economy service provides a more affordable solution, albeit with a longer delivery time of three to five business days.
 
 
 
 
 One of Remitly's standout features is its extensive network of payout options. Recipients can choose to receive funds through bank account deposits, cash pickups at over 400,000 locations worldwide, mobile wallet transfers, or even home deliveries in select countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and the Dominican Republic. This flexibility caters to the diverse needs of Remitly's global customer base.
 
 
 
 
 Remitly's fees and exchange rates are generally competitive within the industry. Fixed transfer fees typically range from USD 1.99 to USD 3.99, while exchange rate markups are typically between 0.5% and 2.5% above the mid-market rate. Larger transfers often incur lower fees, with Remitly waiving fixed fees for bank-to-bank transfers exceeding USD 1,000.
 
</div>

Remitly

Zepz is a global cross-border payment group that operates two leading remittance brands, WorldRemit and Sendwave. The company disrupted the traditional remittance industry by taking international money transfers online, offering a faster, more affordable, and secure way to send money globally. Zepz's platforms facilitate digital money transfers to over 130 countries across more than 5,000 money transfer corridors, including emerging markets with high barriers to entry.
The company's business model revolves around providing a seamless digital experience for senders, enabling them to transfer funds from a smartphone or computer, while offering a wide range of payout options for recipients, such as bank deposits, cash collection, mobile airtime top-ups, and mobile money. Zepz's technology eliminates the need for physical cash handling, enhancing security and convenience.
In 2021, Zepz reported a significant 67% year-over-year revenue growth, reaching USD 399 million, following the acquisition of Sendwave in February 2021 and a USD 292 million Series E funding round in August 2021. The company achieved profitability in the first half of 2022, driven by investments in marketing, talent, and technology, enabling efficient customer acquisition and paving the way for future growth.
Zepz's platforms have facilitated the movement of money that has supported education, healthcare, and daily expenses for families, contributing to the economies of recipient countries. In the first half of 2022, WorldRemit users sent more than USD 2 billion to the African continent, with core African and Asian markets experiencing substantial year-over-year volume growth of over 20% and 35%, respectively.

Zepz

TransferGo is a digital money transfer service that enables fast and cost-effective international money transfers. It utilizes an innovative approach by opening bank accounts in various countries, allowing local transfers both for receiving funds in the sending country and dispatching them in the receiving country. This strategy eliminates most transfer costs, enabling TransferGo to offer highly competitive exchange rates and low fees.
The company was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in London, UK, with operations across Europe. TransferGo's platform supports transfers in 22 currencies across 47 countries, serving over 5 million customers as of March 2023. It provides services for both individuals and businesses, including batch payments and integration with accounting software.
TransferGo offers a user-friendly online platform and mobile app, allowing customers to easily initiate transfers. Depending on the delivery speed selected, funds can reach the recipient within 30 minutes or on the same day. The company prioritizes security, adhering to stringent regulations and employing robust encryption protocols to safeguard customer data and funds.
As of March 2024, TransferGo was recognized as one of the most cost-effective options for sending money from the UK, being the cheapest provider for 26.2% of all searches conducted on Monito's comparison engine. It also earned top rankings for transferring funds to the UK, being the best choice for 17.7% of the searches.

TransferGo

Girmiti Software is a technology company that specializes in developing digital payment solutions and professional services. The company offers next-generation solutions and services tailored for various industry verticals, including payments, retail, restaurants, healthcare, telecom, banking, transit, and events management.
Girmiti's core offerings revolve around EMV solutions for mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) systems, personal computers (PCs), mobile devices, and card readers. Additionally, the company provides add-on transactional channels for payments processing. Girmiti's solutions leverage innovative technologies like QR codes, Near Field Communication (NFC) wallets, and contactless payments to enhance flexibility and mobilize businesses within the payment ecosystem.
The company's expertise lies in executing and delivering innovative solutions, operations, and professional services with a focus on cost-effectiveness in niche areas. Girmiti Software has achieved CMMi Level five appraisal, affirming its software development and delivery capabilities. The company is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified, ensuring quality management and information security standards. Additionally, Girmiti Software is PCI DSS SAQ-D v3.2 certified, demonstrating its adherence to payment card industry data security standards.
Girmiti's NFC wallet solution enables financial institutions to offer contactless payment options to their customers through secure smart chips on mobile devices. This mobile wallet application can store various payment cards, access cards, coupons, loyalty cards, prepaid cards, and tickets, facilitating contactless transactions with nearby NFC-enabled terminals or reader devices.
In the transit sector, Girmiti develops Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS) solutions, integrating ticketing systems for public transport networks like buses, metros, and rails. These solutions automate fare collection, support various fare media (tokens, cards, NFC), and facilitate online ticket purchases and recharges, accepting multiple payment methods.
Girmiti's EMV services encompass developing and implementing EMV L2 kernels for point-of-sale (PoS) terminals, mPOS solutions on Android OS, and chip card management systems. The company also offers testing, security evaluations, and payment scheme certifications for its EMV solutions.
In the banking and financial services domain, Girmiti helps firms develop business solutions that drive efficiency, effectiveness, innovation, and virtualization while ensuring compliance with regulations. The company's team of analysts, domain experts, and technology specialists provide solutions tailored to support mobile, ecommerce, and cloud environments.

Girmiti Software

Platforms using a global network of businesses and individuals to complete international fund transfers

Platforms that let businesses and individuals obtain necessary debt through peers (retail investors)

Equity crowdsourcing platforms for private businesses to raise equity funding from retail investors

Enables small businesses and users to access lending, equity, and fund transfers circumventing established institutions

PROMINENT_CATEGORY

<div>
 Forge Global Holdings, which owns online trading platform Forge, has teamed up with asset management firm Accuidity. The partnership aims to introduce an investable index to track the performance of late-stage, venture-backed businesses.
 
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Forge

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