SeedInvest

Acquired

Overview

SeedInvest is an equity crowdfunding platform that connects startups with investors, vetting deals under JOBS Act exemptions.¹³ It screened thousands of companies, accepting about 1% for fundraising with minimum investments from $500 and fees up to 2%.¹³ The platform facilitated over 275 successful fundraises totaling $465 million invested by 700,000+ investors.⁴

History

Founded in 2012 by Ryan Feit and James Han, who contributed to the JOBS Act passage enabling online equity crowdfunding.¹⁴ Launched in 2013, it raised its own seed and $4.15 million Series A funding online by 2014, and hosted the first Testing The Waters campaign under Regulation A in 2015.¹ Acquired by Circle Internet Financial in October 2018, then its assets were acquired by StartEngine from Circle affiliate Pluto Holdings in May 2023.¹²

Product Lines

Product Line	Positioning	Price Range
Equity Crowdfunding Platform	Vetted startup investments for individual investors	$500 minimum investment
Reg D Offerings	SEC-exempt private placements	$500+ per deal
Regulation A+ Campaigns	Public solicitation mini-IPOs	Varies by offering

Notable Products

SeedInvest Platform - Online portal for vetted equity crowdfunding deals with investor verification.
Testing The Waters Campaign - First campaign under Regulation A rules in June 2015.
Secondary Market - Platform for trading SeedInvest securities post-fundraise.
Gust Partnership - 2014 integration with AngelList for deal syndication.

Reputation

SeedInvest is recognized by professionals for pioneering U.S. equity crowdfunding and rigorous deal vetting, funding over 200 startups with strong exits like PetDesk (75% IRR).¹³⁴ Enthusiasts value its role in JOBS Act implementation and access for non-accredited investors.¹ Criticisms include low acceptance rate (1% of applicants) potentially limiting diversity, and post-acquisition shifts under StartEngine affecting original operations.²³

Sources (5)