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StartEngine Crowdfunding
StartEngine Crowdfunding is a Los Angeles-based online investment platform founded by Howard Marks and Ron Miller that enables private companies to raise...
StartEngine Crowdfunding
StartEngine Crowdfunding is a Los Angeles-based online investment platform founded by Howard Marks and Ron Miller that enables private companies to raise capital from retail investors through regulatory exemptions like Regulation A+, Regulation CF, and Regulation D. The firm positions itself as an alternative to traditional venture capital, allowing smaller investors to back early-stage and growth companies. StartEngine's business model centers on a marketplace where companies list their offerings and pay fees—typically a percentage of capital raised—and the platform handles compliance, investor relations, and payment processing. The firm has facilitated investments in over 400 companies across sectors including consumer goods, tech, real estate, and healthcare, with individual checks as low as $100. Geographic coverage is primarily U.S.-based, with some international issuer participation. The firm reported raising approximately $40 million in its own equity crowdfunding campaigns on the platform itself, signaling operational growth. StartEngine also launched a secondary trading platform in 2021, allowing investors to trade crowdfunded shares on its proprietary system before an eventual IPO or acquisition. Team size and dedicated professionals are not publicly disclosed. A structural differentiator is StartEngine's reliance on a volume-based, capital-markets-bypass model—rather than deploying its own balance sheet, it earns revenue by aggregating many small investors into offerings. This positions it as a distribution channel within early-stage finance, distinct from a family office or asset manager.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
—
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Los Angeles
Corporate office
Los Angeles, CA, United States
Additional offices
Shanghai, China · Glil Yam, Israel · Washington, DC, United States
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
How does StartEngine Crowdfunding make money?
StartEngine charges fees to companies that list offerings on its platform, typically a percentage of the capital raised plus additional service fees for compliance, document preparation, and investor management. The firm also generates revenue from its secondary trading platform via transaction fees (per public record). The exact fee structure is not uniformly disclosed.
What types of securities offerings does StartEngine facilitate?
StartEngine supports Regulation A+ (Tier 1 and Tier 2), Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF), and Regulation D (506b and 506c) offerings. Reg A+ allows companies to raise up to $75 million from both accredited and non-accredited investors. Reg CF caps at $5 million per year with lower disclosure requirements. Reg D is limited to accredited investors only (per SEC regulations).
Can investors trade their StartEngine-purchased securities?
Yes, StartEngine operates a proprietary secondary trading platform where investors can sell shares purchased through its primary offerings. Trading is limited to the StartEngine ecosystem and is not listed on national exchanges. Liquidity is generally low compared to public markets. The platform launched this feature in 2021.
Who owns StartEngine Crowdfunding?
StartEngine is a privately held corporation. Founders Howard Marks and Ron Miller, along with other early investors, retain significant ownership. The firm has itself raised capital through equity crowdfunding campaigns on its own platform, attracting thousands of individual shareholders (per public filings). No single large institutional owner is publicly identified.
How does StartEngine differ from traditional venture capital firms?
StartEngine does not invest its own capital (no proprietary AUM) and instead acts as a marketplace intermediary, earning fees from facilitating transactions. Traditional VC firms deploy committed capital from LPs into portfolio companies. StartEngine's model distributes risk and returns across many small retail investors. It operates as a regulated funding portal, not as a registered investment advisor or fund manager.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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