EquityZen

EquityZen provides accredited investors with access to pre-IPO shares of venture-backed private companies. The platform structures investments through special purpose vehicles (SPVs), pooling investor capital to acquire shares from employees, early investors, or other shareholders looking for liquidity.

The minimum investment is typically $10,000-$20,000 per deal, making it more accessible than direct secondary market transactions (which often require $100K+). EquityZen has facilitated investments in 400+ companies, including many that went on to successful IPOs. The platform handles all legal, compliance, and settlement logistics.

EquityZen's model is straightforward: they source shares from sellers, package them into funds, and offer them to their investor network. Each fund typically holds shares of a single company. When that company goes public or gets acquired, investors receive their proportional share of the proceeds.