EquityZen

EquityZen operates as a prominent secondary marketplace for shares of private, pre-IPO companies, distinguishing itself from traditional venture capital firms that make direct, primary investments into startups. Founded in 2013, its core mission is to provide liquidity for illiquid private assets, connecting existing shareholders—such as employees, founders, and early investors—with accredited investors seeking access to high-growth private companies. This platform facilitates the buying and selling of already issued shares, rather than injecting new capital directly into the companies themselves.

The platform has achieved significant scale in the private secondary market. As of early 2023, EquityZen has facilitated over $1.5 billion in transaction volume across its marketplace, demonstrating its substantial role in enabling liquidity for private company equity. Furthermore, the platform has supported transactions involving shares from more than 400 distinct private companies, ranging from established unicorns to rapidly growing startups, thereby offering a diverse range of investment opportunities for its network of accredited buyers.

Given EquityZen's operational model as a secondary market facilitator, the metrics of "min_check_size" and "max_check_size" for typical first cheques are not applicable. EquityZen does not function as a venture capital fund that deploys capital into primary funding rounds of nascent companies. Instead, its activities revolve around enabling the transfer of existing equity ownership. Therefore, the concept of an initial investment cheque size, as would be relevant for a traditional VC firm, does not align with EquityZen's business of facilitating secondary share transactions.