SharesPost

SharesPost operated a platform that connected shareholders, investors, issuers, and entrepreneurs, facilitating the buying and selling of private company shares. It catered to a niche but expanding market of late-stage, venture-backed private companies, often referred to as "unicorns". The company's business model centered on generating revenue from transaction fees, charging a commission on completed trades. It also offered premium services for a fee, including market research, analytics tools, and customized advisory support to clients needing deeper market insights. The platform provided valuable bid, offer, and pricing data, increasing transparency in the traditionally opaque private markets.

A significant milestone in the company's history was its merger with Forge Global, a direct competitor, which was announced in May 2020 and closed in November 2020. The cash-and-stock deal was valued at $160 million. The merger aimed to create one of the largest global private securities marketplaces by combining SharesPost's extensive network of individual investors with Forge's focus on institutional clients. Following the acquisition, the combined entity continued to operate under the Forge brand, and Greg Brogger joined the Forge Board of Directors to advise the new entity. Prior to the merger, SharesPost had raised approximately $18-38 million in funding and had facilitated billions of dollars in private market transactions since its inception.