Crossing the Finish Line
In case you haven’t heard the news: we’re acquiring SeedInvest.* Why? Well, much like StartEngine, SeedInvest specializes in capital raises for high-quality companies with real liquidity potential for investors. The proof? Put together, alums of StartEngine and SeedInvest have achieved more exits than those of any other startup investing site in the game.
Need a refresh? An exit is when a company undergoes an IPO, acquisition, or other liquidity event. So far 40 startups have exited following funding rounds on StartEngine or SeedInvest.
So which founders have crossed the proverbial finish line?
1) Atlas Wearables
Fit-tech company Atlas Wearables launched their eponymous Atlas smartwatch in 2014. They crowdfunded $4 million over seven funding rounds prior to an acquisition by Peloton in 2020.
2) Atlis Motor Vehicles
Atlis Motors began work on its all-electric pickup trucks in November 2016. The EV company then raised more than $69.3 million over nine funding rounds, before completing an IPO in 2022.
3) BetterDoctor
Healthcare API startup BetterDoctor was founded in 2011 and raised $25.9 million over six funding rounds. The company was then acquired by Quest Analytics in 2018.
4) Boatbound
The “Airbnb for boats,” Boatbound launched in 2012. The peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace then raised $5.2 million over six rounds, before sailing off into the sunset via an acquisition by Boatsetter in 2017.
5) Butterfleye
Cloud-enabled security cam company, Butterfleye, opened up shop in 2013. Four years and seven funding rounds later, the startup had secured $1.9 million in funding before being acquired by Ooma in 2017.
6) ConnXus
Supply chain SaaS provider, ConnXus, launched in Ohio in 2010. Through 2020 the company completed ten funding rounds, totalling in $11.3 million raised. Coupa Software then acquired ConnXus in May of the same year.
7) Digital Brands Group
Digital Brands Group, a curated portfolio of luxury online brands, got its start in LA in 2012. The company then raised $6.3 million via equity crowdfunding before its IPO on the NASDAQ in May 2021.
8) DirecTech Labs
Santa Monica based machine learning company, DirecTech Labs opened its doors in 2016. It then raised $2 million over five funding rounds, before its acquisition by enterprise-software firm, DirectScale, in March 2022.
9) Docalytics
Docalytics was founded in the Twin Cities in 2012 with the aim of creating B2B analytics tools for marketing and sales professionals. The company raised $658,000 over three funding rounds; it was then acquired by Contently in February 2016.
10) DSTLD
DSTLD started in Los Angeles in 2013 as a D2C luxury denim and retail operation. They raised $8.7 million dollars over six rounds, including $3.3 million via equity crowdfunding. The company then IPO’d on the NASDAQ in May 2021.
11) Elio Motors
High-efficiency car manufacturer, Elio Motors, began operations in Phoenix in 2008. The company raised over $57 million via equity crowdfunding, before its IPO in November 2016.
12) Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace started building commercial rockets for satellites from its Texas headquarters in 2014. The company has raised a whopping $301.8 million over nine funding rounds, and was acquired by Noosphere Ventures in May 2017.
13) Gatsby
Brokerage platform, Gatsby, was founded in New York in 2018. Over the next three years, Gatsby raised $13.1 million over eight funding rounds. It was then acquired by eToro in August 2022.
14) GoFish Cam, Inc.
GoFish Cam, whose underwater camera sits on a fishing line and livestreams footage back to anglers, was launched in 2015. The company raised $740,000 over four funding rounds, and was then acquired by Unorthodox Ventures in March 2019.
15) Healthify
Healthcare infrastructure company, Healthify, was founded in New York in 2013. Through 2019, the firm raised $25.5 million over five funding rounds. It was then acquired by Wellsky in July 2021.
16) IfOnly
A marketplace for unique experiences and interactions with experts in fields from cooking to sports, IfOnly broke ground in San Francisco in 2012. The company raised $51.4 million over eight funding rounds through 2018, and was then acquired by Mastercard in August 2020.
17) Innovative Eyewear
Florida based smart glasses company, Innovative Eyewear was founded in 2019. It raised over $1 million in its latest equity crowdfunding round in 2012, and IPO’s on the NASDAQ in August 2022.
18) inSparq
SaaS company, inSparq helps retailers identify and merchandise trending products. It was founded in New York in 2010, and raised three funding rounds through 2014. The company was then acquired by Adiant in 2015.
19) Jet Token
Jet Token, a membership service for private aviation, took flight in 2018 – see what we did there? The company raised over $41 million through early 2023. In February of that year, Jet Token agreed to combine with the special purpose acquisition company, Oxbridge Acquisition Corp. The new combined company Jet.AI is expected to list publicly upon the closure of the agreement.
20) Knightscope
The maker of autonomous security robots, Knightscope, opened up shop in Mountain View, California in 2013. The company raised $100 million, including over $77 million via equity funding, before listing on the NASDAQ in 2022.
21) Kylie.ai
Kylie.ai launched its AI chatbot service from its San Francisco headquarters in 2014. The company raised four funding rounds, prior to its acquisition by Directly in November 2019.
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22) LiveNinja
B2C messenger app, LiveNinja got its start in Miami in 2011. The app developer raised $3 million over four funding rounds through 2016. It was then acquired by net2phone in January 2017.
23) MyCrowd
MyCrowd, a Bay Area crowd-testing platform for mobile apps and websites, opened its doors in 2013. The company raised $1.4 million dollars over three funding rounds through 2016. Competitor, QASource, then acquired MyCrowd in September the following year.
24) Optyn
Chicago-based, Optyn launched its email marketing platform in 2013. The company raised more than $200,000 over three funding rounds. It was acquired by Central Data Storage in November the following year.
25) Osurv
Mobile customer-survey platform, Osurv launched in Los Angeles in 2012, completing an equity crowdfunding round in the same year. The company was acquired by Tan Capital Partners in 2017.
26) Partpic
Partpic, whose visual recognition software allows users to snap pics of industrial parts and automatically order replacements, was founded in Atlanta in 2013. During the next two years, the company raised $1.5 million over two funding rounds. It was acquired by Amazon in January 2016.
27) PCB:NG
Electronics manufacturer, PCB:NG got its start in New York in 2014. The company raised $585,000 over three funding rounds through June 2017, before an acquisition by Altium Limited in August 2018.
28) Pongalo
Pongalo, a Latino-focused media company headquartered in Los Angeles, launched in 2014. It completed two funding rounds, before its acquisition by VIX in 2019.
29) Plain Vanilla Games
Gaming studio, Plain Vanilla, launched at the end of 2010. The company raised $45.1 million through January 2016. It was then acquired by competitor Glu Mobile in December of that year.
30) Scoot
Shared EV company, Scoot, put rubber to the road (see what we did there) in 2011, raising $38.3 million over eight funding through 2018. In June 2019, Scoot was acquired by its competitor Bird.
31) Scout
Home security system Scout was founded in Chicago in 2013. To date, it’s raised $10.3 million including a post-IPO equity round, following its public listing in August 2017.
32) Smoke Cartel
Smoke Cartel, a Georgia-based online retailer for glass water pipes and other smoking accessories, was founded in 2013. The company raised over $130,000 in an equity crowdfunding round in 2018, and was acquired by High Tide in 2021.
33) Solectrac
An EV company for tractors and agricultural equipment, Solectrac broke ground in 2012. The company raised $3.5 million over four funding rounds, and was acquired by Ideanomics in 2021.
34) The Hustle
Online business news organization, The Hustle, started publishing in San Francisco in 2015. The publication raised $1.3 million over two funding rounds, ending in 2017. It was acquired by Hubspot in 2021.
35) Thuzio
Thuzio, a business entertainment and events platform, launched in New York in 2012. The company raised $16.3 million over six funding rounds through 2020, and was acquired by Triller in November 2021.
36) TopScore
TopScore, a website infrastructure company for sports leagues and organizations, was founded in 2011. The company completed a funding round for $208,000 in 2017 before being acquired by Fullsteam LLC in October 2019.
37) Trendalytics Innovation Labs
AI-driven product research firm, Trendalytics Innovation Labs, got its start in New York in 2013, raising $3.7 million over seven funding rounds. The firm was later acquired by HatchBeauty in 2021.
38) tZero
Digital securities company, tZero launched in 2014, raising $159 million to date. The company completed a public listing in July 2020.
39) Upside
Upside, a white-label platform for investment advisors, was started in the Bay Area in 2013. The company raised $1.2 million over 2 funding rounds through 2014. It was acquired a year later by Envestnet in February 2015.
40) WayCare
WayCare began work on its smart traffic management system (think traffic lights that talk to your car’s onboard computer) in 2016. Through October 2019, the company raised $9.6 million over three funding rounds. It was then acquired by Rekor Systems in August 2021.
At the risk of stating the obvious, liquidity counts. It’s also where StartEngine, soon with the help of SeedInvest, stands out from the pack. Now, you can become a shareholder in the startup powering other startups. Invest in StartEngine.**
*Completion of this acquisition is subject to closing conditions and regulatory approval. See additional information here.
**This Reg A+ offering is made available through StarEngine Crowdfunding Inc. No broker-dealer or intermediary involved in offering. This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. For more information, please see the most recent Supplements, Offering Circular, and Risks Related to this Offering.
