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Bloomberg

IPO Market Rebound and Retail Return 

Analysis of the IPO market's recovery, focusing on the role of post-debut trading and the return of retail investors in driving activity. 

January 18, 2024

Kiplinger

Spot Bitcoin ETF SEC Approval

Overview of the SEC's approval process for spot Bitcoin ETFs, including market implications and potential impacts on cryptocurrency investing. 

January 10, 2024

New Survey Reveals a Gender Disparity in Investment Preferences for Emerging Technologies

San Francisco, April 22, 2024 - Business Wire Linqto, the world’s first financial private investment platform empowering investors with access to private markets for accredited investors, today unveiled its latest survey that sheds light on gender discrepancies in investment preferences. With emerging technologies reshaping the investment landscape, this survey breaks down investment activity and interest across ages and genders, offering insight into investor behavior and attitudes about various asset classes based on the volatility in the IPO market, economic policies, and sector-specific trends. Key Findings The survey uncovered differences in how male and female investors view current markets. Key findings include: Male Respondents and Blockchain: Male respondents (52.24%) were twice as likely as female respondents (26.01%) to have invested in blockchain and cryptocurrency assets. Alternative Investments: Nearly half of male respondents (43.64%) have invested in alternative investments this year, with more than 30% allocating at least a quarter of their investment portfolio to alternative assets. In contrast, almost a quarter of female respondents (23.27%) have invested in alternative investments, with 16.41% allocating at least 25% of their portfolio to these types of investments. Confidence in Non-Traditional Markets: Nearly half of male respondents (48.57%) are much more confident in non-traditional investment markets compared to only 26% of female respondents. Interest in New Investments: Nearly a third of respondents (32.4%) have invested in alternative investments this year, with more than a fourth (28.6%) interested in exploring new types of investments due to successful IPOs and reduced market volatility. Linqto’s analysis indicates substantial interest in emerging technology and artificial intelligence, which 56.44% of respondents identified as a sector of interest, as well as digital assets (39%). Leadership Insights \"With ongoing market volatility, stabilized interest rates, and successful IPOs like Reddit’s recent listing, investors recognize the need for alternative investment options to create a comprehensive portfolio,\" said Joe Endoso, CEO of Linqto. \"The results of this survey indicate a strong demand for digital investments and alternative assets, specifically in the emerging technology, AI, and crypto sectors. These findings align with Linqto’s mission to provide investment access to highly sought-after companies that are traditionally difficult to access but offer a diversified portfolio.\" Additional Survey Findings Technology Sector Activity: More than half of the respondents (53.16%) believe the technology sector is seeing the most activity in the secondary markets. Portfolio Composition: A majority of respondents are invested in traditional investments (58.1%), employer-related investments (35.68%), and crypto and blockchain-based assets (27.12%). Primary Investment Forms: Nearly half of the respondents (49.64%) said their primary form of investment is stocks. Investment in Stocks and Bonds: Almost half of respondents (48.44%) have invested in stocks and bonds in the past year. Crypto and Blockchain Investments: Almost one-third of respondents (32.3%) have invested in crypto and blockchain assets. Surveying over 2,500 investors of various ages, races, and genders, these findings better inform investor sentiment in today’s climate, identify the most popular sectors in traditional and alternative markets, and maintain a pulse on market trends to watch throughout the rest of 2024. About Linqto Linqto is a leading global financial technology investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $350 million of investment transactions in over 50 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 750,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto. IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLOSURES: The information contained herein is educational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument.

Linqto Surpasses $350M in Investments Across 60+ Companies, Serving Over 750,000 Users Worldwide

San Francisco, April 18, 2024 - Business Wire Linqto, the world’s first financial technology investment platform democratizing access to private markets for accredited investors, today announced the surpassing of key milestones, highlighting the platform’s sustained company growth and expansion. Founded in 2020, Linqto now has more than 750,000 users across 110 countries who have invested over $350 million in upwards of 60 companies. Leadership Statements \"With exit events shaping up this year and secondary market opportunities growing more enticing for investors, we’re thrilled to continue providing opportunities to invest in innovative and renowned companies,\" said Joe Endoso, CEO of Linqto. Recent Achievements Linqto exemplifies adaptability in an ever-changing fintech market, ensuring it meets customer needs and facilitates smart investments. This user milestone emphasizes Linqto’s status and follows recent announcements including the appointment of Joe Endoso as the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Geno Zawrotny as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), and the release of the company’s 2024 IPO Outlook Survey, which offers a fresh perspective on investor sentiment towards specific market sectors. \"We are more dedicated and passionate about our mission of lowering access to private market investments than ever before,\" said Endoso. \"With exit events shaping up this year and secondary market opportunities growing more enticing for investors, we’re thrilled to continue providing opportunities to invest in innovative and renowned companies.\" Platform Success Linqto grants investors access to a diverse array of dynamic private companies and prominent unicorns such as Ripple, Circle, Brex, Epic Games, Acorns, and more. Accredited investors gain early access to these companies for a $5,000 investment, or as low as $2,500 for select companies. Linqto pre-IPO platform users have also witnessed numerous liquidity events via IPOs or acquisitions from companies including NerdWallet, SoFi, Coinbase, and Robinhood. To learn more about Linqto and its services, visit Linqto. About Linqto Linqto is a leading global private markets investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $350 million of investment transactions in over 60 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 750,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto. IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLOSURES: The information contained herein is educational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument.

2024 Private Company Boards of the Year From MLR Media

Philadelphia, March 27, 2024 - Business Wire Seven private company boards have been honored with Private Company Boards of the Year awards for their business governance excellence by MLR Media. The awards will be presented at the 2024 Private Company Governance Summit®, which will take place May 15-17, 2024, at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, Washington, D.C. Award Recipients The boards of these companies were selected for recognition: Linqto Inc. E.A. Sween Company HEI Civil Inc. Yakima Chief Hops Restek Corporation Cathedral Holdings Inc. Golden Corral Corporation Recognition for Governance Excellence Seven private companies were selected for the governance excellence demonstrated by their fiduciary boards. The awards, which will be presented at a dinner during the Private Company Governance Summit® on May 16, 2024, honor private company boards that best serve their stakeholders—owners, shareholders, employees, and the community—with best practices in their structure and performance. Purpose of the Awards The awards were created to recognize private companies that go above and beyond legal governance requirements and commit to the highest levels of governance, whether through fiduciary or advisory boards. The awards honor the performance of the board as a whole. Award Categories The ninth annual awards recognize fiduciary boards (those tasked with protecting shareholders, with the authority to vote on decisions that are binding for company management) as well as advisory boards (more informal boards that have no binding regulations, but often a significant strategic role). The awards were broken down by company revenues and ownership type. Awards are not made in every category. About the Private Company Governance Summit® The Private Company Governance Summit®, now in its twelfth year, is the only national conference focused on the unique governance challenges for owners, shareholders, directors, and advisory board members of closely held, family-owned, and private equity-owned companies. To learn more, visit Private Company Director. Recognized Companies and Their Categories Linqto Inc. Location: San Jose, CA Category: Fiduciary Board/Investor-Owned Revenue: Less than $100 million E.A. Sween Company Location: Eden Prairie, MN Category: Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned Revenue: $100 million to $350 million HEI Civil Inc. Location: Castle Rock, CO Category: Fiduciary Board/Closely Held Revenue: $100 million to $350 million Yakima Chief Hops Location: Yakima, WA Category: Fiduciary Board/Cooperative Revenue: $350 million to $1 billion Restek Corporation Location: Bellefonte, PA Category: Fiduciary Board/ESOP Revenue: $100 million to $350 million Cathedral Holdings Inc. Location: Lawrenceville, GA Category: Fiduciary Board/ESOP Revenue: $100 million to $350 million Golden Corral Corporation Location: Raleigh, NC Category: Fiduciary Board/Family-Owned Revenue: More than $1 billion About MLR Media MLR Media publishes Directors & Boards, Family Business, and Private Company Director magazines, FO Pro: The Family Office Professional information service, and produces The Private Company Governance Summit®, the Transitions (Spring and Fall) and Family Business Legacy conferences, Family Business NextGen, Transformational Women in Family Business, ALIGN: Connecting the Family and the Family Office, and Character of the Corporation events. Private Company Governance Summit® Private Company Director MLR Media About Linqto Linqto is a leading private equity investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $350 million of investment transactions in over 50 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 700,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto.

Linqto Appoints Joe Endoso to Chief Executive Officer

San Jose, Calif., February 23, 2024 - Business Wire Linqto, the world's first financial technology investment platform democratizing access to private markets for accredited investors, today announced the appointment of Joe Endoso as Chief Executive Officer. Bill Sarris, who co-founded Linqto and has served as CEO for the past 14 years, will be moving to the position of Executive Chairman and continue to work closely with Joe in his new role. Leadership Transition \"Working alongside Joe for the past several years, I have had the opportunity to see the positive impact that he has had on the growth of our organization firsthand,\" said Sarris. \"Between Joe’s expertise and his passion for serving the Linqto community, I am confident in his strategic vision to continue driving success as we enter this next chapter.\" Joe Endoso's Vision In this new role, Endoso will spearhead initiatives to accelerate the growth of Linqto’s investor base and assets on the platform. With a focus on expanding access to high-quality private technology companies and forging channel partnerships to diversify market reach, Endoso aims to cement Linqto's position as the premier platform for investors seeking early access to promising unicorns before their public debut. \"Being appointed as the next CEO brings great enthusiasm and responsibility,\" said Endoso. \"Bill has set a high bar with his exceptional leadership and partnership. I am committed to advancing Linqto’s mission of democratizing access to private investments and ensuring our platform remains a top choice for investors seeking early opportunities in promising companies before they go public.\" Joe Endoso's Background Endoso is a veteran financier with over four decades of experience in investment banking, financial technology, and global markets. Since joining Linqto in 2019, he has held several key leadership positions including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Revenue Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and President. Over the last five years, Endoso has contributed to Linqto’s significant revenue growth and led efforts that drove the company’s success. About Linqto Linqto is a leading global financial technology investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $350 million of investment transactions in over 50 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 700,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto. IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLOSURES: The information contained herein is educational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument.

Linqto Expands C-Suite With New Chief Revenue Officer

San Jose, Calif., February 8, 2024 - Business Wire Linqto, the world’s first financial technology investment platform democratizing access to private markets for accredited investors, today announced that Geno Zawrotny has been appointed as the company’s Chief Revenue Officer. Geno Zawrotny's Background Zawrotny brings more than two decades of experience to Linqto with expertise across industry sectors, including public equities, alternative investments, cryptocurrency, and special situation investments. He has also worked with portfolio and company management, data analysis, and deal sourcing. Zawrotny previously served as Principal, Institutional Private Markets, at Forge Global, where he played a crucial role in the growth of the company from an early startup to its IPO. Over the course of his 11 years at the company, Zawrotny helped grow the company from 10 to 350 employees and increased its valuation to $2 billion. Leadership Statements \"Linqto is positioned in a truly exciting spot right now, with the private market seeing significant activity,\" said Zawrotny. \"I’m thrilled to be joining a team that I’ve long admired and to contribute to democratizing access for investors. In addition, the chance to both develop new avenues to drive users to the platform, and to identify areas of need for the company, are both key topics for me that I can’t wait to get started on.\" Zawrotny and Linqto have been working together for several years to help onboard secondary shares of companies to the platform. He has been instrumental in this by bringing 40 companies to the platform, including successful exits from Robinhood and NerdWallet in addition to current popular investments like Ripple and Zipline. \"Geno will be a game-changing addition to our team,\" said Joe Endoso, President of Linqto. \"He brings industry-leading experience, and we look forward to having him support us in finding new efficiencies across the company, and to spur growth, expansion, and much more in the future.\" For more information about Linqto, please visit Linqto. About Linqto Linqto is a leading global financial technology investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $350 million of investment transactions in over 50 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 650,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto. IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLOSURES: The information contained herein is educational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument.

Linqto Soars to 500K Users in Over 110 Countries

San Jose, Calif., December 12, 2023 - PRNewswire Linqto, the world's first financial technology investment platform democratizing access to private markets for accredited investors, today announced the surpassing of several platform milestones, showcasing the company's long-term, sustainable growth. Founded in 2020, Linqto now has over 500,000 users across 110 countries and has invested over $300 million in upwards of 50 companies. Milestone Achievements Linqto strives to provide a superior user experience that continuously innovates and enhances offerings to meet the needs of customers in this rapidly evolving investment environment. In response to customer feedback, earlier this year, Linqto added a new functionality that provides true liquidity to private markets by allowing users to buy and sell investments in companies on the platform prior to a liquidity event. The company also rebranded to align more closely with its mission, and now non-accredited investors have the ability to invest in select companies on the platform at a more accessible entry point of $2,500. Leadership Statements \"We are proud to continue to democratize access to the private markets, as these types of investments are historically very lucrative but difficult to access for the public,\" said Joe Endoso, President at Linqto. \"As more companies are experiencing liquidity events, like IPOs or M&As, following a dry market period over the last two years, we are excited to continue providing opportunity to have early access to in-demand companies.\" Platform Success Since its inception, Linqto has provided investors on the platform access to some of the world's leading unicorns and private companies, including Ripple, Circle, Brex, Epic Games, Acorns, and more. Accredited investors gain early access to these companies for a minimum investment of $5,000. Users on the Linqto platform have seen several liquidity events through public offerings or acquisitions for companies such as Coinbase, Robinhood, NerdWallet, SoFi, Marqeta, and Innovium. To learn more about Linqto and its services, visit Linqto. About Linqto Linqto is a leading global financial technology investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, invest in, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $300 million of investment transactions in about 50 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 500,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto. IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLOSURES: The information contained herein is educational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument.

Linqto and “Future of Finance” Spotlighted in New Viewpoint Documentary Episode

San Jose, Calif., December 7, 2023 - PRNewswire Linqto, the world's first financial technology investment platform democratizing access to private markets for accredited investors, today announced the release of their episode of the Viewpoint documentary series. The episode was a result of a partnership between Linqto and Viewpoint, a television program hosted by Dennis Quaid. Episode Details The episode, titled \"Future of Finance,\" spotlights the complex and fascinating world of finance and highlights Linqto's innovative platform. A panel convened for the documentary educates and informs audiences about Linqto's leading platform and the sizable impact it offers consumers interested in the investment space and private markets. Linqto's Platform Linqto's investment platform is a revolutionary tool for individuals looking to invest in mid- to late-stage startups. By utilizing cutting-edge technology and transparent investment opportunities, Linqto enables accredited investors to buy and sell holdings, providing true liquidity to private market investing, and is setting a new set of standards for the finance industry. \"Lowering thresholds and minimizing obstacles to exciting and worthwhile investment opportunities is one of the key aims of Linqto,\" said Bill Sarris, CEO and Co-Founder of Linqto. \"This incredible documentary project from Viewpoint provides in-depth discussions and helps to showcase the incredible work being accomplished by our team, as well as the investors who have joined our platform and are at the forefront of the financial industry.\" Partnership and Awareness The partnership with Viewpoint and the resulting documentary episode supports Linqto in its quest to reach a broad audience and create awareness around its platform, the future of finance, and support users in making smart decisions and taking advantage of investment opportunities. The episode includes industry experts, entrepreneurs, and investors who have leveraged Linqto's platform and are able to speak to its industry-leading qualities. Educational and Engaging Content The episode represents an engaging and informative exploration of the ever-changing financial landscape and Linqto's value proposition, presented in an easy-to-understand and engaging manner. For more information about Linqto, visit Linqto. About Linqto Linqto is a leading global financial technology investment platform allowing accredited investors to identify, evaluate, invest in, and make liquid investments in the world's leading unicorns and private companies. Accredited investors worldwide have trusted Linqto to make over US $312 million of investment transactions in nearly 50 innovative mid-to-late-stage private companies across diverse sectors, including fintech, artificial intelligence, health tech, sustainable materials, and digital assets. With a rapidly growing community of more than 491,000 users in 110 countries, Linqto is a leader in democratizing access to private market investments. To learn more, please visit Linqto. IMPORTANT LEGAL NOTICE AND DISCLOSURES: The information contained herein is educational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any security or other financial instrument.