Seedrs, based in the UK but operating across the European continent as a securities crowdfunding platform, will rebrand as Republic Europe.
Seedrs was founded in 2012 by Jeff Lynn, an American and former corporate attorney at Sullivan and Cromwell, and Carlos Silva as part of a business school project.
Republic announced the acquisition of Seedrs in 2021 in a transaction valued at $100 million. The combination of the two online investment platforms vaulted the firm to become the largest investment crowdfunding provider in the world.
At the time of the acquisition, Republic founder and CEO Kendrick Nguyen said that by adding Seedrs to its growing list of services, it was executing its plan to become a global operation.
“We knew international expansion was necessary to achieve cross-bordered participation. In working with Seedrs, we have admired their technological capabilities, the strength of their team and their strong presence in the UK and soon Europe. We anticipate further developing the strengths of both companies from retail, secondaries, crypto, and communities to create a clear industry leader. We look forward to working together to shape the future of the industry at this critical stage of growth and innovation.”
Prior to the acquisition, Seedrs had attempted to merge with its top UK competitor, Crowdcube, but was shot down by British competition authorities in a myopic move that compelled the firm to look elsewhere for partners, thus shattering a chance for the UK to become a global leader in online capital formation.
In an email, Republic stated that the new branding will be in place as of tomorrow (July 10).
“As we continue to evolve, our name may change, our colours may change, but we remain committed to empowering the most ambitious investors in Europe. Since 2012, Seedrs has been at the forefront of innovation in private investing in the UK, Europe and beyond. The platform was acquired by U.S. investment platform Republic in 2022 and has since continued on its founding mission to democratise access to private markets and support Europe’s most innovative entrepreneurs.”
Republic highlighted that its platform empowers smaller investors as well as providing access to institutional funding from VCs and angel investors. This combination of larger and smaller funds creates a powerful dynamic that can transform the private securities markets while providing access to the asset class to retail investors.
While private securities tend to be riskier investments, firms raising money in private markets can generate outsized returns for all investors. Republic said its goal is to provide an environment where “everyone, everywhere, has equal access to high-quality investment and ownership opportunities.”
As of today, Seedrs reports that it has recorded over £2.8 billion of investment since its inception. Seedrs is one platform that has created a viable secondary market for private securities. While not all issuers generate solid returns for investors, some of the top issuers listed on the secondary market display impressive positive changes in valuations.
In April and May of this year, Seedrs reported that businesses raised £3.7million and £5.6million, respectively.
As for the combined operation, Republic has long sought to cross-list offerings on both platforms. The recent securities offering for Watford FC, a UK football club, is emblematic of its objectives going forward. As Republic builds upon its presence in Asia, you can expect an even greater expansion of global private securities opportunities.