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It is this gap in good-grade investment instruments that have opened up fraudulent channels such as money doublers and Ponzi schemes that have gone up in popularity of late. Capital will always flow to creative ideas, and so the best fledgling startup companies are now beginning to find easier channels to funding. Some Fintech startup companies in the past such as CrowdyVest, PiggyVest, ThriveAgric, Cowrywise, Agropatnership, and others have explored similar pathways with their investment savings products within the middle-class rank, a few years back. Now, with the improvements witnessed in crowdfunding investment regulation in the country, startups such as GetEquity will now allow citizens easy access to owning equity in their favourite startup companies without having to go through the only Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) or the institutional investment vehicles. GetEquity is touted to help democratise and decentralise access to the continent’s fastest-growing startups by exposing previously underfunded and underserved startups to willing micro-investors.
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It is towards this drive that GetEquity have now closed an undisclosed six-figure pre-seed funding round led by GreenHouse Capital, as it launches its first product – a venture-funding platform that connects entrepreneurs to willing institutional and non-institutional investors. GetEquity’s founders, Jude Dike and William Okafor are determined in their goal of making GetEquity the foremost fundraising and venture portfolio management company. One route to achieving this goal remains to reduce the usual friction between founders and the funding they need by giving them access to a wide range of funding options. Founding partner of GreenHouse Capital, Bunmi Akinyemiju, was equally elated to see GetEquity launch its innovative platform after being mentored by the firm. Some of the startups listed for potential investment by individual investors on the GetEquity platform include Breeze (currency conversions and transfers for businesses); Fluidcoins (receiving payments in cryptocurrencies in Africa); WeMove Technologies (transport and logistics services for supply chains); Nguvu Health (affordable on-demand teletherapy access); Onboardly (automating employee onboarding experience for organisations). Entrepreneurs can list their startups on the GetEquity platform and market to public investors. Investors on their part are able to buy equity in listed startups for as little as US$10. Post-launch, GetEquity’s startup funding platform is now accessible via web, Android, and iOS applications. Featured Image Source: GetEquity – LinkedIn
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