Crowdfunding platform Equitise to offer access to IPOs

Equity crowdfunding platform Equitise is now offering retail and sophisticated investors access to initial public offerings, as the platform also prepares for an influx of deals on the back of the first phase of the crowd-sourced equity funding legislation being enacted in September.

The move into IPOs puts Equitise in competition with OnMarket Bookbuilds, which has been operating in the space since 2013, but Equitise co-founder Chris Gilbert believes they can co-exist.

“There is space for two players in the market and the platforms operate very differently. We have the diversification to private equity as well, which will keep being a big part of what we do,” he said.

“There’s been a few deals on both platforms and there would be a lot of crossover with the database distribution, but … our investors are probably looking for more speculative investments with higher risk, while there’s more stockbroking types on OnMarket.”

The platforms still face some resistance from traditional investment banking firms, but increasingly more are working with the start-ups to access retail investors.

Equitise has developed good relationships with Taylor Collison and Canaccord Genuity and Mr Gilbert said conversations were progressing with Morgans and Shaw and Partners.

To read more, please click on the link below…

Source: Crowdfunding platform Equitise to offer access to IPOs | afr.com