EquityZen
Online trading marketplace
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
EquityZen is an online marketplace for trading pre-IPO employee shares from privately held companies.[1][2] The platform often links employees from private companies with investors who would not otherwise be able to invest in the company prior to an IPO.[3][4] It is based in Manhattan's Flatiron District.[5]
Shriram Bhashyam
Phil Haslett
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial technology, Investment |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Atish Davda Shriram Bhashyam Phil Haslett |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Atish Davda (CEO) |
| Products | Secondary Market |
| Services | Electronic trading platform Online marketplace |
| Owner | Morgan Stanley |
| Website | equityzen |
On January 27, 2026, Morgan Stanley announced that it had completed its purchase of the company.[6]
History
EquityZen was founded in 2013 by Atish Davda, Shriram Bhashyam and Phil Haslett in New York City.[1][7][8] From its outset, the firm was designed to allow employees of private companies to sell their equity to accredited investors.[4][9]
It started out as part of the 500 Startups accelerator program in the fall of 2013.[10][11] EquityZen received seed funding in January 2014[12] and as of September 2015 had raised Series A funding from undisclosed investors.[13][14]
It has raised $6.5 million in outside financing, including a $3M injection in 2017 led by Tim Draper's Draper Associates.[15] The financial technology firm was mentioned in the 2015 Forbes' Fintech 50 list.[16]
In January 2026, three months after agreeing to buy EquityZen,[17] it was reported that Morgan Stanley had completed the transaction.
Service
EquityZen operates a marketplace in which employee shareholders in private companies can make their equity available to outside investors. In addition to traditional share transfers, EquityZen introduced a new offering in the private shares market by working with the issuer to register a transfer of shares so employees and early investors can sell a portion of shares for cash without having to wait until an IPO or acquisition.[1][18][19] The firm works exclusively with companies that have already raised capital from large, institutional investors.[3] Companies need to have at least $50 million in enterprise value to be listed on the marketplace.[20] The minimum investment amount for investors is $20,000.[3]
Financial Advisors, who manage capital on behalf of others, invest their clients' capital through the platform.[21] Investors outside of the US have invested in private companies.[22][23] EquityZen has transacted in over half of the largest 25 private Venture Capital-backed companies, such as prominent companies including Lyft, Evernote, and AppNexus.[1][24][25]