17 Startup Companies You Can Invest In Today
Last week, I told you that my colleague Joseph Hogue had just put the finishing touches on his new book about investing in innovative startup companies before they go public. Joseph is one of the foremost experts in what’s known as “pre-IPO investing” through the relatively new form of online crowdfunding.
I also explained how we are extending a special offer to StreetAuthority readers who want to get their hands on Joseph’s new book. (To read that article, go here.) For newcomers, I won’t be spending much time going over the basics of how this works today. Frankly, we’ve covered this topic extensively and I don’t want to get too much into the weeds. Suffice it to say, as we’ve pointed out many, many times before, we think pre-IPO crowdfunding represents one of the absolute best chances to make the kinds of life-changing returns every regular investor has always dreamed about.
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So today, I want to give you a taste of some of the kinds of deals that are out there. Using Joseph’s Disruptor Deals & Cool Concepts research in his premium newsletter, Pre-IPO Millionaire, for guidance, I’ve compiled a list of some of the fascinating and innovative startup companies that are open for investment. (This is one of the many regular features members of Joseph’s service are entitled to — the next edition comes out next Wednesday and will feature about 27 new deals.)
#-ad_banner-#Before we get to the list, however, please keep in mind that this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the options that are available. (None of these should be taken as concrete recommendations; to get Joseph’s advice you’ll have to subscribe to his newsletter.) As Joseph points out to readers, these startups represent some of the most innovative ideas for new businesses that America’s entrepreneurs have to offer. Some of these deals will pay out 10 to 20 times the original capital of early investors. Others will return some or all of those initial investments, while many will likely go bust.
How do you tell the difference? That’s where Pre-IPO Millionaire comes into play. Each month, Joseph and his team do an extensive analysis of a deal Joseph believes could return 1,000% or more. That’s why we like to say it’s like having a venture capital firm working for you. So as you peruse the list below remember that if one or more of these deals strikes your fancy, we highly recommend you check out Joseph’s new book and consider joining Pre-IPO Millionaire before trying out this new form of investing.
Now let’s take a look at just a few of the deals that are out there and the platforms where they can be found…
| Texas Zebo Deal Highlights |
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| — Raising up to $500,000 through a Promissory Note on MicroVentures; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $250. |
Texas Zebo is the holding company for Halcyon and Stella. Halcyon is a coffeehouse by day and a laid-back lounge by night. Stella serves Napolitano style pizzas. Net operating income has grown 14% year over year and is expected to continue to grow as the company launches two new locations in 2017. Texas Zebo is in the late stage of business development.
| Barber Surgeons Guild Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $500,000 in its seed round through a Crowd Note on SeedInvest; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $500; men’s grooming market is estimated at $21 billion. |
Barber Surgeons Guild is a community of men’s grooming professionals who specialize in hair restoration. Still in the early stages of business development, the startup has generated over $1 million in revenue to date, and the co-founder of the company is an expert in growing successful startups, having sold three companies since 2014. (For more information, see the Disruptor Deals and Cool Concepts section of my January update.)
| Traveling Spoon Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $300,000 in its seed round through a Convertible Note (20% conversion discount) on SeedInvest; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $500; $6 million valuation cap. |
| — Notable investors include the former CEO of Expedia, Erik Blachford. |
Traveling Spoon helps connect travelers with locals to provide private and authentic food experiences. The company is in the late stage of development and has an established presence in 29 countries and 60 cities. Recent partnerships with Expedia (Nasdaq: EXPE) and Viator have helped scale customer acquisition. (For more information, see the Disruptor Deals and Cool Concepts section of my December issue.)
| Keen Home Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Accepting reservations for a Preferred Equity offer on SeedInvest; Regulation A investment. |
Keen Home capitalizes on the growth of the Internet of Things. The company has debuted the world’s first smarthome air vent. Smart Vents Systems have secured distribution pipelines including over 500 Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) and 95 Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) stores. Following the founders’ appearance on the television show Shark Tank, they have partnered with the Herjavec Group.
| LiquidPiston Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million through a Convertible Note on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $1,000; $25 million valuation cap. |
| — Notable investors include Bob Stearns, the former CTO of Compaq. |
LiquidPiston is determined to improve on the combustion engine. Its “X” rotary engine is 5-10x smaller and lighter than diesel. These advances in efficiency and diminished CO2 footprint could revolutionize electric vehicles, and the $460 billion addressable market presents an attractive opportunity for investors.
| Hawaii Cider Co. Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million through a Convertible Note on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $100; $7 million valuation cap. |
Hawaii Cider Co. produces cider from the abundance of locally grown tropical fruit that never makes it to the market. The company’s original brand Hawaiian Ola has been growing 100% year over year in the energy drink space. With this round of funding the company will be expanding into the wine and beer category.
| Monkey Rum Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million through a Future Equity offer on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $100; $8 million valuation cap. |
| — Ian Crystal, CEO, is a 20 year veteran in the beverage industry, and the former head of marketing for Malibu and Absolut. |
Monkey Rum crafts a portfolio of barrel aged premium rums aged in the Caribbean. Packaged in the world’s first bottle designed to be converted into glassware, Monkey Rum aims to fill the void between bottom shelf “default” rums and the premium competitors. The company earned $528,797 in first year sales in just four U.S. states. Management plans to expand to much of the rest of the country in 2017.
| Tradeshow Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million through a Convertible Note on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $100; $12 million valuation cap. |
| — Notable investors include David Anthony from Goldman Sachs. |
Tradeshow is a platform for fans to view conventions and tradeshows virtually. Previously, selective conventions like Comic-Con were only accessible to those who could afford the travel, but with partnerships with major brands, Tradeshow is bringing these events straight to your home. Their concept and technology has been patented and they have contracts with celebrities such as Stan Lee.
| South Austin Brewery Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million through a Revenue Share offer on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $100. |
South Austin Brewery makes the award winning Evel Ale and Evel Knievel Beer along with a variety of other brews. The company managed to double their sales from 2014 to 2015 and is on track to do the same in 2017. With plans to expand nationally and then internationally, South Austin Brewery hopes to capitalize on the $22 billion (and growing) craft beer market.
| MobileSpike Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $388k through a Future Equity offer on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $100; $5 million valuation cap. |
MobileSpike hopes to be the solution to reducing the number of accidents resulting from police chases through their newest technology. 22 states have already expressed interest in their product and the firm has multiple patents issued.
| The Speakeasy Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $550k through a Revenue Share offer on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $100; investors paid with 2% of gross revenues until principal and an additional 100% (150% for first $100k invested) is returned. |
The Speakeasy is a uniquely immersive theatrical production that’s part nightclub and part stage show. The 35 interlocking storylines take visitors through an authentically recreated Prohibition-era saloon. The show sold out in five weeks for their first performance. The first production in 2014 generated a 56% return for investors. With its new location, Speakeasy will be able to host larger audiences for their riveting shows and provide investors with equally riveting returns.
| Motoroso Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million through a Future Equity offer on Wefunder; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $300; $5 million valuation cap. |
Motoroso is an interactive platform built to cater to car and motorcycle fans. It provides visual searches and hosts videos and how-to’s from a variety of brands and service providers, including more than 350 official brand profiles. The company has plans to incorporate a marketplace to sell products and services on the website.
| XY Findables Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $10 million by selling Class A common stock at $1/share in a Regulation A offering on StartEngine; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $350; $14 million valuation. |
Have you ever had trouble finding your keys, wallet, or phone? XY Findables is set out to solve that problem with its wearable GSP tracker to help you locate misplaced personal items. The company generated $1.5 million in sales in 2015, and has sold more than 100,000 units. The trackers are already available online and in stores around the country.
| InGen Dynamics Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $1 million by selling Common Stock at $1.41 per share on StartEngine; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $141; $12 million pre-money valuation. |
InGen Dynamics is the creator of the Aido home robot. The ultimate goal of the company is to make advanced robots that are useful and affordable. InGen has three functional prototypes and more than $800,000 in pre-orders. Aido is designed to play with children, help with household chores and schedules, and aid your home’s security.
| RED Mountain Resort Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Reserving investors on StartEngine; open to all investors. |
| — Regulation A crowdfunding. |
RED Mountain Resort is a ski resort in the West Kootenays of British Columbia. The company is striving to stay independent in the face of an increasingly consolidated market, where 40 resorts are owned by just 3 companies. The resort is made up of 5 mountains and some 2,877 acres of lift-serviced skiing. The new Josie Hotel at the base of the mountain is on schedule to be open in time for the 2017-2018 season.
| The Italian Café Deal Highlights |
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| — Raising up to $1 million selling Debentures on CrowdSource Funded; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $2,000; 8% coupon, 10 year maturity. |
The Italian Café is an Illinois-based restaurant series LLC that also operates in-house slot machines. Each series operates as an autonomous entity, and The Italian Café negotiates a sub-lease with the restaurant operator to make profit. With 5 slot machines, many establishments have more than doubled their net income from their restaurant operation.
| VG SmartGlass Deal Highlights |
|---|
| — Raising up to $400,000 by selling Common Stock at $5,555.60/share on CrowdSource Funded; open to all investors. |
| — Minimum investment $5,555.60; $5,555,596 valuation. |
VG SmartGlass technology allows users to adjust their glass windows from clear to dark for privacy, glare, and energy control. The company currently has stable revenue streams via licensees in Europe and Japan, as well as an established supply chain for mass production. VG SmartGlass is seeking capital to build a sales pipeline in North America to service demand from various top architects.
Remember, this is just a small sample of the deals that are available. There are many more that Joseph and his team have listed within his premium newsletter, Pre-IPO Millionaire. In fact, chances are good that Joseph’s next recommendation could come from this list.
If you want to keep up with Joseph’s pre-IPO research and recommendations, I invite you to click here.