- PRE-IPO provides exclusive opportunities to participate in the last financing rounds of mature growth companies before they go public
- Pre-IPO investing: quick returns on safer investments
Invest Securities (www.invest-securities.com), an independent investment banking and advisory group founded in 2001, unveils PRE-IPO (www.pre-ipo.com ), the first European crowdfunding platform for investments in equity and other securities that grants private investors unique opportunities to participate in the last financing rounds of unlistedgrowth companies a few months before they go public.
WebTV ITW of Jean-Emmanuel Vernay on www.labourseetlavie.com:
The website describing the concept will be available from November 20 to December 20, and will introduce PRE-IPO's first exclusive investment projects in cleantech, biotech, IT and e-Business companies.
The full version of the PRE-IPO platform will then officially open on January 26, 2016.
PRE-IPO introduces a new generation of equity crowdfunding, bringing four major innovations to investors and businesses:
- a short-term investment strategy,
- promising companies that have already completed the riskiest stages of their development,
- investments of up to 5 million euros to support ambitious companies,
- investments in all types of securities (shares, plain bonds, convertible bonds, bonds with warrants, preference shares).
From an investor's perspective, PRE-IPO is intended for individuals, business angels, family offices and investment funds that seekto invest at a lower price than the future IPO share price by seizing the opportunity to take part in the last financing round ofunlisted companies eligible for IPOs. The minimum investment amount is 2,500 euros. Most projects will be eligible for the PEA and PEA-SME, or investors will be entitled to tax benefits on wealth tax or income tax.
Investments made through the PRE-IPO platform are carried out in a secure environment: the platform was created by Invest Securities, an investment service provider regulated since 2001 by the French Prudential Supervisory Authority (Autorité decontrôle prudentiel et de résolution - ACPR) under the umbrella of the Banque de France.
"Whilst, up until now, only investment banks and their customers had access to investments in companies before their initial public offering, PRE-IPO makes them available to everyone. Investors will receive exclusive offers to participate in the last financing rounds of privately-owned companies about to make an IPO. We only select companies that we have previously flaggedas eligible for an IPO in the short term. These companies, which are carefully selected based on their business model, tangible and intangible assets, and the quality of their management team, are at an advanced development stage, so investing in them is less risky. Pre-IPO investments achieve a safer, higher and quicker return on investment, hopes of gains being boosted by the 'discount'on the future IPO share price. It's the best private equity has to offer!" said Jean-Emmanuel Vernay, CEO of Invest Securities.
From an issuer's standpoint, PRE-IPO is aimed at European companies with a plan to go public within the next 18 months andseeking to raise capital one last time before its IPO. The PRE-IPO platform will participate in this last financing round in the amount of up to 5 million euros, on its own or with professional investors.
"The European private equity market is currently in short supply of late-stage and cross-over funding capable of driving investments right before a company's IPO. PRE-IPO contributes to bridge this gap for the benefit of European businesses, venture capital funds and private equity funds," added Mr. Vernay.
As for finance professionals, PRE-IPO will work primarily with the Invest Securities Group, but not exclusively. The platform plansto attract other investment banks, listing sponsors and venture capital funds in Europe, all of which will be able to publicize theirmost promising pre-IPO projects. The platform will work with them exactly like a co-investment fund would, including through the selection, negotiation, due diligence and preparation of the financing round.
The success of these pre-IPO operations ultimately relies on the experience and skills of trading and corporate finance professionals: Invest Securities is a long-standing key player in the financing industry and the leader in SME IPOs in Europe, with a hundred IPOs completed in the past ten years.
About Invest Securities (www.invest-securities.com)
Invest Securities is an independent company whose 90 employees offer a wide range of investment banking and wealth management services through three dedicated entities:
- Invest Securities Corporate: a corporate finance advisory firm for listed companies, family businesses, financial institutions andinvestment funds in Europe and China;
- Invest Securities - Société de Bourse: an investment service provider with a European passport, regulated by the French Prudential Supervisory Authority (Autorité de contrôle prudentiel et de résolution - ACPR) under the umbrella of the Banque de France;
- Amplegest: a fund manager specialized in wealth and asset management for business owners and multi-family offices, regulatedby the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorité des marchés financiers - AMF).
