THE INVESTOR’S READING LIST
Understand more. Assume less.
Practical guides to the people, structures, costs and risks behind a pre-IPO offer. Start with the question you are trying to answer.
5 MIN READVerify the seller
How to check the person behind the pitch
Separate the identity of a real professional from the identity of the person contacting you.
Read the guide
6 MIN READUnderstand the structure
Direct shares, SPVs and funds: what do you own?
The name in the pitch may be different from the legal entity on your subscription agreement.
Read the guide4 MIN READProtect the payment
The checks to make before you wire money
Use a deliberate pause between receiving payment instructions and authorizing a transfer.
Read the guide5 MIN READKnow the risks
A real investment can still be the wrong investment
Checking for deception is only the beginning. Evaluate the economics and your ability to withstand a loss.
Read the guide
4 MIN READPrepare for a conversation
12 questions for a private-markets conversation
Bring a short, specific agenda to an adviser before you discuss access to any investment.
Read the guide3 MIN READIf money has moved
After a suspected scam: avoid being targeted again
A second promise can arrive when you are most eager for a solution.
Read the guideKEEP LEARNING
The wider IPO journey.
Explore our existing library of IPO basics, company research and market-structure guides.
17 guides & checklists
Verify the seller
How to check the person behind the pitch
Separate the identity of a real professional from the identity of the person contacting you.
Read & use the checklistUnderstand the structure
Direct shares, SPVs and funds: what do you own?
The name in the pitch may be different from the legal entity on your subscription agreement.
Read & use the checklistProtect the payment
The checks to make before you wire money
Use a deliberate pause between receiving payment instructions and authorizing a transfer.
Read & use the checklistKnow the risks
A real investment can still be the wrong investment
Checking for deception is only the beginning. Evaluate the economics and your ability to withstand a loss.
Read & use the checklistPrepare for a conversation
12 questions for a private-markets conversation
Bring a short, specific agenda to an adviser before you discuss access to any investment.
Read & use the checklistIf money has moved
After a suspected scam: avoid being targeted again
A second promise can arrive when you are most eager for a solution.
Read & use the checklistIPO basics
What an IPO actually means
Understand the change from private ownership to a public offering—and what that change does and does not tell you.
Read & use the checklistGoing public
Three routes to the public market
Traditional IPOs, direct listings, and SPAC combinations reach public markets through different transactions.
Read & use the checklistGoing public
From preparation to first trade
Follow the major milestones without treating a filing, price range, or expected date as a completed IPO.
Read & use the checklistResearch
Read an S-1 with a purpose
Find the company’s own disclosures and turn a long prospectus into focused research questions.
Read & use the checklistAccess and pricing
Offer price, allocations, and your order
Learn why an IPO allocation and a purchase after trading begins can produce very different entry prices.
Read & use the checklistAfter listing
What can happen after listing
The first trading day begins a longer period of price discovery, reporting, and possible ownership changes.
Read & use the checklistPrivate markets
What you own before an IPO
Company shares, fund interests, and future interests are different investments with different rights and exit limits.
Read & use the checklistInvestor safety
Check the pitch before the promise
Use independent records and written terms to investigate claims of privileged access to an IPO or private company.
Read & use the checklistInvestor protection
When a pre-IPO pitch should make you pause
A claim of exclusivity deserves scrutiny, especially when it comes with pressure or unusually certain outcomes. Stop to verify before sending money.
Read & use the checklistCounterparty checks
Verify the people and entities in the transaction
Make a simple map of the parties involved. Understanding each legal entity’s role helps expose missing information and directs questions to the right place.
Read & use the checklistReporting resources
What to organize when you suspect a problem
If you think funds or account access may be at risk, act promptly. Keep a clear factual record and use official channels rather than an unverified recovery service.
Read & use the checklistINTERESTED, BUT WANT TO BE CAREFUL?
Bring your questions.
Take a more informed next step.
Tell us what you are exploring. The site team can respond to your questions and discuss next steps, including whether a professional introduction would be helpful.
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