Republic

Republic is an equity crowdfunding platform founded in 2016 by Kendrick Nguyen and Paul Menchov, both alumni of AngelList. It operates under Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF), Regulation A+, and Regulation D exemptions, allowing non-accredited retail investors to back early-stage startups — a privilege once reserved for accredited investors only. The platform has hosted campaigns from over 1,000 companies across tech, consumer brands, gaming, real estate, and crypto, and has facilitated over $2 billion in total investment commitments across its ecosystem (verify current figure at republic.co).

Republic differentiates itself through its Republic Note, a crypto-based profit-sharing instrument tied to platform revenue, and its international expansion into markets including Europe and the Middle East. Unlike Wefunder or StartEngine, Republic applies selective editorial curation — accepting roughly 5–10% of applicant companies — which gives the deal flow a more venture-curated feel. However, investors should be clear-eyed: the vast majority of startups fail, secondary markets for these shares are extremely limited, and typical holding periods run 7–10 years with no guarantee of a liquidity event.