Things to know before
you invest
Review these general guidelines for crowd investing.
Risk note: while Republic’s team diligently and carefully screens all startups, we do not give any investing advice or assume responsibility for your losses. It is your responsibility to pick the companies you believe in. Republic does not and cannot recommend or endorse any company or offering. You should not invest unless you can afford to lose your entire investment—your investment won't be liquid or freely tradeable, so it is important to invest what you are comfortable losing.
Investing is risky and many investments are likely to lose value over time. While you can earn big, never invest more than you're comfortable losing and never expect future liquidity or the right to a return.
Please review our terms of service.
Invest for the long term
Set realistic expectations: there is no way to know how long an investment
could take to become valuable or sellable.
Diversify
Spread your investments across multiple companies and asset classes
to diversify financial risk.
Do your own research
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All companies that raise on Republic provide fundraising documents to the SEC. You can always find more information about each company, including voluntary amendments to their Form C and Form D filings, if you follow the Form C link on their campaign page or search the SEC’s EDGAR database.
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Review risk disclosures in the risks section of each company’s campaign page.
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Review comments and questions, and participate in the discussion forum for each campaign you are interested in.
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Pay close attention to any disclosed dealings between the company and its investors, officers, directors, employees or founders.
Review the deal terms
Review the terms of each deal carefully, including rights associated with the offered securities. You generally will not have the same rights as earlier investors or accredited investors (including voting and information rights).
See also: understanding deal terms.
Understand your rights
As an investor in a crowdfunding offering, you will likely have fewer rights than other investors. For example, Crowd SAFE holders typically do not have any information or voting rights and Token DPA holders can never own part of the issuing company. Your rights may vary company to company and it’s important that you review and understand them before you invest.
See also: How Crowd SAFE Works.
Know that:
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Startup investing is risky!
While some startups succeed and can bring substantial upsides to investors, most will fail. Read about the financial risks.
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Past performance does not guarantee future success
Just because a founder has had success with a prior company doesn't mean he or she will succeed with their current startup.
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Startups change plans constantly
And they generally don't need your permission to do so. Plans and forecasts are not predictions of the future.
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Your stake might be diluted
As a company raises money, the ownership interest of each past investor will be diluted. Crypto issuers may decide to mint or expand their token allocations. Be aware your stake may not be set.
Last but not least:
Invest in companies you love
Invest in a startup because you love their mission, product or service, not just for potential profit or return.
