Every investor (“Investor”) should be aware that an investment in a single company or multiple companies on Republic platform (each, a “Issuer” or “Startup”) involves a high degree of risk, regardless of any assurance provided by the Issuer. There can be no assurance that (i) any information or projection by the Issuer has been validate or is reliable, (ii) an Issuer will achieve its business plan, or (iii) an Investor will receive a return of any part of its investment. The following considerations, among others, should be carefully evaluated before making an investment in an Issuer through its offering on Republic.
Investments in Startups involve a high degree of risk. Financial and operating risks confronting Startups are significant. While targeted returns should reflect the perceived level of risk in any investment situation, such returns may never be realized and/or may not be adequate to compensate an Investor for risks taken. Loss of an Investor’s entire investment is possible and can easily occur. Moreover, the timing of any return on investment is highly uncertain.
The Startup market is highly competitive and the percentage of companies that survive and prosper is small. Startup investments often experience unexpected problems in the areas of product development, manufacturing, marketing, financing, and general management, among others, which frequently cannot be solved. In addition, Startups may require substantial amounts of financing, which may not be available through institutional private placements, the public markets or otherwise.
The value of an Investor’s investment in Startups may be susceptible to factors affecting the relevant industry and/or to greater risk than an investment in a vehicle that invests in a broader range of securities. Some of the many specific risks faced by such Startups include:
The success of any investment activity is determined to some degree by general economic conditions. The availability, unavailability, or hindered operation of external credit markets, equity markets and other economic systems which an individual Startup may depend upon to achieve its objectives may have a significant negative impact on a Startup’s operations and profitability. The stability and sustainability of growth in global economies may be impacted by terrorism, acts of war or a variety of other unpredictable events. There can be no assurance that such markets and economic systems will be available or will be available as anticipated or needed for an investment in a Startup to be successful.
The past performance of a Startup or its management is not predictive of a Startup’s future results. There can be no assurance that targeted results will be achieved. Loss of principal is possible, and even likely, on any given investment.
It is enormously difficult to determine objective values for any Startup. In addition to the difficulty of determining the magnitude of the risks applicable to a given Startup and the likelihood that a given Startup’s business will be a success, there generally will be no readily available market for a Startup’s equity securities, and hence, an Investor’s investments will be difficult to value.
A significant portion of an Investor’s investments will represent minority stakes in privately held companies. An Investor’s shares in a Startup may be non-voting shares. Even with voting shares, as is the case with minority holdings in general, such minority stakes will have neither the control characteristics of majority stakes nor the valuation premiums accorded majority or controlling stakes. Investors will be reliant on the existing management and board of directors of such companies, which may include representatives of other financial investors with whom the Investor is not affiliated and whose interests may conflict with the interests of the Investor.
The Investor may not be able to obtain all information it would want regarding a particular Startup, on a timely basis or at all. It is possible that the Investor may not be aware on a timely basis of material adverse changes that have occurred with respect to certain of its investments. As a result of these difficulties, as well as other uncertainties, an Investor may not have accurate information about a Startup’s current value.
After an Investor has invested in a Startup, continued development and marketing of the Startup’s products or services, or administrative, legal, regulatory or other needs, may require that it obtain additional financing. In particular, Startups generally have substantial capital needs that are typically funded over several stages of investment. Such additional financing may not be available on favorable terms, or at all.
An Investor’s investments will generally be private, illiquid holdings. As such, there will be no public markets for the securities held by the Investor, and no readily available liquidity mechanism at any particular time for any of the investments.
There is no assurance that a Startup will comply with all requirements mandated by federal laws permitting private company to fundraise from retail investors on a Title III crowdfunding portal such as Republic, whether before, during or after its offering on Republic.
There are many tax risks relating to investments in Startups are difficult to address and complicated. You should consult your tax advisor for information about the tax consequences of purchasing equity securities of a Startup.
The structure of any investment in a Startup may not be tax efficient for any particular Investor, and no Startup guarantees that any particular tax result will be achieved. In addition, tax reporting requirements may be imposed on Investors under the laws of the jurisdictions in which Investors are liable for taxation. Investors should consult their own professional advisors with respect to the tax consequences to them of an investment in a Startup under the laws of the jurisdictions in which the Investors and/or the Startup are liable for taxation.
A Startup may be a newly formed entity with little or no operating history. Each offering should be evaluated on the basis that the Startup’s business plan and projections may not prove accurate and that the Startup will not achieve its objective. Past performance of a Startup or its team is not predictive of future results.
Investors and employees in a Startup may have conflicting investment, tax, and other interests with respect to Startup ownership, which may arise from the structuring of the Startup or the timing of a sale of the Startup or other factors. As a consequence, decisions made by the Startup management on such matters may be more beneficial for some Investors than for others. Investors should be aware that Startup management tends to consider the investment and tax objective of its shareholders as a whole when making decisions on investment structure or timing of sale, and not the circumstances of any Investor individually.
Investors in a Startup will not make decisions with respect to the Startup’s business and affairs.
Certain information regarding the Startups will be highly confidential. Competitors may benefit from such information if it is ever made public, and that could result in adverse economic consequences to the Investors.
The information a Startups makes available to Investors may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. Forward-looking statements often include words such as "anticipates," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "intends," "plans," "believes" and words and terms of similar substance in connection with discussions of future operating or financial performance. Examples of forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: (i) the adequacy of a Startup’s funding to meet its future needs, (ii) the revenue and expenses expected over the life of the Startup, (iii) the market for a Startup’s goods or services, or (iv) other similar maters.
Each Startup’s forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions regarding the Startup’s business and performance, the economy and other future conditions and forecasts of future events, circumstances and results. As with any projection or forecast, forward-looking statements are inherently susceptible to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. The Startup’s actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied in its forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause the Startup’s actual results to differ materially from those in its forward-looking statements include government regulation, economic, strategic, political and social conditions and the following factors:
Any forward-looking statement made by a Startup speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Startups are under no obligation to, and generally expressly disclaim any obligation to, update or alter their forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, subsequent events or otherwise.
The foregoing risks do not purport to be a complete explanation of all the risks involved in acquiring equity or debt securities in a Startup. Each Investor is urged to seek its own independent legal and tax advice and read the relevant investment documents before making a determination whether to invest in a Startup through Republic.
Republic does not verify information provided by companies on this Portal and makes no assurance as to the completeness or accuracy of any such information. Additional information about companies fundraising on the Portal can be found by searching the EDGAR database.