TLDR
- Robinhood plans to launch a fund that will allow U.S. retail investors to invest in private, pre-IPO companies.
- The new fund, Robinhood Ventures Fund I, aims to provide access to investment opportunities traditionally available to wealthy individuals and institutions.
- Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev emphasized that the fund will democratize access to private company investments.
- The fund will hold investments long-term, including through IPOs, and will invest across a variety of sectors.
- Robinhood has filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to register the fund’s shares for a public offering.
Robinhood Markets Inc. has announced its plans to launch a new fund that will offer U.S. retail investors the chance to invest in private, pre-IPO companies. The fund, called Robinhood Ventures Fund I, aims to democratize access to private investments that have traditionally been reserved for wealthy individuals and institutions.
Robinhood Fund Allows Retail Investors Into Private Market
Robinhood plans to make private company investments accessible to retail investors. Vlad Tenev, Robinhood’s CEO, emphasized the importance of this move.
“For decades, wealthy people and institutions have invested in private companies while retail investors have been unfairly locked out,” Tenev said.
The Robinhood Ventures Fund I will allow everyday investors to participate in opportunities that were once reserved for the elite.
Robinhood previously introduced tokenized shares in the European Union, offering retail investors a way to buy stocks in private companies like OpenAI and SpaceX. This new U.S.-focused fund will hold investments for the long term, from IPO to beyond. It will invest across various sectors, seeking to provide a diversified portfolio to its investors.
Private Companies Surpass $10 Trillion in Value
The number of publicly-traded companies in the U.S. has dropped significantly in recent years. The total number of publicly-listed companies has decreased from about 7,000 in 2000 to approximately 4,000 in 2024. At the same time, the number of private companies has grown, with the combined value of U.S. private firms surpassing $10 trillion, according to Robinhood’s statement.
This shift in the market has made private companies more appealing to investors. Robinhood aims to give retail investors the same opportunities that wealthy individuals and institutions have enjoyed for years. By creating Robinhood Ventures Fund I, the company looks to tap into this growing market of private companies.
To proceed with the launch, Robinhood has filed an initial registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company seeks approval to offer shares of the Robinhood Ventures Fund I publicly. Robinhood intends to list the fund on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol RVI.
