Groundfloor, the award-winning alternative investment platform with over $1 billion in investment and repayment volume, is announcing it’s been named to the 2024 Forbes Fintech 50. This prestigious award highlights 50 companies that are changing how people invest, save and spend. Forbes recognized Groundfloor for its many first-to-market alternative investment products, the industry-leading transparency it offers to investors and its unique approach to fundraising. Groundfloor is only one of two companies featured in the real estate category and the only company on the list from Georgia.
“We’re excited to be recognized with this distinction,” said co-founder and CEO Brian Dally. “Similar to public market securities over the past 50 years, retail investor adoption of alternative investments, enabled by a new wave of regulatory and technology innovation, is now reshaping portfolios and capital markets for the better. Groundfloor’s product offerings continue to expand in scale and scope to open more opportunities for more investors, more rapidly than ever before.”
Groundfloor’s journey began in 2013, when Dally and his co-founder Nick Bhargava dreamed up the idea of creating a private capital marketplace open to everyone, not just the one percent. Bhargava helped author Title III of the JOBS Act of 2012, designed to allow more small businesses to access capital. The two picked up and moved to Atlanta because of the Invest Georgia Exemption, which liberalized securities regulations conducted within the state. Dally and Bhargava entered unchartered territory, and for the first time ever, Groundfloor packaged real estate debt securities for fractional participation by the general public. The first offering created $2 million in loans in Georgia alone, demonstrating the demand for fractionalized, alternative real estate investing.
With an idea that no company had ever tried before, Groundfloor then became the very first company qualified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to offer real estate debt investments for both accredited and non-accredited audiences, eventually expanding investment opportunities to all 50 states.
Today, Groundfloor remains true to its mission of leveling the playing field so everyone can benefit from the unique advantages of fractionalized private market investing. In fact, to this day, anyone can still invest in most Groundfloor offerings with as little as $10. Many other companies emerged to mimic what Groundfloor accomplished, but none have generated consistent, short-term, 10% returns over a ten-year track record.
Last year marked another year of growth and innovation for Groundfloor despite high interest rates and housing market headwinds. The company launched multiple new products providing investors more options to invest in real estate backed alternatives. As a result of these product launches, including the Groundfloor 3.0 auto-investing app, the company grew year-over-year revenue by 25 percent. To date, Groundfloor has now surpassed $1.3 billion in retail investment volume and $1.1 billion in investor repayments, underscoring the continued appeal of fractionalized real estate investing.
Groundfloor is also known for its unique approach to fundraising. The company has raised more than $34 million in equity funding with the majority being from public stock sales to its own customers. Groundfloor is proudly 31 percent customer-owned, ensuring the company remains focused on delivering value for its 7,100+ shareholders, free from the outside influences that have caused many fintech startups to falter.
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