Companisto
{{Short description|Equity-based crowdfunding website}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Companisto GmbH
| logo = Companisto.png
| logo_caption =
| image =
| image_caption =
| trading_name =
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| romanized_name =
| former type =
| type = Private
| industry = Financial services
| foundation = Berlin, Germany ({{Start date|2012|06}})
| founder =
| defunct =
| location_city = Berlin
| location_country = Germany
| locations = 2
| area_served =
| key_people = David Rhotert and Tamo Zwinge, CEO
| products = Venture capital
| num_employees = 57
| num_employees_year = 2019
| homepage = {{url|http://companisto.com}}
}}
Companisto is a German equity-based crowdfunding website. It allows investors to invest in startup companies. In return, they become shareholders and are entitled to a share of any profits, as well as potentially benefiting from an exit.
{{As of |2019}}, Companisto had over 150.000 investors from 92 countries. It was Germany's largest network for investments in start-ups and growth companies.{{cite web|author=Erin Hobey |url=http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2015/10/75370-seeking-industry-transparency-companisto-publishes-its-equity-crowdfunding-performance-data-focusing-on-germany-austria-and-switzerland |title=Seeking Industry Transparency, Companisto Publishes Its Equity Crowdfunding Performance Data, Focusing on Germany, Austria and Switzerland | Crowdfund Insider |publisher=Crowdfundinsider.com |date=2015-10-06 |access-date=2017-12-29}}{{cite web|url=http://www.presseportal.de/pm/106768/3128076 |title=3 Jahre Crowdinvesting: Erstmals werden Performance-Daten veröffentlicht | Pressemitteilung Companisto |publisher=Presseportal.de |access-date=2017-12-29}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d8fx4i5d5vqcf8c/AAB8lK5lQe5fEo7SuSGjDj1Oa?dl=0|title=Dropbox - Error|website=Dropbox|accessdate=20 February 2022}}
History
Companisto was founded by the lawyers David Rhotert and Tamo Zwinge in June 2012, in Berlin. Companisto investors funded 18 startups in the first twelve months.{{cite web|url=https://www.companisto.de/view-all-startups |title=Start-ups | Choose Your Start-up | Companisto Start-ups |publisher=Companisto.de |access-date=2014-03-13}} As of April 10, 2014, 29 startups were funded with a collective amount of 5 Million € by investors from 47 different countries.{{cite web|url=https://www.companisto.com/en/news/companisto-launches-pan-european-platform-for-equity-based-crowdfunding-article-501 |title=Companisto Launches Pan-European Platform for Equity-based Crowdfunding |publisher=Companisto.com |date=2014-03-09 |access-date=2014-03-13}}{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisoncoleman/2014/03/10/germanys-powers-of-innovation-turn-to-crowd-funding/2/ |title=Germany's Powers Of Innovation Turn To Crowdfunding |work=Forbes |access-date=2014-03-13}}{{cite web|author=Andreas Riedel |url=https://www.companisto.com |title=Crowdfunding für Startups |publisher=Companisto |date=2013-01-17 |access-date=2017-12-29}}
In July, 2014 Weissenhaus raised 1.2 Million € in first 3.5 days in Europe's first ever real estate crowdfunding.{{cite tweet|user=BerlinVC|author=Nikolas Samios|number=490175240019116032|date=18 July 2014|title=#weissenhaus raised 1.2M€ in first 3.5 days in Europe's first ever real estate crowdfunding via @companisto @CoopHQ}}{{cite web|author=Samantha Hurst |url=http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2014/07/45065-weissenhaus-grand-village-spa-raises-over-e1-7m-on-compansito |title=Weissenhaus Grand Village & Spa raises over €1.7m on Compansito | Crowdfund Insider |publisher=Crowdfundinsider.com |date=2014-07-24 |access-date=2017-12-29}} In August, 2014 it reached 4 Million €, making it the biggest crowdinvesting in Europe.{{cite web|url=https://www.companisto.com/en/news/weissenhaus-stellt-europarekord-im-crowdinvesting-auf-startup-article-686 |title=WEISSENHAUS Sets New European Crowdfunding Record |publisher=Companisto.com |date=2014-08-28 |access-date=2017-12-29}}{{cite web |url=http://blogs.wsj.de/wsj-tech/2014/08/27/crowdfunding-europarekord |title=Companisto: Luxus-Hotel stellt neuen Europa-Rekord beim Crowdfunding auf - WSJ Tech - WSJ |access-date=2015-07-02 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703074508/http://blogs.wsj.de/wsj-tech/2014/08/27/crowdfunding-europarekord/ |archive-date=2015-07-03 }} Since March, 2014, the English-language site has allowed submissions from any business based in Europe, and investments from anywhere in the world.{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/gigaom/articles/2014_03_10_german_crowdfunding_platform_companisto_expands_across_europe.html|title=German crowdfunding platform Companisto expands across Europe|author=David Meyer|publisher=money.cnn.com|access-date=2014-03-16}} In April, 2014, Companisto opened an office in Zurich, Switzerland.{{cite news | url=http://www.mittelstand-nachrichten.de/unternehmen/internationale-crowdinvestingplattform-companisto-eroeffnet-office-20140403.html | title=Internationale Crowdinvesting-Plattform Companisto eröffnet Office | work=Mittelstand Nachrichten | date=April 3, 2014 | access-date=April 3, 2014 | author=Haselbach, Ann-Christin | language=de}}{{cite web|url=https://www.companisto.com/de/news/companisto-er%C3%B6ffnet-office-in-z%C3%BCrich-article-537 |title=Companisto eröffnet Office in Zürich - Crowdinvesting |publisher=Companisto.com |date=2014-04-10 |access-date=2017-12-29}}
In December 2015 Companisto exceeded €25M in funding,{{cite web|author=Erin Hobey |url=http://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2015/12/78453-companisto-exceeds-e25m-milestone-exemplifies-growing-crowdfunding-sector |title=Companisto Exceeds €25M, Milestone Exemplifies Growing Crowdfunding Sector | Crowdfund Insider |publisher=Crowdfundinsider.com |date=2015-12-08 |access-date=2017-12-29}} in December 2016 Companisto exceeded $36M in funding{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}, in Mai 2018 Companisto exceeded €50M in funding.{{Cite web|url=https://gruender.wiwo.de/companisto-plattform-fuer-crowdinvesment-knackt-marke-von-50-millionen-euro/|title=Companisto: Plattform für Crowdinvestment knackt Marke von 50 Millionen Euro|website=Gruender.wiwo.de|date=23 May 2018|access-date=20 February 2022}}
All Companisto supported Startups together created over 1200 new jobs.{{cite web|url=http://www.crowdfunding.de/interview-mit-tamo-zwinge-von-companisto |title="Der stärkste Sicherheitsmechanismus ist die Crowd" - Interview mit Companisto CEO Tamo Zwinge |website=Crowdfunding.de |date=2017-11-30 |access-date=2017-12-29}}{{cite web|author=Andreas Riedel |url=https://www.companisto.com/de |title=Crowdfunding für Startups |publisher=Companisto |date=2013-01-17 |access-date=2017-12-29}}
Companisto is market leader in D-A-CH (Germany, Austria and Switzerland).{{Cite web|url=https://www.companisto.com/de|title=Eigenkapital-Investments in Startups|website=Companisto.com|access-date=20 February 2022}}
In March 2019 Companisto announced Equity Investment, meaning that investors can now become real company shareholders. Investors are no longer limited to €10,000 and total investment is no longer limited to $2.4 million.{{Cite web |url=https://www.companisto.com/download_eigenkapital.php?file=pitch-deck |title=Archived copy |access-date=2019-03-06 |archive-date=2019-03-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306235227/https://www.companisto.com/download_eigenkapital.php?file=pitch-deck |url-status=dead }}
As of April 2025, 404 startups were funded with a collective amount of 276 Million €.
References
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