Fidelity Private Shares’ Post

One thing we increasingly see with our Family Office investors is that they want to build real capability and knowledge in venture, not just allocate capital and wait for updates. That means understanding the markets they’re investing in, tracking portfolios properly, and having better information when decisions need to be made. As part of working with us, our investors get access to the same infrastructure we use ourselves: • Our market insights platform covering developments across fintech and financial infrastructure • Our proprietary portfolio management and deal-tracking system • Regular visibility into new opportunities we’re seeing • Direct access to the founders building companies in the portfolio Some investors simply use this to stay close to what we’re doing. Others have started using the tools to manage parts of their wider investment portfolios as well. Over time the relationship becomes much more collaborative and we think that ultimately leads to better investment decisions on both sides.

Good company. Complicated IPO. Know the difference 💸 . . . . . . . The subsidiaries are solid. The holding company's working capital is negative LKR 5.4 billion. Both things are true, and only one of them is in the pitch deck. If you want to make an informed decision before investing your hard-earned money, I've compiled a report using Anthropic's AI model Claude, consisting of all the important information you should be aware of. Click the link below to access it for FREE. https://lnkd.in/giTrU77a Please Note: This is not financial advice. All investment decisions are made solely by the individual based on their own analysis and risk tolerance.

In my previous post, I discussed when a business truly requires CFO-level thinking. One key moment that highlights this need is after a company raises capital. While raising funds is often celebrated as a significant milestone for a growing business, the reality is that the real discipline begins once the money arrives. The headlines may celebrate the raise, and the valuation becomes a focal point, but from a finance perspective, the essential questions start to emerge: • How long will the runway truly last? • Are we deploying capital toward sustainable growth? • Is expansion driven by strategy or optimism? • Are we measuring return on capital — or simply spending it? This is where CFO-level thinking becomes vital. It is not just about raising funds, but ensuring those funds translate into: – disciplined capital allocation – financial visibility – sustainable scaling – investor confidence Capital is not merely fuel for growth; it is a responsibility. I invite founders and investors to share their experiences: what do you find more challenging, raising capital or deploying it wisely?

With Edward Jones Ventures, we're focused on investing in technologies that help more people across the communities we serve achieve financial fulfillment.     Ramneek Gupta, Founder of Pruven Capital, offered his thoughts on expanding access to top-tier financial products, services and solutions. #financialfullment

Given our LP base of the leading incumbents from Asset Mgt/Wealth Mgt/Retirement and Insurance ecosystem, it is only natural that we are very focused on making the future of Wealth Management a reality in partnership with our LPs and amazing partners like Edward Jones. At Pruven Capital we believe the future of Wealth Management will enable access to solutions/services available only to the 1%, to the 99% thru the use of AI/Tech - making the dream of "Bespoke for All" a reality... Some companies we have backed, incubated, invested in that are enabling this future include: - Accrual where we have partnered with Cosmin Nicolaescu and Edward Jones, General Catalyst to bring the highest end tax planning and filing services to all thru the creation of a individual/SMB focused Big 5th national tax firm - Brillian which we incubated with Charlie Oshman, Greg Robinson and the Edward jones ventures team to enable SMB specific solutions delivered thru the wealth manager chassis to SMB owners. Their tag line is literally - For the Fortune 5 million - Contabilizei founded by Vitor T. in brazil, that is enabling every SMB there to have the equivalent of a dedicated finance and CFO and tax dept as a service If you are building towards this future state, come talk to the Pruven team - Travis Skelly, Sudip Chakrabarti, Brian Quinn, Jared Moberg, Zsombor Vincze

For a long time I have wrestled with this: Who benefits from capitalism? Capitalist (owners) directly and society in general (prices driven down). Who doesn't benefit? Employees that get replaced by technology.  If only there was a way that the average Joe could benefit diretly from capititalism. They could start their own business (about 10% do).   Then I got to thinking, duh...that's what public stock is. Fractional ownership in what captains of industry built. Now everybody is pulling in the same direction: reduce jobs with technology to improve profit margins.  

Investors: if you are finding yourself sending long prompts around within your team when you analyse your companies, there is a better way! :D * I heard this so many times now, so I just had to share it

Every private equity deal has a clock running. Delaying investment in marketing and sales infrastructure doesn’t preserve optionality. It burns time. By the time issues surface, the runway is already shortened. Early clarity around positioning, ideal customers, and revenue mechanics creates leverage later in the hold period and allows teams to scale instead of scramble. Speed of execution matters, but speed of learning matters more.

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management has worked to build the industry's leading platform in sourcing and providing access to direct investment opportunities in private markets. I'm referring to idiosyncratic investment opportunities to acquire direct stakes in individual private companies. As you know, many of today's companies stay private longer with more of their valuation created while private. As a result, the private markets landscape has evolved into a fast-growing source of potential investment opportunities - and one we shouldn't ignore. You may have seen the recent news about Morgan Stanley's acquisition of EquityZen, a leading marketplace for pre-IPO investments. We are thrilled EquityZen has joined the Morgan Stanley family, making it easier than ever for you to access private markets. As the private markets landscape continues to evolve, we want to bring you more ways to explore a broader set of opportunities. Whether you are interested in buying limited partner interest in private companies or exploring liquidity for private shares you already own, our EquityZen platform can help open doors to new possibilities: - Private shares trading at your fingertips - Experience an easy, intuitive interface to help you navigate private markets with confidence - Lower investment minimums - Select offerings are available with minimums as low as $5,000. Plus, you can now get access with competitive transaction fees - Diversification - Adding private company investments to a portfolio offers a unique avenue for diversification Visit EquityZen.com to learn more and get started.

Before raising capital, structure matters more than valuation. A founder recently approached Expand Systems while preparing for investor conversations. The focus was clear: “How do we raise at the best valuation?” But the real question was different. 👉 “Is the company structured to scale after funding?” Here’s what we worked through: • Defining an appropriate ESOP pool upfront (before dilution) • Aligning ownership between founder, team, and future investors • Creating a clean cap table that investors can trust • Ensuring incentives support long-term value creation • Avoiding last-minute restructuring during funding Most founders focus on valuation. But investors look closely at: Ownership clarity Incentive alignment Future dilution impact Leadership retention A well-designed ESOP and capital structure does two things: Attracts the right investors Protects the company’s long-term value The best time to fix structure is before you raise capital — not during negotiations. Expand Systems works with founders to design capital structures and ESOP frameworks that support both growth and investor confidence.