Companisto
Companisto is a Berlin-based digital business angel network and equity crowdfunding platform that enables DACH-region private investors to co-invest in startups from €250, with an Angel Club tier for investments above €10,000 and a proprietary secondary market for share trading.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM type—
- Offering—
What Companisto does
Companisto is a Berlin-based digital business angel network and equity crowdfunding platform, organized as Companisto GmbH and founded in 2011. The company operates a two-sided investment marketplace targeting the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), enabling private retail investors to participate in startup and growth-stage equity rounds from €250 and providing a premium Angel Club tier for financially strong investors committing €10,000 or more. As of the latest data, the platform reports 189,791 registered investors (Companists), 4,500+ Business Angels, 488 completed financing rounds, and €369.9M in cumulative investment commitments across 308+ funded startups. The business is managed by Founding Partner and Managing Director Tamo Zwinge (LL.M.) and Co-Founder David Rhotert, with Partner and Head of Investment Christoph Schweizer overseeing deal flow.
The platform's technology stack centers on a proprietary web and mobile (iOS, Android, Huawei) investment interface with a fully digitized participation workflow — from identity verification through SEPA direct debit (via secupay), Klarna instant transfer, credit card, and Giropay, to digital contract execution. A differentiating technical component is the proprietary Secondary Market, launched in May 2022, which allows investors to trade startup shares (GmbH shares, stocks, profit participation certificates, participatory subordinated loans, sub-participations) outside of financing rounds via chat-based price negotiation, addressing the structural liquidity gap in equity crowdfunding. Supporting products include a Securities Account (Depot), Investor Academy, Helpers Community, podcast, and affiliate program (via financeAds). The company operates under German regulatory supervision: Companisto GmbH holds a GewO § 34f financial investment broker permit (register D-F-107-R98V-66), and subsidiary Companisto Wertpapier GmbH is BaFin-registered as a bound broker (register 80164077) acting under Effecta GmbH liability.
Companisto generates revenue primarily through transaction commissions charged to startups on successful equity crowdfunding raises, supplemented by secondary-market transaction fees and Angel Club subscription economics. The platform's value proposition rests on democratized access to curated deal flow (€250 minimum), an active investor community with networking and education offerings, and demonstrable proof points including BigRep's 2024 IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Ticker: B1GR), KoRo as the largest platform exit to date, HERO Software's €40M Series B, and the record €8M DiaMonTech round co-invested with Samsung in 2025 — recognized by the ECCL 2025 study as the largest single equity crowdfunding round in the EU.
Companisto firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Companisto
- Legal name
- Companisto GmbH
- Website
- https://companisto.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Companisto is a Berlin-based digital business angel network and equity crowdfunding platform that enables DACH-region private investors to co-invest in startups from €250, with an Angel Club tier for investments above €10,000 and a proprietary secondary market for share trading.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Companisto industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Media Buying Agencies (541830)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Business-for-Sale Marketplaces & Listing Platforms (FSAEAIAK)
Keywords
Where Companisto is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Companisto business model
Business modelRevenue model
- Commission from Startups: Companisto charges a commission to equity crowdfunding projects (startups) for facilitating investments on the platform. The commission is payable upon successful completion of a participation purchase.
- Angel Club Membership: Tiered investment platform with higher minimum investment (€10,000+) for the Angel Club, providing premium services including live video conferencing with founders, detailed investment analysis, and network access.
- Secondary Market Trading: Platform fee for facilitating share trading on the secondary market, where buyers and sellers negotiate prices and execute transactions through the platform.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Investment - Minimum €250 |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Angel Club - Minimum €10,000 |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Startup Commission on Funded Deals |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
Companisto product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Companisto is a digital business angel network and equity crowdfunding platform that enables private investors to participate in startup and growth company investments starting at €250, alongside a premium Angel Club tier requiring minimum investments of €10,000. The platform also operates a proprietary Secondary Market that allows investors to buy and sell startup shares independently of financing rounds, with chat-based negotiation supporting GmbH shares, stocks, profit participation certificates, and participatory subordinated loans.
Product overview
Companisto is a digital business angel network and equity crowdfunding platform that enables private investors to participate in startup and growth company investments. The platform operates under a dual-model architecture: the core Companisto Network allows investments starting at €250 for retail investors, while the Angel Club (a premium tier) targets professional investors with minimum investments of €10,000. The ecosystem includes a Secondary Market for share trading, an Investor Academy for education, a Helpers Community for engagement, and a mobile application for on-the-go access. The platform has facilitated over 415 financing rounds and is recognized as the highest-volume equity crowdfunding platform in the European Union according to the ECCL 2025 study.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- €369.9 million in total investment commitments facilitated
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Companisto
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Companisto technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Feature2 records
Companisto partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Companisto Wertpapier GmbHcoreSister company and contractually bound broker under Effecta GmbH, registered with BaFin (register number 80164077), handling securities brokerage on the Companisto platform. Data sharing agreement for investor registration and investment services.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Companisto competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WiSEED: France's leading equity crowdfunding platform, regulated under ECSP. Comparable business model with focus on retail-investor access to French and European growth-stage startups.
- Wefunder: Leading US equity crowdfunding platform under Regulation Crowdfunding, focused on retail-investor access to startup equity. Comparable mission and product structure though geographically distinct.
- Seedrs: UK-headquartered pan-European equity crowdfunding platform with secondary market (Seedrs Secondary Market). Most direct competitor in functionality, regulatory profile, and target market (European growth startups and retail investors).
- Crowdcube: UK's largest equity crowdfunding platform, merged with Seedrs in 2024 to form a major European player. Operates with FCA regulation, comparable business model, and similar retail/professional investor targeting.
- SeedBlink: European equity crowdfunding platform headquartered in Romania, focused on tech startups across CEE and Western Europe. Operates under ECSP regulation; comparable deal-flow model targeting growth-stage tech founders.
- Republic: US-based equity and investment crowdfunding platform operating across multiple asset classes (startups, real estate, crypto, gaming). Closest US peer in multi-tier investor model and platform breadth.
- Funderbeam: Estonia-based platform providing secondary market trading for private company shares globally. Closest peer to Companisto's secondary market offering; overlaps in liquidity-infrastructure thesis.
- Invesdor: Nordic equity crowdfunding and investment platform with operations across Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Comparable model and target segment (growth-stage Nordic and Northern European startups).
- StartEngine: US equity crowdfunding platform that has raised over $1B for hundreds of companies. Operates Reg CF and Reg A+ offerings; direct competitor in the same equity-crowdfunding category with strong institutional credibility.
Regional players
- Bettervest: German impact crowdfunding platform focused on energy efficiency and sustainability projects. German regional peer in regulatory environment and target audience, though focused on debt-based impact investments rather than equity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Companisto social profiles
Digital presenceCompanisto compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Companisto financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Companisto leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Companisto subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Companisto funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Companisto M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments29 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Companisto
What does Companisto do?
Companisto is a digital business angel network and equity crowdfunding platform that enables private investors to participate in startup and growth company investments starting at €250, alongside a premium Angel Club tier requiring minimum investments of €10,000. The platform also operates a proprietary Secondary Market that allows investors to buy and sell startup shares independently of financing rounds, with chat-based negotiation supporting GmbH shares, stocks, profit participation certificates, and participatory subordinated loans.
Is Companisto a public or private company?
Companisto is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Companisto founded?
Companisto was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Companisto based?
Companisto is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Companisto make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commission from Startups are the primary driver. The others are angel Club Membership and secondary Market Trading.
Who are Companisto's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WiSEED, Wefunder, Seedrs, Crowdcube, SeedBlink, Republic, Funderbeam, Invesdor and StartEngine. Bettervest is listed as a regional player.
Does Companisto have an API?
No public API is recorded for Companisto.
What industry is Companisto in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAEAIAK, Business-for-Sale Marketplaces & Listing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 541830.