New platform connects listed companies with investors

A NEW peer-to-peer platform connecting listed companies with investors has launched, aiming to open up private fundraisings to a larger investor base.

I-Dealcorp officially launched in December and its mobile site went live late last month. The online platform connects junior-listed companies, such as those on London’s Aim, with institutional and sophisticated investors.

“Private and institutional investors don’t always get invited to private equity or debt placings – it’s an invite-only club and you need a lot of knowledge and contacts,” Luca Tenuta (pictured), chief executive of I-Dealcorp, told Peer-to-Peer Finance News. “This opens things up.”

Tenuta, a former Credit Suisse banker, says that the London-based firm does not need to be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as it is a “communications platform”.

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It creates a space where companies looking to raise money can connect with investors, but does not take a commission or advise on deals. Instead, it hopes to make money by charging the publicly-listed companies a £3,000 annual subscription fee, with a half-price introductory offer.

Certified investors can log on to the site using their LinkedIn accounts and scroll through various criteria to choose the deal they want. Publicly-listed companies must be verified by two separate administrators in order to register. Then the two parties will exchange emails, remaining anonymous until the point of confirmation.

It is down to the investor and the company to decide whether to go ahead with the transaction, so there is no minimum deal size.

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