An introduction to the role of a Forge private market specialist

The private market offers a wealth of potential opportunities for individual accredited investors and institutions alike—including access to high-growth companies, diversification beyond the public market and the potential to invest in disruptive innovation at an early stage. Yet, with those opportunities come complexity, opacity and risk. While most Forge platform users will opt to use the platform’s self-directed functionality, a Forge private market specialist can potentially play a helpful role in an investment journey when their expertise is needed.

Getting started with Forge

One of the great things about the Forge marketpace is that, when you sign up for a free Forge account and explore you have the opportunity to self-discover a treasure trove of private market knowledge with the click of a few buttons. From Forge’s FAQs to its proprietary data insights, including Forge Price™, a wealth of helpful, curated information awaits platform users.

However, some platform users that are new to private market investing may seek additional guidance and expertise from a Forge private market specialist.

What is a Forge private market specialist?

A Forge private market specialist (specialist) is a Forge employee that has years of experience brokering—buying and selling—private securities. In the private market, they help facilitate secondary transactions—guiding investors that are engaged in complex private share transactions. They act as an intermediary in private market transactions, providing enhanced guidance throughout the private share trading process(es).

Why work with a Forge specialist?

Investors that submit a bid over $500k will be presented with the following message:

which invites them to work with a Forge specialist. Also, you can always proactively request help from a specialist by emailing [email protected].

There are several ways that a Forge specialist can help you with the complexities of the private market.

1. Navigating greater complexity with subject matter expertise

Private market investing may involve complex, unique structures, counterparty risk and other nuanced liquidity constraints. Forge specialists bring their subject matter expertise to help investors make sense of these and other variables when there is heightened complexity in transactions. Whether it’s reviewing the potentially confusing elements of share transfer restrictions or understanding the implications of a company’s cap table, Forge’s specialists have significant experience helping clients navigate complex decisions with clarity.

And, while Forge specialists do not provide financial advice, their expertise is especially valuable for accredited investors facing complex transactions who may not have the legal or financial advisory teams that institutional investors rely on. Also, institutional investors, themselves, may want a ‘second set of expert eyes’ from a Forge specialist to help them better evaluate opportunities.

2. Regulatory know-how and transactional guidance

The private market is governed by a complex regulatory framework. Some Forge platform users may already be familiar with Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and U.S. Securities and Exchange (SEC) regulations.

For those needing additional guidance, Forge offers specialists who are required to follow strict regulatory compliance protocols. Their regulatory know-how can potentially offer investors greater awareness of what is entailed in private market transactions.

3. An additional human touch in a digitally enabled marketplace

Forge is known for its cutting-edge platform that an array of self-directed users take advantage of. But Forge specialists can add something technology alone cannot—hyper-personalization. While Forge’s data and dashboards can inform and empower self-directed users, our specialists’ expertise can contextualize market trends, help people weigh intangible factors and further tailor investment approaches to a client’s individual goals and risk profile. Forge specialists understand the nuanced dynamics of pre-IPO companies, the motivations of sellers and buyers, and the timing considerations that come into play. They can help investors avoid common pitfalls and potentially capitalize on promising opportunities.

Forge fees: Explained

When Forge specialists facilitate transactions in the private market, they do so in a highly regulated environment that can often be complex.

The following is a breakdown of potential Forge fees when a specialist is engaged:

For standard secondary transactions, Forge provides transparent and flexible fees, as low as 0% in some instances. The Forge transaction fee for direct secondaries is typically between 2-4%.

Several factors influence the exact fee:

• Transaction size – Larger trades may qualify for lower fees.
• Market dynamics – Supply and demand fluctuations can impact pricing.
• Client relationship – Clients with significant lifetime transaction volume may receive discounted pricing.

In some cases, investments may take on a more complex structure, such as private fund transactions. Due to the complexity and additional administrative requirements of these structures, fees for these types of transactions may be higher than direct secondary trades, and additional fees may be imposed by the fund manager.

Forge is committed to fee transparency by eliminating unnecessary costs for clients. Accordingly, it should be noted that there are:

• No fees to create an account – Signing up is completely free.
• No fees to access the marketplace – Eligible users can explore opportunities without incurring costs.
• No upfront membership or subscription fees – Unlike some platforms that require prepayment, Forge does not charge ongoing membership fees.
• No hidden platform charges – Forge only gets paid when a transaction is successfully completed.
• No fees for unsuccessful transactions – If the transaction is unsuccessful for whatever reason, Forge does not charge a fee.

Making the private market more accessible

As private market investing becomes a more mainstream component of wealth management and is increasingly self-directed, the role of a Forge specialist can still be important.

By combining their guidance, subject matter expertise and personalized support, Forge specialists help investors participate in the private market with enhanced sophistication. Whether you're a family office, fund manager or individual accredited investor seeking greater guidance, a Forge specialist can serve as your partner on the path to private market opportunities.

To learn how you can take advantage of Forge’s marketplace and specialists, create your Forge account today.