Brian King, CEO of LODAS Markets: $8.5 Million Raised to Power the Future of Alternative Investments

2023-04-27

Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Brian King, CEO of LODAS Markets, a marketplace for alternative investments that has raised $8.5 Million in funding. Here are the most interesting points from our conversation: Background in Marketplaces: Brian's extensive experience includes being part of the startup team for Bats Markets and launching Bats Europe, which is now the largest exchange in Europe.

Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:

Background in Marketplaces: Brian's extensive experience includes being part of the startup team for Bats Markets and launching Bats Europe, which is now the largest exchange in Europe.
Inspiration for LODAS Markets: The idea for LODAS Markets stemmed from observing family and friends trapped in illiquid investments, motivating Brian to create a more liquid marketplace for alternative investments.
Initial Traction: LODAS Markets has attracted significant buy-side interest, with over $1-$2 billion represented in the marketplace from institutional investors such as insurance companies, hedge funds, and PE firms.
Overcoming Marketplace Challenges: Balancing the chicken-and-egg dilemma of attracting both buyers and sellers was a major challenge, which the company overcame by leveraging relationships with financial advisors and creating top-of-funnel strategies.
Competitive Landscape: LODAS Markets faces limited competition in creating secondary markets for private real estate and private funds, distinguishing itself as an ATS (Alternative Trading System) functioning like a stock exchange for real estate.
Vision for the Future: Brian envisions a future where alternative investments are interconnected through technology, making it easier for investors of all kinds to access and thrive in this market.

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