Frequently asked questions
What is PIN?
PIN is a platform that allows you to invest in startups with your community. Whether that’s your friends from school, your co-workers, or any other group of people who wish to invest together, PIN offers all the tools (legal, admin, tax) you need to do so seamlessly.PIN stands for power in numbers, because the community is what enables every individual to get into the best deals they can, together. (Clever, we know 😏)
How does PIN work?
- First, speak to a PIN team member and make sure it’s a good mutual fit. Sign up for our waitlist or reach out to contact@getpin.xyz to schedule.
- Once approved, a leader from your team will fill out a short 5-10 minute survey.
- PIN kickstarts all the admin work on your behalf - registering entities, opening your bank account, getting fund documents for members together, etc.
- PIN will set up a portal for your community, who can be invited via email with a single click.- After your community is signed up, PIN turns everything over to you to start investing.
- Once approved, a leader from your team will fill out a short 5-10 minute survey.
- PIN kickstarts all the admin work on your behalf - registering entities, opening your bank account, getting fund documents for members together, etc.
- PIN will set up a portal for your community, who can be invited via email with a single click.- After your community is signed up, PIN turns everything over to you to start investing.
How is PIN different than other group investing platforms?
We genuinely believe PIN is the best way for 99% of people (aka people who are not professional VCs/angels, of which we have many as well) to invest in startups and are really proud of our product.
The below are a set of abbreviated highlights, but happy to share more once we learn more details about your personal situation.Some of the highlights:
We make it easy to invest and do all admin we legally can. PIN was born from our hatred of doing admin work for the investment communities we started, so we are our own customer and empathize with how boring most of this admin work is. PIN automates all of it (legal, tax, admin) so you can focus on the fun stuff - aka investing.
We leverage community in a way no one else does. 60% of deals are sourced from community members + there’s a 90% win-rate in competitive deals among our communities. We attribute this to our platform making it simple for founders to take investment (just like they would from an angel/VC) & because founders see the value-add of having communities on their cap table instead of just individuals and VCs.
Our product can support smaller AUM. Most of our clubs are in the $500k-$8m range, which is a lot of money but small compared to traditional funds. Traditional fund administrators are expensive and typically don’t support smaller AUM.
The below are a set of abbreviated highlights, but happy to share more once we learn more details about your personal situation.Some of the highlights:
We make it easy to invest and do all admin we legally can. PIN was born from our hatred of doing admin work for the investment communities we started, so we are our own customer and empathize with how boring most of this admin work is. PIN automates all of it (legal, tax, admin) so you can focus on the fun stuff - aka investing.
We leverage community in a way no one else does. 60% of deals are sourced from community members + there’s a 90% win-rate in competitive deals among our communities. We attribute this to our platform making it simple for founders to take investment (just like they would from an angel/VC) & because founders see the value-add of having communities on their cap table instead of just individuals and VCs.
Our product can support smaller AUM. Most of our clubs are in the $500k-$8m range, which is a lot of money but small compared to traditional funds. Traditional fund administrators are expensive and typically don’t support smaller AUM.
What are the benefits of starting an investment club?
Sign up for a demo below and our team will reach out to schedule a time with you.
How do I contact customer support?
Please reach out to our team at contact@getpin.xyz and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
Can leaders earn carry and fees?
Yes!
I can invest on my own - why should I start an investment club?
PIN stands for power in numbers — clever, we know 😏. Clubs have exceptionally high (90%+) win rates and tend to see more competitive deals than any individual. Founders also love having communities on their cap table because it serves value add that traditional investors can’t (beta testing, social media boosting, a broad network for hiring/sales, and more).
Being part of an investment club is also fun. Many of our members cite “building friendships and professional relationships” and “education/learning about new industries or technologies” as reasons they joined an investment group via PIN.
Being part of an investment club is also fun. Many of our members cite “building friendships and professional relationships” and “education/learning about new industries or technologies” as reasons they joined an investment group via PIN.
How do I know if me/my community are a good fit?
We have a variety of groups on PIN, including company alum investing in startups together, founder groups investing in one another, creators and their subscribers/community members, university alum groups, venture capital firms building scout programs, and more. They share qualities like:
- they’re investing in startups (unfortunately we don’t support real estate, for example, right now)
- they expect 20-500+ people to participate and collectively invest $250k+
- they’re a tight-knit group of people who either a) share a focus - i.e. they want to invest in climatetech startups or all seed stage startup or alum from [X] institution; or b) know each other personally (family/friends who have similar interests)
- they’re investing in startups (unfortunately we don’t support real estate, for example, right now)
- they expect 20-500+ people to participate and collectively invest $250k+
- they’re a tight-knit group of people who either a) share a focus - i.e. they want to invest in climatetech startups or all seed stage startup or alum from [X] institution; or b) know each other personally (family/friends who have similar interests)
What's the minimum investment for an individual member?
Every club leadership team sets their own minimum. Via PIN, the minimum is $3,000. In select cases, we can accommodate smaller checks.
How big is the average investment group on PIN?
It depends, but we typically see a range of $500k - $10M. We can accommodate smaller groups in select cases - please reach out to contact@getpin.xyz if you’re not sure if PIN can accommodate your group.
Are your products/services compatible with different operating systems?
Yes! PIN is a fully functional web app that can be used in browser and on your phone. No app or special software is required.
How can I create an account/reset my password?
Most people receive invitations from their club’s leaders in order to sign up. Look out for an email from Team PIN with the subject line “You've been invited to join a new club!”. You can also create an account here — PIN uses magic links via email sign you in.
Bring your investment community to life with PIN
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