NeuroStreet's Multimillion-Dollar Digital Raise

May 8, 2024

Case Study: NeuroStreet's Multimillion-Dollar Digital Raise

In the challenging financial landscape of early 2023, marked by the crypto winter and the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, NeuroStreet, a fintech trading platform and educational ecosystem, successfully raised millions of dollars from accredited investors, using DealMaker technology to power their raise. This case study explores how NeuroStreet leveraged DealMaker's platform to streamline its process amidst adverse market conditions.

Company Background

NeuroStreet is a fintech company built on a combined 50+ years of trading technology expertise. It offers a comprehensive suite of services, including trading platforms, educational tools, and cutting-edge trading software. The portfolio includes TickBlaze, ARC-AI., NeuroStreet Trading Academy, and CryptoStreet Academy, each contributing to a robust ecosystem for traders and investors.

The Challenge

Like many tech companies, NeuroStreet faced a significant challenge in 2023: amid rapid growth, it needed to raise capital to fund strategic acquisitions and scale operations. The problem, of course, is that 2023 was one of the most difficult capital-raising climates in recent history, with VC deal counts plummeting to their lowest levels in nearly a decade. Traditional funding avenues were incredibly constrained, and investor confidence was shaky due to ongoing financial uncertainties.

“We had our minds set on an expansion and a vision for where we were going… We just knew we had to do it no matter what. And we knew it was challenging. We knew that every place we talked to was closing their doors. They were not lending. There weren’t checks being cut at that time.” – Sean Kozak, founder and CEO of NeuroStreet

The Solution

The NeuroStreet team decided to take matters into their own hands with a self-hosted digital raise powered by DealMaker technology. Kozak and his team opted to raise capital via Reg D 506(b) — an exemption that allows companies to raise an unlimited amount of capital from accredited investors, but does not allow general solicitation (i.e. advertising the raise). As major players in the capital markets, the NeuroStreet team had a deep Rolodex of high-value contacts they knew would be interested in their offering.

Sean Kozak highlighted the importance of investor relations, noting, "If an investor sees the progress updates, if the investor sees the milestones accomplished, even the negatives...that way, they trust you, they believe in what you’re doing. And that’s important."

Results

NeuroStreet successfully raised its Series A in just over six months—a remarkable achievement given the market conditions. The capital raised enabled the company to complete its strategic acquisition of TickBlaze, a powerful hybrid trading platform founded by Daniel Tochner—a key move Kozak says will give NeuroStreet a significant edge over competitors.

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Key Success Factors

Robust Platform Selection

Choosing DealMaker for its robust features and compliance capabilities was crucial. The platform's efficiency and ease of use allowed the NeuroStreet team to get their raise up and running in less than a week.

“Get DealMaker, everybody watching this, because it’s the best out there. Just a little plug because I’ve researched every platform in the business. It was easy. It’s fast. Their team got me up and running in seven days or less.”

Creative Financial Solutions

NeuroStreet facilitated investment through self-directed retirement accounts in the US and Canada, making it easier for investors to commit funds without triggering taxable events.

Investor Engagement

NeuroStreet's proactive approach to engaging with its community and maintaining clear, consistent communication before, during, and after the raise played a pivotal role in its success.

“You never want to lose sight of that emotional connection with people’s money... We do a quarterly Zoom. We have in our roadmap monthly emails and quarterly Zoom calls with everybody. And it's been very well received. In fact, I've never had a negative email from an investor since we closed the raise. Never had anything but praise. Most people are just super impressed by the way we organize it. We keep it clean, keep it simple, keep it consistent, because it has to be regular. That way, they trust you. They believe in what you’re doing. And that’s important… When you keep your current investors happy, you have an asset there that's untapped.”

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Conclusion

NeuroStreet's successful capital raise during one of the most challenging periods for fintech funding demonstrates the power of strategic planning, excellent investor relations, and the effective use of technology. NeuroStreet is an inspiring example for other fintech companies facing similar challenges, showcasing how the right tools and strategies can overcome significant capital-raising obstacles.

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Video Interview with Sean Kozak

Monogram Case Study - DealMaker (Embed)

When VCs said no, Monogram turned to retail investors. That decision powered their rise from startup to publicly traded company—and even helped them raise an additional $13M privately after their Nasdaq debut.

The Challenge: Raising Capital on Their Terms

The Challenge: Raising on Their Terms

Monogram Technologies was founded with a bold vision: to revolutionize orthopedic surgery with a robotic joint replacement system using custom 3D-printed joints. The market for this technology is massive—approximately $19.6 billion, with over 1 million knee replacements per year. But it's a capital-intensive, regulation-heavy space—and traditional VCs weren't biting.

Instead of compromising, co-founders Dr. Doug Unis and Ben Sexson went all-in on a different path: retail capital. Why?

Control and ownership: Not only were they able to raise the capital they needed to grow the business—they did it on their own terms.
Long-term asset: They wanted to build an army of true believers who wanted to see the company succeed and would continue to reinvest over the years.
A value-add network: Raising from retail allowed Monogram to amass a waiting list of thousands of patients eager to participate in future trials.
Aligned incentives: Their mission to improve patient outcomes and build a better future for those struggling with joint pain resonated with retail investors.

The Power of Retail: Monogram's Capital Journey

Start Date	End Date	Type	Platform	Amount Raised	# Investors
3/13/19	3/31/20	A+	SeedInvest	$14,588,668	6,000
11/16/20	1/16/21	A+	StartEngine	$2,965,501	8,000
1/17/21	2/18/22	A+	StartEngine	$23,647,853	14,082
7/15/22	3/16/23	CF	DealMaker	$4,673,000	2,249
3/1/23	4/8/23	A+	Republic	$232,275	120
3/1/23	5/23/23	A+	DealMaker	$15,958,364	5,198
5/18/23	-	Nasdaq listing
7/24	10/24	Unit Offering	DealMaker	$12,990,103	2,745

Monogram Capital Raise Timeline

Monogram's first direct-to-investor raise was a $14.6M round in 2019. Since then, Monogram has raised retail capital six additional times, using Reg A+ as a springboard to a Nasdaq listing in 2023.

Each raise brought in new believers—and more importantly, kept bringing them back. That's the long-term power of retail capital. It's not just one campaign—it's a compounding asset that grows with the business.

$80M+

Raised across seven campaigns

~40,000

Investors championing Monogram's vision

20%

Of each raise came from previous investors

Marketing Excellence

DealMaker Reach provided strategic investor acquisition services, helping Monogram connect with the right audience through high-impact channels.

Premium Publications

Targeted campaigns in premium publications like Morning Brew captured qualified investors

High-Engagement Webinars

Engaging events that generated over $4.3 million in investments

Community Building

Strategic approaches that fostered a loyal shareholder base

Investment Momentum

Innovative approaches that amplified investment momentum

Monogram's Journey to Success

Monogram's journey has been defined by relentless innovation, strategic fundraising, and breakthrough advancements in robotic-assisted joint replacement. From early-stage research to a Nasdaq listing and beyond, Monogram's milestones reflect its evolution into a pioneering force in orthopedic surgery:

Filed its first patent application in 2017
Conducted clinical studies at UCLA and University of Nebraska
Expanded the team with key hires
Attracted a top-tier advisory board to guide clinical innovations
Signed their first distribution partnerships
Made headlines with cutting-edge live demonstrations
Secured 501(k) FDA clearance for the mBôs surgical system

Nasdaq Debut & Beyond

In May 2023, Monogram Orthopaedics successfully listed on the Nasdaq—a significant milestone offering liquidity and growth opportunities for the company.

For most companies, that would be the end of their story in the private markets. But for Monogram, it was just the beginning of a new chapter.

Public perception says you can't raise privately post-IPO. Monogram proved that wrong.

Defying conventional fundraising norms, Monogram raised an additional $13 million from private investors, powered by DealMaker. This move highlighted the power of a dedicated investor community and provided additional strategic growth capital. Meanwhile, strategic digital marketing for the private offering helped boost the public share price—a win-win for the company and its investors, both public and private.

This was retail capital at its best: strategic, repeatable, and aligned.

One vision. Zero compromises.

This wasn't a one-time raise. It was a multi-year capital strategy.

Retail capital helped Monogram:

Go from concept to commercialization without relying on VCs
Retain ownership and control in a high-burn industry
Build a base of loyal shareholders who invested not once, but over and over again
Uplist to the Nasdaq, and still keep raising post-IPO

This is what makes retail capital different. It doesn't expire—it compounds. And DealMaker is built to maximize that long-term value.

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