Whoop has become one of the most popular fitness trackers in recent years, with its ability to provide comprehensive health metrics and insights for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. As Whoop continues rapid growth and expands its user base, many investors are interested in investing in this promising company. There are several effective ways for retail investors to get exposure to Whoop stock before its expected IPO. This article will explore 3 main options: investing in private equity, buying shares from employees and investors via equity trading platforms, and investing in Whoop competitors that are already publicly traded.
Invest in Whoop through private equity platforms
One way for individual investors to gain pre-IPO exposure to Whoop is through private equity platforms such as EquityZen, SharesPost, and Forge Global. These platforms allow accredited investors to purchase shares directly from employees and early investors in private companies like Whoop. The minimum investment is often between $10,000 to $25,000. You can browse available Whoop shares and request more information on valuation and risks. The downside is that private equity investing requires accreditation and has lower liquidity. But it allows direct ownership in Whoop stock.
Participate in Whoop employee stock sales
Another option is to purchase vested Whoop stock directly from employees through private stock trading platforms. Sites like EquityBee, EquityZen, and SharesPost facilitate these secondary sales. Employees who have been granted stock options can exercise those options early and sell a portion to investors. You can see what Whoop employees are selling, how many shares are available, price per share, and exercise your purchase online. Individual share lots can be as low as $100. This allows a more accessible way to buy Whoop stock, but again requires accreditation and has lower liquidity until their IPO.
Invest in public competitors
For non-accredited investors, the easiest way to invest in the fitness tracking space is to buy stock of Whoop’s public competitors. Companies like Apple, Garmin, Fitbit, and Peleton provide similar devices and services. While not a direct investment in Whoop, buying shares of these competitors allows exposure to the growing fitness tech sector. For example, buying Apple stock provides exposure to the Apple Watch fitness features. You can invest any amount you want through regular online brokerage accounts. These public stocks provide better liquidity prior to a Whoop IPO.
In summary, accredited investors can consider private equity platforms or direct employee stock purchases to invest in Whoop before its IPO. Non-accredited investors can look to public competitors for fitness tech exposure. With Whoop’s rapid growth and innovative service model, its expected IPO will provide more investment opportunities.