NEW YORK CITY      |      December 21, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time
Among the celebrated honorees at the recent 2022 Equity Crowdfunding Awards was Gerome Sapp and his sneaker investment platform Rares , which was recognized as the industry’s Fractional Platform of the Year. Rares is a social investing platform that allows users to invest in rare and high-quality sneakers by buying and trading shares in them. Fractionalized asset offerings—like shares in the sneakers offered by Rares—are a form of equity crowdfunding permitted under the securities laws. Instead of offering shares in a company or an entire business, fractionalized series offerors like Rares offer individual valuable assets, one after another, each in its own corporate structure. This allows investors to buy (and trade) a piece of a valuable asset rather than the whole thing. After world famous rapper Eminem collaborated with the Carhartt brand to release a limited run of Air Jordan 4s, for example, Rares purchased a pair for $22,000 and enabled its users to invest for just $8 per share. Sapp’s story and his rise to prominence in the equity crowdfunding world is an impressive tale of determination, commitment, and perseverance. Sapp is a former college and professional football star who studied at the Harvard Business School during the NFL offseason. He developed the idea of a sneaker investment marketplace that he knew would be of interest to sports fans, sneaker enthusiasts, and rising investors. But he had a hard time attracting investment capital to fund his business. He then heard about equity crowdfunding under the Regulation A+ exemption, an approach that allows issuers to raise up to $75 million per year, and decided to pursue that approach to funding his business. To help him navigate the complex legalities and logistics of fractionalized asset offerings, and to guide him through the process, Sapp turned to Dalmore Group —one of the nation’s leading broker dealers in the equity crowdfunding space. What emerged is Rares, a national leader in equity crowdfunding and a pioneer in the fractionalized sale of valuable assets. Sapp’s rise was not without difficulty. His pitch for Rares was initially rejected by 87 different investors before he turned to Dalmore and equity crowdfunding. “Many minorities and women never get the opportunity to pitch their amazing ideas, because they either don’t have the network or the network investors don’t take them seriously,” Sapp explained. “Equity crowdfunding helps solve those problems by creating a new investor network and directing investor focus on the business concept of an entrepreneur rather than on the entrepreneur’s race or gender.”
Throughout the crowdfunding process, Sapp relied heavily on Dalmore. “Dalmore’s broker-dealer business has been the backbone of every investment and every move we have made on the Rares platform,” Sapp said. “Just as important, [Dalmore Chairman] Etan Butler has always made himself available to answer our questions and to give us guidance on industry concepts and trends.”
Sapp also credits fractional investing with creating an environment of equality that had evaded him in earlier investor efforts. “Equity crowdfunding powered by Dalmore Group has allowed me to go back to the communities I grew up in and speak about investing and financial opportunity in a new and engaging way. Investing is no longer looked at as something for the rich man. We can all do it now—one share at a time.”
Dalmore Group is equally complimentary of Sapp: “Rares’ win at the Equity Crowdfunding Awards was satisfying on so many levels,” said Butler. “First, it is a credit to Gerome’s talent, passion, perseverance, and hard work. Second, it sends a message to every entrepreneur and business dreamer that good ideas and hard work will be recognized and rewarded. And third, it is a perfect example of how equity crowdfunding helps open doors for all, irrespective of race or gender. We at Dalmore are so proud and honored to support Gerome and many other hard-working entrepreneurs as they power their dreams with Reg A+ offerings.”
 
 
Rares is a social investing platform that lets users invest in rare and high value sneakers by buying and trading shares in them. Dreamed up in Texas, headquartered in Nevada, and represented nationally, Rares is the brainchild of former Notre Dame football standout and retired NFL athlete Gerome Sapp, who has long thought about ways to increase access and empower people to benefit economically based on cultures they create. Learn more about unique investment opportunities at rares.io . Dalmore Group specializes in helping companies raise capital online at scale through Regulations A+, CF, and D and has onboarded more than 280 Regulation A+ issuers and covered over 1 million Regulation A+ investments since 2019. Learn more about how Dalmore Group is leading the way for primary issuance and secondary market trading of private securities at dalmorefg.com and keep up to date on the latest company news and information through Dalmore’s LinkedIn .

Gerome Sapp and Rares Show How Equity Crowdfunding Provides Opportunity to Minority Entrepreneurs

CREDIT: Rares
You won't want to miss our (virtual) Global Outlook Conference April 26th HKT | April 27th EDT. Addressing the theme "Pain Points Persist," our expert panelists will highlight strategies to move forward with resilience. Rares, an alternative asset marketplace that allows users to buy fractional shares in high-end sneakers , finally introduced secondary trading Tuesday. When Gerome Sapp first launched Rares last year, the former NFL safety presented the platform as a way for sneaker lovers to “invest in the culture.” Secondary trading now allows those sneakerheads to sell their…
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Rares Opens Up Sneaker Investment Platform to Secondary Trading

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Rares is turning sneakers into investible assets (Image Courtesy of Rares)
November 02, 2021 10:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
LAS VEGAS--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Rares , the social investing platform and the first alternative asset marketplace exclusively for sneakers, is excited to announce today that on Saturday, November 6th, it will officially launch the IPO for the Nike Air Yeezy 1 prototype during this year’s ComplexCon convention in Long Beach, CA. Rares previously acquired the Air Yeezy prototype, for $1.8 million at a private auction. This set a new world record for the most expensive sneaker ever sold in a private sale . At ComplexCon, the yearly pop culture festival, Rares will feature the actual Yeezy shoe at a curated booth, along with other never-before-seen sneakers from its collection. Attendees will have front row access to some of the world’s most coveted sneakers, with a few pairs available via IPO. “As we continue our mission of turning sneakers into an investment asset class, it is important that the message and conversations are being had at culturally significant events such as ComplexCon,” says Gerome Sapp, Rares Co-Founder & CEO. Investors who wish to participate and buy shares can do so by heading to the Rares website or app and setting up a user profile. Users will then have a chance to fund their wallet for their stock purchase. “Funding your wallet in advance ensures that the funds are settled in your account by the time the IPO window opens,” explains Hector Tantoh, Rares Co-Founder and CMO. Launched in April of 2021, Rares has taken the concept of traditional investing and merged it with the highly sought-after sneaker market to create a one-of-a-kind platform where users can buy and sell shares of the highest valued sneakers in existence. Its goal is to financially empower the sneaker culture and its participants. The company recently announced a $4 million dollar seed round in funding , led by Mac Venture Capital. “We initially acquired the Yeezy shoe because of its importance in shaping sneaker culture as we know it today,” says Sapp. “We are now giving the masses and the people who made sneaker culture so valuable in the first place, a chance to own a piece of the culture, in a securitized asset vehicle. Prior to Rares and companies like us existing, most sneaker fans would be unable to participate in the potential financial upside of an iconic shoe like the Air Yeezy prototype.”
About Rares
Rares is an innovative social investing platform and alternative asset marketplace exclusively for sneakers. Regulated by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (S.E.C.) it provides a safe and secure environment for sneaker investors to buy and trade fractional ownership of extremely rare assets (i.e. sneakers). It is the only S.E.C. regulated stock market exclusively for sneakers. For more information or to schedule some time with the Rares team at ComplexCon please email press@rares.io . Contacts

Rares to IPO the World’s Most Expensive Sneaker at ComplexCon

Sneaker Investment App Rares Announces $4 Million Seed Funding Round, Led by MaC Venture Capital
LAS VEGAS, October 11, 2021-- Rares, an innovative social investing platform and the first alternative asset marketplace exclusively for sneakers, announces today that it has raised $4 million in a seed funding round led by MaC Venture Capital. The new investment round was supported by Cake Ventures, Urban Rising Funds I and II, and Evolution VC, with both W Fund and Gaingels participating after their Pre-Seed investments. The new funding will support the growth of the Rares team, expansion of its product/inventory, and further enhance its ability to deliver ultra-rare and valuable assets to the cultures that made them popular. MaC Ventures is one of the leading VC firms investing through a cultural lens across a wide range of business sectors including fintech, e-commerce and marketplaces, interactive media, connectivity, enterprise SaaS, space, and aerospace. Their overarching goal is to empower overlooked communities who are creating shifts in culture and behavior, helping them reach their breakthrough moment. Sneaker culture was born out of the Black community, but today many folks are priced out of the market, said Marlon Nichols, Co-Founder and Managing General Partner of MaC Venture Capital. Rares is making participation in the collectible sneaker space once again accessible to everyone, enabling the minorities and individuals that helped create the culture to build wealth from it. I'm grateful to be a part of this exciting chapter for the Rares team as we work to empower communities passionate about sneaker culture and building cultural and financial equity in the massive collectible sneaker market.
Launched in April of 2021, Rares has taken the concept of traditional investing and merged it with the highly sought-after sneaker market to create a one-of-a-kind platform where users can buy and sell shares of the highest valued sneakers in existence. Its goal is to financially empower sneaker culture and its participants. Their first major acquisition before this seed round was the Air Yeezy prototype, which they acquired for $1.8 million. Access to significant capital has been the achilles heel for many entrepreneurs, especially women and other minorities, explains Rares Co-Founder, Gerome Sapp. So as a minority, being able to close this significant SEED investment round with MaC Venture Capital leading provides my incredible team and I with a new inspired enthusiasm for the bright future ahead for Rares.
Rares now seeks to reach yet another groundbreaking stage in its product offering and investment potential. As they continue to position themselves as the latest emerging standard in an exploding billion-dollar global sneaker market, Rares wants to utilize its fractional ownership capabilities as an inroad towards investing for the average consumer, creating a new class of sneaker enthusiasts powered by financial literacy and cultural equity. For more information please email Hanif Sumner, press@rares.io
About MaC Venture Capital
MaC Venture Capital is a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in technology startups leveraging shifts in cultural trends and behaviors. Our diverse backgrounds in technology, business, government, entertainment, and finance allow us to accelerate entrepreneurs on the verge of their breakthrough moment. We provide hands-on support crucial for building and scaling category-leading companies, including operations strategy, brand building, recruiting, and mission-critical introductions. About Rares
Rares is an innovative social investing platform and alternative asset marketplace exclusively for sneakers. Regulated by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (S.E.C.) it provides a safe and secure environment for sneaker investors to buy and trade fractional ownership of extremely rare assets (i.e. sneakers). It is the only S.E.C. regulated stock market exclusively for sneakers. Contact:

Sneaker Investment App Rares Announces $4 Million Seed Funding Round, Led by MaC Venture Capital

LAS VEGAS–(BUSINESS WIRE)– #fintech — Rares , an innovative social investing platform and the first alternative asset marketplace exclusively for sneakers, announces today that it has raised $4 million in a seed funding round led by MaC Venture Capital. The new investment round was supported by Cake Ventures, Urban Rising Funds I and II, and Evolution VC, with both W Fund and Gaingels participating after their Pre-Seed investments. The new funding will support the growth of the Rares team, expansion of its product/inventory, and further enhance its ability to deliver ultra-rare and valuable assets to the cultures that made them popular. MaC Ventures is one of the leading VC firms investing through a cultural lens across a wide range of business sectors including fintech, e-commerce and marketplaces, interactive media, connectivity, enterprise SaaS, space, and aerospace. Their overarching goal is to empower overlooked communities who are creating shifts in culture and behavior, helping them reach their breakthrough moment. “Sneaker culture was born out of the Black community, but today many folks are priced out of the market,” said Marlon Nichols, Co-Founder and Managing General Partner of MaC Venture Capital. “Rares is making participation in the collectible sneaker space once again accessible to everyone, enabling the minorities and individuals that helped create the culture to build wealth from it. I’m grateful to be a part of this exciting chapter for the Rares team as we work to empower communities passionate about sneaker culture and building cultural and financial equity in the massive collectible sneaker market.”
Launched in April of 2021, Rares has taken the concept of traditional investing and merged it with the highly sought-after sneaker market to create a one-of-a-kind platform where users can buy and sell shares of the highest valued sneakers in existence. Its goal is to financially empower sneaker culture and its participants. Their first major acquisition before this seed round was the Air Yeezy prototype, which they acquired for $1.8 million. “Access to significant capital has been the achilles heel for many entrepreneurs, especially women and other minorities,” explains Rares Co-Founder, Gerome Sapp. “So as a minority, being able to close this significant SEED investment round with MaC Venture Capital leading provides my incredible team and I with a new inspired enthusiasm for the bright future ahead for Rares.”
Rares now seeks to reach yet another groundbreaking stage in its product offering and investment potential. As they continue to position themselves as the latest emerging standard in an exploding billion-dollar global sneaker market, Rares wants to utilize its fractional ownership capabilities as an inroad towards investing for the average consumer, creating a new class of sneaker enthusiasts powered by financial literacy and cultural equity. For more information please email Hanif Sumner, [email protected]
About MaC Venture Capital
MaC Venture Capital is a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests in technology startups leveraging shifts in cultural trends and behaviors. Our diverse backgrounds in technology, business, government, entertainment, and finance allow us to accelerate entrepreneurs on the verge of their breakthrough moment. We provide hands-on support crucial for building and scaling category-leading companies, including operations strategy, brand building, recruiting, and mission-critical introductions. About Rares
Rares is an innovative social investing platform and alternative asset marketplace exclusively for sneakers. Regulated by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (S.E.C.) it provides a safe and secure environment for sneaker investors to buy and trade fractional ownership of extremely rare assets (i.e. sneakers). It is the only S.E.C. regulated stock market exclusively for sneakers. Contacts

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