Forge, the operator of a marketplace for trading private companies, has launched in Europe with the backing of Deutsche Börse.
Forge Global has identified Europe as a strategic market due to the increasing number of unicorn companies in the region and the UK. The company reports a significant rise in international private market transactions, with cross-border buyers and sellers making up 26% of transactions in 2024, compared to about 13% in 2018.
Kelly Rodriques, CEO of Forge Global, stated: “With over $14 billion traded on our platform involving more than 500 private companies, including Klarna and Spotify, as well as our Forge Pro trading management solution and the Forge Private Market Index, Forge Europe is integrated into one of the largest global marketplaces for private company share trading. We are confident that we have the right team at the right time to enhance access to this asset class in Europe.”
With operational hubs in Berlin, Germany and London, UK, Forge Europe has successfully completed its first trades in collaboration with local partners and plans further expansion across Europe, particularly targeting the DACH region and France.
Eric Leupold, head of cash markets at Deutsche Börse, noted: “Given the maturation of the European tech ecosystem and the rising investment in private companies over the past decade, there is a clear need for an efficient, data-driven, and technology-enabled marketplace for trading private company shares in Europe.”
He added, “With Forge’s proven track record in the US and Deutsche Börse’s robust experience in managing trusted and scalable market infrastructure, I am confident that Forge Europe will lead the way in fulfilling the late-stage and pre-IPO liquidity needs of private companies and investors in Europe, thereby strengthening the tech ecosystem.”