Solar EV startup Aptera Motors announced it is leaving its “crowdfunding nest” of sorts, putting a bookend on three years of its Regulation A offering to pursue private funding. The startup shared a deadline for public investors while it engages in discussions with private financial group US Capital to help (finally) get its solar EVs into scaled production.
Scaling is hard.
We’ve seen dozens of startups aim for that vital yet oh-so-difficult milestone only to fall flat and go broke. In the small but exciting segment of solar EVs, especially, finding the funds to reach scaled production has proven arduous. However, Aptera Motors has shown its tact and scrappiness in garnering funding via several unique solutions, such as crowdfunding.
In the summer of 2021, Aptera Motors launched a Regulation A offering, which provides an exemption from registration requirements with the SEC in regard to public offerings of its securities, thus opening the door for funding from its (potential) customers up to a certain amount.
In early 2023, Aptera co-founders Steve Fambro and Chris Anthony announced an Accelerator Program, requesting community funding investments from reservation holders starting at a minimum of $10,000. Those who invested in Aptera have had their deliveries prioritized with commemorative Launch Edition builds.
By February 2024, crowdfunding investors had called “dibs” on all 2,000 initial production slots, raising nearly $34 million. Even so, Aptera’s co-founders relayed that more funding would be required to scale, and the company has been exploring additional funding streams since.
Earlier this month, Aptera introduced a new investment opportunity in the form of a self-directed IRA. Less than two weeks later, Aptera shared a deadline for crowdfunding opportunities as it looks to move forward with private funding from at least one of the larger players in FinTech investments.
Aptera will stop accepting crowdfunding on June 30
Per an email sent to reservation holders and newsletter subscribers, Aptera will close its Regulation A offering on June 30, 2024, capping off three years of crowdfunding that resulted in over $100 million from more than 17,000 investors.
Those faithful investors have secured a stake in Aptera’s future as it sunsets its crowdfunding program and turns to new horizons with private financial group US Capital. Aptera co-founder and co-CEO Chris Anthony spoke about the startup’s next phase in financial security as it gears up for scaled solar EV production:
The response to our Regulation A offering has been overwhelming, and we are grateful for the support of over 17,000 investors who share our passion for clean, efficient transportation. Their investments have been instrumental in propelling Aptera towards production readiness.
Aptera’s successful crowdfunding efforts have paved the way for the company to engage with US Capital to secure funding for the production of its Launch Edition vehicles. Through this fundraising initiative, Aptera aims to bring its innovative vehicles to market at scale in 2025.
We are excited to partner with US Capital as we enter this crucial phase of production funding. Their expertise and support will enable us to realize our vision of delivering solar electric vehicles that redefine the future of transportation.
As we’ve reported in the past, the startup remains interested in an IPO to help get production over the finish line, but a partnership with US Capital can help get Aptera into production of the initial Launch Editions and possibly beyond. Anthony gives the full scoop in Aptera’s update video below.
The deadline to invest in Aptera via crowdfunding is June 30, 2024, at 11:59 PM PT.
Author: Scooter Doll
Source: Electrek
Retail investors are going to discover that they bought into the company at a very, very significant premium with a valuation of over $800 million. I think you would be reasonable to assume that US Capital will be buying preferred shares with lots of protections and upside you do not have and at a lower valuation.