DealMaker Ranks No.2 on Fast Company’s 100 Best

July 11, 2023

Sitting in 2nd place out of 100 companies that include Adobe, Spotify, Nvidia, IBM, Morgan Stanley, and more

Fast Company today announced its fifth annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list, honoring organizations and businesses that demonstrate an inspiring commitment to encourage and develop innovation at all levels. DealMaker has earned the position of No. 2 on Fast Company’s 2023 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators list as well as winning the International title for Best Workplace for Innovators.

Developed in collaboration with Accenture, the 2023 Best Workplaces for Innovators ranks 100 winners from a variety of industries, including entertainment, biotech, consumer packaged goods, marketing, education, healthcare, and many more. Fast Company editors and Accenture researchers collaborated together to score nearly 1,000 submissions, and a panel of eight distinguished judges reviewed and endorsed the top 100 companies. The 2023 awards feature workplaces from around the world.

“As a company driven to disrupt the decades-old antiquated industry of the capital markets, it is an absolute honor to be recognized as an innovative workplace by Fast Company. We fully embrace our value of ‘Our Business is Change’. It reinforces the belief that we’re comfortable where others are not - we need to constantly live in the mindset of adaptation and agility,” says DealMaker CEO and Co-Founder Rebecca Kacaba.

Black background with yellow/white text: Fast company logo, "we ranked no. 2 best workplaces for innovators 2023.

DealMaker has embraced the new global, remote workforce and the result is a group of exceptional subject matter experts and top tier talent. With investment and dedication to expanding their team across internationally, DealMaker is growing by about 89% across North & South America.

“As a tech company, we thrive outside the box and truly embrace the idea of a global tech company. A steadfast value of DealMaker developed early on is to “move fast and break things” - if you fall, you get up and try again. From day one, all team members are empowered to move fast and own their impact - without the fear of making mistakes. ” says Co-Founder and CSO, Mat Goldstein.

DealMaker is on a mission to make online capital raising mainstream. DealMaker’s platform is tearing down barriers to entry for the underfunded, while permitting consumers access to new investment opportunities in private companies and startups - which previously was available only to a very few Wall Street insiders. Access to pre-IPO investment opportunities are the biggest opportunity for wealth building that were previously typically reserved for the very few. Our tech along with regulation crowdfunding exemptions such as Reg CF and Reg A, will open up these opportunities to everyday average citizens.

In only five short years, DealMaker has powered over 770 offerings for founders and brands and has processed over 1 Million investments totaling over $1.84 Billon (USD) - outperforming all competitors in North America. DealMaker has been trusted by brands like Parker Clay, Pacaso, Miso Robotics and Monogram which recently listed on Nasdaq following their Reg A raise on DealMaker’s platform.

To see the complete list, go to https://www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/list.

Fast Company’s Best Workplaces for Innovators issue (Summer 2023) is available online now, and the print issue will be on newsstands beginning July 18, 2023. Join the Best Workplaces for Innovators conversation using #FCBestWorkplaces.

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.

Monogram at NASDAQ celebration

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
3/13/193/31/20A+SeedInvest$14,588,6686,000
11/16/201/16/21A+StartEngine$2,965,5018,000
1/17/212/18/22A+StartEngine$23,647,85314,082
7/15/223/16/23CFDealMaker$4,673,0002,249
3/1/234/8/23A+Republic$232,275120
3/1/235/23/23A+DealMaker$15,958,3645,198
5/18/23-Nasdaq listing
7/2410/24Unit OfferingDealMaker$12,990,1032,745

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.

Dr. Doug Unis Quote
Ben Sexson Quote

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