StartEngine’s Big Move: White Labels or Just a Desperate Pivot?

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StartEngine’s Big Move: White Labels or Just a Desperate Pivot?

So maybe StartEngine’s millions of investors aren’t throwing cash at startups like they used to. No big deal, right? Well, instead of admitting the marketplace model might not be the golden ticket anymore, StartEngine has quietly launched a white-label solution—conveniently mimicking what DealMaker has been dominating for the past few years.

This new offering lets startups create branded, standalone investment pages while still leeching off StartEngine’s investor base. It’s the best of both worlds—if by “best,” you mean “playing catch-up after getting blindsided by DealMaker’s success.”

StartEngine: From Crowdfunding Powerhouse to “If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Copy ‘Em”

StartEngine built its empire as a marketplace—one central hub where startups could cozy up to retail investors. The pitch was simple: get featured on StartEngine.com, benefit from organic discovery, and watch the money roll in (assuming you also shelled out big bucks for ads).

But then came DealMaker, flipping the script with its white-label model. Instead of herding startups into a crowded marketplace, DealMaker let them run their own show with branded investment pages—basically Shopify for fundraising. No competition, no distractions, just pure marketing control. And guess what? Startups loved it.

So now, in a totally not reactive move, StartEngine is rolling out its own hybrid solution: white-label fundraising pages with the added bonus of still being listed in its dwindling marketplace. Because, you know, maybe—just maybe—those investors will start spending again.

The “Groundbreaking” White-Label Model (That DealMaker Perfected Years Ago)

StartEngine’s white labels let companies build their own fundraising portals while staying tethered to the marketplace. Some early adopters include Doroni Aerospace and AtomBeam, who now have their own flashy investment pages while still enjoying the privilege of being on StartEngine’s platform.

Why does this matter? Well, because white labels solve some of the biggest headaches of traditional crowdfunding:

✅ No More Fighting for Attention – Unlike the marketplace model, where startups are crammed together like a Black Friday sale at Walmart, white labels let companies control their own branding, messaging, and investor experience.

✅ Better Marketing Flexibility – With a standalone portal, startups can run their own ads, email campaigns, and influencer promos without worrying about losing potential investors to shinier deals on the same platform.

✅ A Hybrid Approach to Discovery – Unlike DealMaker, which leaves marketing entirely up to the startup, StartEngine’s hybrid model at least pretends to help with exposure. Investors still browsing the platform might stumble upon a white-label campaign—whether they actually invest is another question.

Is StartEngine’s Hybrid Model a Game-Changer or Just Playing Catch-Up?

Let’s be real—DealMaker didn’t just pioneer white-label fundraising, it perfected it. The biggest knock against DealMaker? It doesn’t come with a built-in investor community, meaning startups have to do all the heavy lifting in marketing. But here’s the thing—any startup raising serious capital already has to drive its own traffic.

StartEngine’s hybrid model might sound like the perfect middle ground, but let’s not ignore reality:

📌 DealMaker still has a massive lead – Startups like Boxabl, Legion M, and Liquid Piston all raised millions on StartEngine before jumping ship to DealMaker. That’s not a fluke.

📌 StartEngine’s marketplace isn’t what it used to be – With investor enthusiasm cooling off, banking on marketplace discovery feels more like wishful thinking than a legitimate strategy.

📌 The product is still crude compared to DealMaker’s – StartEngine may have slapped together a white-label offering, but DealMaker’s got the infrastructure, the tech, and the full-service experience that startups actually want.

The Future of Equity Crowdfunding: StartEngine’s Hail Mary?

This move could either be StartEngine’s ticket back to relevance or just another attempt to keep pace with an industry that’s clearly evolving past its marketplace model.

White-labels are the future—but DealMaker’s been leading that charge while StartEngine just now decided to show up to the party. Will this new approach make StartEngine a bigger player in the space? Maybe. But if startups were already ditching StartEngine for DealMaker, a half-baked hybrid solution might not be enough to stop the exodus.

For now, StartEngine’s white labels are here. The real question is: Are startups buying what they’re selling?

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