Astrella® and Forge Global Announce Strategic Collaboration

MENLO PARK, Calif. & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AST Private Company Solutions, Inc. (AST PCS) is announcing it has collaborated with Forge Global, a leading global private securities marketplace, to provide private companies with an integrated solution to manage company sponsored liquidity events and cap table administration. With this integration, companies that use Astrella to manage their stock ownership records can run company-approved liquidity events for employees and shareholders through Forge’s tech-enabled platform while benefitting from Astrella’s seamless, blockchain enabled cap table management solutions.

Astrella was developed by AST PCS, the Silicon Valley-based business unit of ownership data management leader AST, using transformative technology to build the software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform. The solution brings together private blockchain technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and predictive analytics. Astrella is built with an open API ecosystem that seamlessly integrates with leading providers like 409A valuation providers, HR administrators and fundraising platforms.

“Shareholders, including employee-owners, are looking for access to the robust private market where they can buy and sell company shares more easily,” AST PCS President Carine Schneider states. “By working together with Forge Global, we have created a link that will save companies and shareholders time and money while ensuring that ownership data is automatically and accurately updated in our private blockchain.”

Forge has facilitated over $10 billion in private market transaction volume since inception across more than 400 private company issuers. Forge has helped companies and private shareholders access pre-IPO liquidity by connecting them through the Forge marketplace to a global pool of institutional and accredited investors who want access to some of the world’s most innovative private companies.

“As companies stay private longer, they’re increasingly turning to liquidity programs to help retain and reward valuable employees and shareholders while maintaining control of their cap tables,” said Adrian Ivanov, head of Forge Company Solutions. “Our partnership with Astrella ultimately helps companies reduce the administrative headache associated with updating cap tables after secondary share sales, so the end-to-end process of managing liquidity events is easier and more seamless.”

About AST Private Company Solutions, Inc.

Founded in 2019, AST PCS is an AST affiliate serving private companies worldwide. Astrella, a cloud-based SaaS solution, allows private companies to manage their ownership data, including cap table and employee equity plans, and connect directly with related service providers to support efficient workflow and access to investors, advisors, and employees. Visit astrella.com.

About Forge Global

Forge Global is a leading provider of marketplace infrastructure, data services and technology solutions for private market participants. By combining world-class trading technology and operating expertise, Forge Markets enables private company shareholders to trade private company shares with accredited investors. Forge Company Solutions, Forge Data and Forge Trust along with Forge Markets provide the transparency, access and solutions that companies, as well as institutional and individual investors need to confidently navigate and efficiently transact in the private markets. Securities related services are offered through Forge Securities LLC (“Forge Securities”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Forge Global, Inc. Forge Securities is a registered Broker Dealer and, Member FINRA/SIPC and alternative trading system.