# Carta **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/carta **Vertical:** Finance **Subcategory:** Accounting Software **Tier:** Emerging **Website:** carta.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary Equity management standard for 40K+ startups managing cap tables, 409A valuations, fund administration, and secondary liquidity. San Jose CA; $7.4B valuation 2021; CartaX secondary market enables pre-IPO share transactions; used by majority of US venture-backed startups for equity infrastructure. ## Company Overview Carta is the leading equity management platform for startups, venture funds, and employees, managing cap tables, fund administration, 409A valuations, and secondary transactions for over 40,000 companies and 2 million employees. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Jose, Carta has become the de facto standard for startup equity infrastructure, processing trillions of dollars in equity value and serving the majority of venture-backed US startups. The company achieved a $7.4 billion valuation in 2021. Carta's platform covers the full equity lifecycle: founding team cap tables, SAFE and convertible note tracking, stock option plan administration, employee stock plan portals, 409A independent appraisals, and fund administration for over 5,000 VC funds. The company also operates CartaX, a private secondary market enabling employees and early investors to sell shares in pre-IPO companies. By 2025, Carta's network effects — every transaction involves multiple parties on the platform — create significant switching costs. In 2025, Carta faces growing competitive pressure from Pulley and Shoobx (Capshare), which have targeted founders frustrated with Carta's pricing increases and long-term contract requirements. The company has also faced scrutiny over data use practices, with allegations that it used confidential market data for competitive purposes leading to a public controversy. Carta's response has been to strengthen data governance commitments. Revenue is estimated at $400M+ ARR with continued dominance in the VC-backed startup segment, though its grip on early-stage companies is being challenged. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Carta? Carta is an equity management platform founded in 2012 that serves the venture capital and private equity ecosystem. The San Francisco-based company serves 35% of all venture-backed startups and was valued at $7.4B in 2021, though subsequently marked down to $3.5B on secondaries. ### What products and services does Carta offer? Carta offers cap table management, 409A valuations, fund administration, private equity solutions, and equity compensation tracking. These tools help companies and funds manage their equity and ownership structures. ### Who uses Carta? Carta primarily serves venture-backed startups, with over 35,000 startups using the platform. The company also serves funds and private equity firms, administering $150B in assets across 8,000 funds. ### When was Carta founded? Carta was founded in 2012 and participated in Y Combinator's W14 batch. ### Where is Carta located? Carta is based in San Francisco, California. ### What is Carta's valuation? Carta was valued at $7.4B in 2021, but this valuation was marked down 53% to $3.5B on secondary markets as of August 2024. ### What are Carta's key business metrics? As of 2025, Carta generates $464.4M in annual revenue (up from $373M in 2023) and serves 15,000 customers. The platform serves 35% of all venture-backed startups and administers $150B in assets across 8,000 funds. ### What industry does Carta operate in? Carta operates in the finance industry, specifically focusing on equity management and cap table administration for startups and venture capital firms. ### When is Carta planning to go public? Carta is expected to have its IPO in 2026. ### What recent changes has Carta made to its business? In August 2024, Carta shut down its CartaX secondary marketplace and sold its Liquidity brokerage business to Public. The company continues to focus on its core equity management and fund administration products. ## Tags b2b, saas, fintech, platform, scaleup, north-america, public --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*