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October Founder Report: Platform Updates & Sector Signals
A 30-day market snapshot (Oct 5–Nov 4): $27.99M via Reg CF, $21.51M via Reg A+. See how Wefunder, StartEngine, DealMaker, and others stack up on investor counts and average checks—and which sectors drew the most capital.
Sam Fiske
November 05, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
October Founder Report
Founder Market Pulse (Oct 5–Nov 4)
The crowd committed $27.99M via Reg CF and $21.51M via Reg A+. Wefunder led on deal count, while StartEngine and DealMaker captured larger average checks. Media & Entertainment topped CF sector dollars; Energy and Industrial dominated A+.
See the platform-by-platform breakdown and how to pick the right shelf for your next raise.
Platform Performance
CF remains top-heavy. The recent “Big 3” in Reg CF—Wefunder, StartEngine, DealMaker Securities—captured the majority of capital over the period, with Wefunder leading on deal count (200 live raises) and StartEngine/DealMaker showing larger average checks per offering.
Wefunder ($8.63M): Breadth strategy; biggest shelf by number of companies (200) and >5.2K investors—great for discovery and community-led momentum. Avg check $1,650; median $1,000.
StartEngine ($7.57M): Fewer offerings (64) but higher avg check ($2,053) and median $1,544—consistent with more curated, higher-ticket raises.
DealMaker Securities ($6.56M): Strong avg check ($2,656) and median ($2,145), reflecting bigger rounds and institutional-style packaging of CF campaigns.
Republic ($1.08M): Smaller total here (11 cos.), but remains a catalyst for marquee or fan-centric deals when activated. Avg check $1,301.
Honeycomb ($0.75M): Community debt/SMB focus; lower absolute dollars but highly aligned for local businesses (avg check $2,154, median $594).
Reg A+ is DealMaker’s home field. DealMaker Securities dominated A+ with $17.9M across 10 issuers, far outpacing other A+ broker-dealers; StartEngine followed at $1.83M across 5. This continues the pattern of A+ dollars clustering in a few scaled distribution pipes.
Sector Highlights: Where Investors Leaned
Media & Entertainment led CF by dollars: $6.59M across 72 companies (avg $2,016), proving (again) that community + IP + fandom mobilize the crowd.
Other notable CF sectors over the period:
Food & Beverage: $2.97M across 75—steady community appetite for tangible brands (avg $1,708).
Healthcare & Pharma: $2.35M across 68—investors back clear problem/solution narratives (avg $2,124).
Energy (incl. climate): $2.05M across 31—continued interest in climate/energy productivity (avg $2,658).
Business Services: $2.52M across 29—high avg check $3,672; B2B efficiency stories travel well.
Alcohol & Tobacco: $2.30M across 36—premium craft and DTC distribution still pull (avg $3,204).
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INSIDE STARTUP INVESTING
This Week on Inside Startup Investing: MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes on Profitable Reboot + Fantasy-Style Movie Gaming
Resurrecting a beloved brand requires a better model. MoviePass pairs sustainable, any-theater subs with Mogul—a knowledge-based game built for retention and margins. Stacy Spikes shares lessons from the $10 era, bringing back profitability, and sequencing a second revenue engine to scale.
EVALUATE YOUR STARTUP OPPORTUNITY
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CROWDFUNDING REALLY IS FOR EVERYONE: MAKING REG CF & REG A WORK
In this founder-focused read, CrowdCheck CPO Andrew Stephenson shows how both Reg CF and Reg A can fit very different ambitions—from a neighborhood restaurant to a future public company. He spotlights a Reg A case (Newsmax raising $75M pre-listing) and explains how Reg CF can bridge financing gaps as SBA lending tightens—especially for minority- and women-led businesses. Crowdfunding can also coexist with angels/VC, adding customers-turned-investors and momentum beyond the dollars raised.
Founder takeaway: Treat crowdfunding as a strategic channel, not a last resort—pick the exemption that matches your goals, structure for future institutional interest, and lean into your community to convert fans into shareholders.
