Equity crowdsourcing platform Black Unicorn Factory (BUF) is on its way to becoming the highest-valued Black-owned company to enter a major stock exchange ever, according to a press release.
Prior to its NASDAQ listing, BUF had proven itself as a vessel for creating a new generation of investors with its Follow Me For Equity app. Through task-based investing, individuals earn stock by engaging with high-growth companies on social media. This first-of-its-kind model ensures that the ability to build wealth is no longer dictated by money but by participation.
“The days of needing capital to invest are over,” founder and CEO Johnny Stewart said. “For too long, wealth has been locked behind financial barriers, keeping everyday people out of the game. BUF is rewriting that story, making investing accessible to everyone—not just the wealthy.”
As the first Black-owned billion-dollar pre-IPO startup accelerator, BUF being listed on NASDAQ gives investors immediate access and liquidity, breaking up the traditional lock-up periods that investors so often have to deal with.
In January 2025, BUF announced a $20.2 billion valuation, reflecting an innovative sweat equity model and fast-paced growth in addition to an extensive portfolio of over 150 IPO-ready startups.
“This new valuation reflects the strength of our innovative business model and the incredible potential of our portfolio,” Stewart said in a January news release. “We’ve worked tirelessly to redefine what’s possible in the accelerator space, and this is just the beginning of a journey to create unprecedented opportunities for our shareholders and partner startups.”
The valuation includes a projected net profit increase from $331.5 million in 2025 to $5.2 billion in 2029. The numbers, Stewart said, are a testament to the “trust and belief that our shareholders, startups, and partners hae placed in us.”
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