KC investors power $4.5M round for OP startup poised to ‘unlock billions’ for its customers
May 5, 2022 | Startland News Staff
Overland Park-based Realto has closed a $4.5 million funding round — thanks in large part to the backing of Kansas City-based investors.
“We’re excited to welcome these important investors as we continue to expand our robust trading capabilities across the universe of alternative products,” Brian King, co-founder and CEO, said in announcement of the funding round which was led by Firebrand Ventures and received support from KCRise Fund.
The injection is expected to further fuel growth of Realto — the first fully-automated online marketplace for secondary trading of illiquid real estate and alternative securities — and support key hires.
“We are thrilled to lead this round in Realto,” said John Fein, Firebrand Ventures managing partner and newly announced Realto board member.
“The team has deep experience building exchanges and facilitating commercial real estate transactions, and is targeting a huge addressable market of traditionally illiquid real estate and other alternative assets,” he continued. “The Realto platform is poised to unlock billions of dollars of value for their customers and we’re very excited to support their growth.”
In 2020, the company raised $3.5 million in a round led by Gary Fish, founder of Fishtech Group and a nationally known thought leader within the cybersecurity space, and JE Dunn Construction.
Darcy Howe and Ed Frindt, KCRise Fund
New funding for the company follows several months of successes including clearances by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said, noting indicators that brought investors such as Darcy Howe and KCRise Fund eagerly to the table.
“KCRise Fund is delighted to invest in Realto and its seasoned leaders,” said Howe, managing director, noting King’s track record as former vice president of the now-exited Bats Global Markets.
“The team has an established history of successfully disrupting highly complex industries and we are excited to partner with them in scaling their private securities marketplace.”
Click here to learn more Realto and how its platform works.
Featured Business
2022 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Ready to bet big? Kansas wants to help entrepreneurs win more federal innovation grants
Kansas innovators now have access to a new tool designed to help them compete for major federal funding. The Kansas Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s SBIR and STTR Matching Program, which provides financial support and hands-on guidance for entrepreneurs pursuing federal innovation grants. The matching initiative is part of ACCEL-KS, a…
New Maker of the Year: Why this mom’s side hustle for the girly girls couldn’t stay at home
A hobbyist venture that began with making shirts for her kids has earned Julie Swopes a spot on Made in KC’s shelves for her Chiefs- and Royals-inspired tees — along with one of the local-first retailer’s top honors: KC New Maker of the Year for 2025. “I’m just a stay-at-home mom that has turned her…
Don’t be a stranger: When this Crossroads refuge closes, another chapter begins for Afterword (and the space it leaves behind)
With two more Open Mic Nights and more than a month left on its lease at Afterword Tavern & Shelves — a cozy corner hotspot where patrons leisurely bond over drinks and good reads — the popular Crossroads third-space isn’t finished telling its story despite losing the space to its new landlord, said Kate Hall.…
Exporting KC to the world: Esports leader revs come-from-behind global takeover amid World Cup’s big draw
As the metro bundled up and showed out Friday, getting its latest taste of what the 2026 World Cup has in store, the Kansas City Pioneers dropped new heat — raising the thermostat on their commitment to seize the moment brought forth by the global gathering as a net for esports. “Now is the time for…