Carta Announces Exclusive Streamlined Solution With Morgan Stanley at Work for Private Companies Seeking to IPO

November 12, 2024 at 06:00 AM EST

Morgan Stanley at Work to become Carta’s preferred U.S. public equity management platform, aligning world-class cap table management and IPO readiness with public equity compensation solutions and wealth management

In preparing for an increase in IPO activity, Carta, connecting companies, funds, and limited partners across venture capital and private equity, and financial benefits workplace leader Morgan Stanley at Work, today announced a formal agreement wherein Carta has chosen Morgan Stanley at Work as its exclusive U.S. public equity management and broader workplace benefits platform for late-stage private companies going public. The collaboration allows clients to leverage Carta’s industry-leading private equity management platform while private, then transition to Morgan Stanley at Work when they go public. Together the companies provide a comprehensive end-to-end solution that ensures a robust and efficient experience for companies and their employees throughout their lifecycle.

The agreement comes at a time when the market is eager for company exits. On the Carta platform alone, there are nearly 2,000 companies on the pathway to IPO. Together, Carta and Morgan Stanley at Work will offer a cohesive and integrated solution to support these companies and their employees as they make their transition to being transaction ready and publicly traded.

“Carta has always been the on-ramp-to-IPO for the best venture backed startups. But we didn’t have a solid solution for startups post-IPO. Until now,” said Henry Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Carta. “This collaboration brings together the best private market solution and one of the leading public platforms to help create a smooth transition from Private to Public. We are thrilled to work with Morgan Stanley at Work to help Founders build their companies from idea to IPO.”

Carta companies that choose Morgan Stanley at Work as their public company equity management platform will benefit from Morgan Stanley’s extensive experience in supporting public companies across a full spectrum of offerings, from its premier investment banking franchise to the investment and wealth management divisions that can cater to participants at every stage of their wealth journey. In addition, companies can experience a more streamlined integration as they transition their plan to a Morgan Stanley at Work equity administration platform which can reduce the management overhead typically associated with a public transition.

“The private market landscape has evolved dramatically as companies stay private for longer,” said Jed Finn, Head of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. “As a result, the next wave of IPOs may include some of the largest, most sophisticated companies to ever go public. Participants within these companies will need not just equity administration, but all the advice, guidance and financial planning that comes with a significant liquidity event. As one integrated firm, with a world-class investment bank connected to a leading wealth manager, we possess an unmatched set of capabilities that uniquely position us to support both companies and their employees in the next phase of growth.”

Proactive transaction readiness can help companies avoid costly delays or errors and set their entry into the public markets for success. Companies will also benefit from the knowledge and expertise of Carta’s IPO Readiness Team and Morgan Stanley at Work’s Issuer Excellence Team to guide them on the path to IPO and assist in a successful transition to becoming a publicly-traded entity.

Carta and Morgan Stanley have collectively helped more than 385 companies prepare for their IPOs by offering services like:

Data cleanup: Review company cap table to ensure the information is accurate and matches legal documents, ensuring sensitive data is correct before going public.
Personalized guidance: Provide detailed guidance on the listing process, calling upon years of experience in the public business helping companies transition to public.
Customized communication plans: Designed for employees, investors, and former employees to keep everyone updated on important information during the transition.

To learn more, visit https://carta.com/equity-management/liquidity/ipo-advisory/.

About Carta

Carta connects founders, investors, and limited partners through world-class software purpose-built for everyone in venture capital and private equity. Carta’s world-class fund administration platform supports nearly 7,000 funds and SPVs, and represents nearly $130B in assets under management. Trusted by more than 40,000 companies, Carta helps private businesses in over 160 countries manage their cap tables, valuations, taxes, equity programs, compensation, and more. Today, Carta is setting a new standard as the end-to-end platform connecting private capital. Our fund management platform seamlessly integrates a suite of tools and insights purpose-built to support the strategic impact of fund CFO’s. Carta has been included on the Fortune Best Large Workplaces in Financial Services and Insurance list, Forbes’ list of the World's Best Cloud Companies, Fast Company's Most Innovative list, and Inc.'s Fastest-Growing Private Companies list. For more information, visit carta.com.

About Morgan Stanley at Work

Morgan Stanley at Work provides workplace financial benefits that build financial confidence and foster loyalty—helping companies attract and retain talent. Our end-to-end solutions support your organization at any stage of growth through a powerful combination of modern technology, insightful guidance, and dedicated service; they include Equity, Retirement, Deferred Compensation, Executive Services, and Saving and Giving solutions. And while we’re fulfilling your company’s benefits needs, we’re also enhancing your employees’ financial well-being. Each benefit solution also includes our engaging Financial Wellness program, which provides employees with knowledge, tools, and support to help them make the most of their benefits and achieve their life goals.