Case Studies
We’ve guided entrepreneurs through direct listings, reverse mergers, and IPOs, using proven strategies to help them access the public markets, attract capital, and scale their businesses. Here are a few success stories:
GenFlat –
Turning Innovation Into a Public Company
When GenFlat first partnered with Meraki, they had nine patents and detailed engineering designs for their collapsible shipping container, but no revenue. Like many innovators, they faced the challenge of turning intellectual property into a scalable business.
Meraki guided GenFlat toward a direct listing strategy, paired with a targeted pre-listing private placement that raised $3.2 million. This provided the company with both credibility and capital to fund operations. By December 2023, GenFlat successfully went public, transforming from an early-stage concept into a publicly listed company with global potential.
Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Even pre-revenue companies with strong IP can access the public markets, provided they are structured correctly and supported by the right strategy.
Onfolio –
From Niche Acquisitions to NASDAQ Growth Story
Onfolio came to Meraki generating about $250,000 in revenue. Their model, acquiring and operating niche online businesses, was promising but needed capital and credibility to scale.
Meraki structured two equity private placements and one preferred share offering, that raised $4.5 million. This allowed Onfolio to pursue acquisitions and cover the costs of being public. Later, the company transitioned to a traditional NASDAQ IPO, securing an additional $13.7 million. The result? Onfolio grew revenue 44x and established itself as a credible acquisition platform in the public markets.
Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Even small companies can use a direct listing as a launchpad to bigger exchanges like NASDAQ — and fuel exponential growth through acquisitions.
SMTP –
From $1.5M Startup to $240M Exit
SMTP partnered with Meraki when they were generating $1.5 million in revenue and just $75,000 in profit. The founder raised $100,000 from friends and family at a $3.5 million valuation to meet trading requirements.
With Meraki’s guidance, SMTP went public, expanded its leadership team, and used its public stock strategically to acquire three startups. The company then uplisted to NASDAQ, raised over $15 million, and ultimately was acquired for $240 million in cash.
Entrepreneur’s Lesson: With the right execution, even modest companies can transform into nine-figure success stories by leveraging the public markets, acquisitions, and uplistings.
Maxim Mortgage –
Leveraging Stock Options for Explosive Growth
Maxim Mortgage, just a startup when they engaged Meraki, raised $400,000 in a seed round to fund operations and cover the cost of going public.
Once listed, Maxim used its stock option plan to attract and retain a 120-person team in its first full year. The company completed $80 million in transaction volume, generating $2.3 million in revenue. Its operations were later merged into an NYSE-listed company, creating the credibility needed for a $30 million capital raise from a private equity firm and a major acquisition.
Entrepreneur’s Lesson: Being public creates tools, like stock options, that private startups can’t match. Those tools can accelerate team building, deal-making, and institutional capital access.
CDBeat.com –
From Idea to $5M in Funding
By pursuing a direct listing strategy, CDBeat.com, a pre-revenue startup with no assets or employees, was able to attract the capital it needed while structuring creative partnerships that reduced cash outlay. The company paid 50% of its software development costs in stock, securing a dedicated development team, and engaged one of the world’s largest PR firms entirely on equity terms. These moves provided world-class capabilities without exhausting scarce cash resources.
The listing also caught the attention of a New York private equity group managing a portfolio company led by the former head of a major global music company. This interest opened the door to a merger that combined CDBeat’s technology with established industry revenues and management credibility.
Entrepreneur’s Lesson: CDBeat.com ultimately attracted more than $5 million in funding post-merger, validating its strategy and proving how even an early-stage, pre-revenue company can leverage the public markets to access capital, credibility, and transformational partnerships.
