Darcmatter is a global financial technology (FinTech) platform. It was founded in 2014 as an expansion of the South Korean FinTech platform Return on Change. The company’s mission is to enhance capital flow, transparency, and efficiency for both investors and account managers working in the alternative investments industry.

Currently headquartered in New York, Darcmatter’s primary technology hub is in Kyiv, Ukraine. It also operates from satellite offices in Shanghai and Seoul.

Key Points to Consider

What exactly does Darcmatter do?

In today’s hypercompetitive global economy, access to capital is everything. Darcmatter is an online investment platform that connects fund managers seeking capital to institutions and individuals.

Company CEO Sang H. Lee says that they aim to disrupt the way the alternative capital markets operate by providing investors and account managers access to fully transactional technology.

What sort of alternative investments does Darcmatter handle?

Darcmatter handles financial assets that do not fall under conventional equity, income, and cash categories. These include private equity, venture capital, real estate, tangible assets such as jewelry, commodities, and hedge funds. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) does not usually handle assets of this nature.

What specific corporate interests does Darcmatter focus on?

At present, Darcmatter concentrates on opportunities in the following asset classes:

• Project Finance, specifically opportunities in the energy and infrastructure sectors. Related interests cover renewable power sources, air and seaport development, and large-scale bridge construction.
• Corporate Real Estate (CRE) Equity or Debt Opportunities that consider tenant office buildings, data centers, and construction loans.
• Private Investment Funds with a firm aggregate record of less than five years.

What services does Darcmatter offer?

Darcmatter helps its clients find effective capital-raising solutions. The company gives customers access to key institutions and family-business clients within Asia, with a strong presence in South Korea.

Thanks to its strong local presence within the region, the company can do the following for its clients:

• Pre-filtering to find the right investors;
• Handling logistics on the local front for American clients; and
• Dealing with the regulatory processes for doing business between countries.

How does Darcmatter work?

Darcmatter utilizes a five-step process to help connect American clients with Asian investors:

1. Potential clients reach out to Darcmatter to see if their investment opportunity is a good match for a current investment mandate.
2. Darcmatter pre-screens investment materials and provides initial feedback regarding interest from possible investors.
3. The company will continue to provide feedback to the client while it considers interested parties from South Korea.
4. The due diligence process begins once the company identifies a substantial investment interest.
5. Darcmatter serves as the liaison between both parties, guiding the transaction to a finalized deal.

Darcmatter CEO: Who’s running the show?

The company is the brainchild of South Korean FinTech pioneer Sang H. Lee. A financial engineering major from Binghamton University, Lee is also a licensed broker-dealer under the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). He also holds professional certifications in investment banking, as well as both general and private securities.

COO and co-founder Natasha Bansgopaul and Ukraine-based CTO Stan Solodkyy support Lee in their respective locations.