---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001104659-26-033376"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: null
cik: "0001661779"
company_name: "STARTENGINE CROWDFUNDING, INC."
filed_at: "2026-03-23T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-15T09:22:36.897835+00:00"
event_type: "m_and_a"
sentiment: "positive"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# StartEngine acquires Vinovest for 8.75M shares; fine wine/whisky platform added

## Summary
- Consideration of 8,750,000 StartEngine shares; 1,750,000 held back for indemnification, released after 12 months.
- Vinovest has 200,000 users and $140M in wine/whisky under management.
- StartEngine now has 2.1M users and $1.5B invested total (including SeedInvest acquisition).
- Vinovest will operate as wholly-owned subsidiary under existing brand.
- No pro forma financials required as acquisition below 20% significance threshold.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001104659-26-033376
- form_type: 8-K
- cik: 0001661779
- company_name: STARTENGINE CROWDFUNDING, INC.
- filed_at: 2026-03-23T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: m_and_a
- sentiment: positive
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 1.01, 2.01, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1661779/000110465926033376/0001104659-26-033376-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1661779/000110465926033376/tm269376d1_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-033376
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-033376.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001104659-26-033376.txt

## Source-grounded claims
- claim_id: 28fbb65175cb53011dcc33a77d450564f8802c31
  claim: STARTENGINE CROWDFUNDING, INC. completed an acquisition involving Vinovest, Inc. for 8,750,000 shares of Common Stock of StartEngine, of which 1,750,000 shares are held back for potential indemnification obligations (closed 2026-03-17).
  evidence_excerpt: of StartEngine (the “Merger”). Vinovest is a platform for fine wine and whisky investment. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, StartEngine will issue an aggregate of 8,750,000 shares of Common Stock of StartEngine to the Participating Stockholders of which 1,750,000 shares are held back for potential indemnification obligations and if not needed will be
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1661779/000110465926033376/0001104659-26-033376-index.htm
- claim_id: b8c9ba02aef575e2e149c20122a5402d799ff3a2
  claim: STARTENGINE CROWDFUNDING, INC. entered into Agreement and Plan of Reorganization with Vinovest, Inc., Project Vineyard Acquisition Inc., Andrew Zhang, and Participating Stockholders of Vinovest (effective 2026-03-17).
  evidence_excerpt: On March 17, 2026, StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc. (the “StartEngine” or “Company”) entered into an Agreement and Plan of Reorganization (the “Merger Agreement”) with Vinovest, Inc., a privately-held company located in West Hollywood, California (“Vinovest”), Project Vineyard Acquisition Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of StartEngine (“Merger Sub”), Andrew Zhang, solely in his capacity as the representative, agent and attorney-in-fact of the Participating Stockholders (the “Stockholders’ Representative”), and the Participating Stockholders of Vinovest.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1661779/000110465926033376/0001104659-26-033376-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.