January 2026: A Steady Start After December’s Spike

CHART OF THE WEEK

January marked a busy and telling start to the year for investment crowdfunding. Reg CF activity rebounded from late 2025 levels, platforms returned to form, and early campaign momentum hinted at a familiar seasonal pattern. With fiscal year reporting deadlines approaching and new rounds launching ahead of annual filings, January offered an early look at how 2026 may be shaping up across the private markets.

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EVENTS

Join Chris Lustrino and Teddy Lyons on today, February 10th, at 1pm ET for a quick walkthrough of the Kingscrowd Capital Profitability Fund—an approach focused on profitable private companies with shorter return horizons than traditional venture. We’ll cover the fund’s checklist and portfolio strategy, plus case studies including Drink LMNT and ConsumerDirect.

🗓️ Tuesday, February 10th, 1pm ET

KINGSCROWD PODCAST

Direct listings, transfer fees, and real returns: Our Bond under the microscope.

By Sam Fiske / Watch | Apple | Spotify

Our Bond—formerly a Kingscrowd Top Deal—has gone public on NASDAQ under OBAI via a direct listing. In this episode, Brian and Léa walk through what that actually means for Reg CF investors: where your shares live (DRS), how to move them to a brokerage to trade, and why transfer fees and timing can matter a lot—especially for smaller check sizes.

UPCOMING EVENTS

PITCH REVIEW 💸

By Teddy Lyons \ Deal Report

Brief: Blue Co operates a co-warehousing and flexible workspace platform designed to support small and mid-sized product and service-based businesses. Blue Co offers modular warehouse units, shared equipment, logistics support, and optional office and coworking space, allowing businesses to scale without long-term leases or high overhead. The company has achieved $1.6 million in annual recurring revenue and $2.5 million in booked lifetime revenue as of Q3 2025.

Teddy’s Quick Take: Blue Co builds flexible, community-oriented warehouse space for small and midsize service businesses whose work depends on inventory, tools, vehicles, and frequent deliveries. Core customers include plumbers, electricians, restoration companies, and similar trades, along with adjacent operators such as e-commerce sellers and unattended retail businesses. These operators are often stuck between inefficient home garages or self-storage units and long-term industrial leases that are too expensive and inflexible for their needs.

The core problem is operational friction, not square footage alone. Many trade-based businesses lack loading docks, reliable receiving, and centralized inventory management. Deliveries arrive while crews are in the field, inventory gets scattered across vans and storage units, and growth requires disruptive moves into larger facilities. These issues reduce labor productivity and pull owners into logistics work instead of revenue-generating activity.

Blue Co applies the coworking model to warehouse and light-industrial spaces. Locations are purpose-built with flexible unit sizing, dock access, receiving support, and optional shared services that simplify inventory and delivery coordination. This allows tenants to access professional-grade infrastructure without committing to long-term leases and to scale space alongside business growth.

Founder Jason Widen developed the concept after firsthand experience running a biohazard remediation business out of a residential storage unit. Customer discovery conducted with NC State e Clinic students confirmed that these infrastructure gaps are common across trade-based operators. Blue Co launched in 2023 to extend coworking principles to the physical operations layer of small businesses, supported by tailwinds such as skilled labor shortages and growth in small-scale entrepreneurship.

Traction suggests early product market fit. The company reports $1.6 million in ARR and $2.4 million in lifetime revenue across three North Carolina locations operating at roughly 85% occupancy with very high utilization. Demand appears supply-constrained, with a strong proposal for tenant conversion rate and limited available space. Expansion plans focus on adding several locations per year while maintaining site-level performance.

STAFF PICKS 🌶️

AtomBeam

By Léa Bouhelier-Gautreau

AtomBeam is raising at a $392 million valuation with barely more than $100k in the first half of 2025. Does the company really have the potential to become a billion-dollar business, or does it need a reality check?

SmartWeave

By Teddy Lyons

SmartWeave creates custom regenerative implants using AI-optimized designs and bio-coatings for soft-tissue repair in pelvic, orthopedic, and cardiovascular applications. Supported by The Engine accelerator and Dassault's partnership, it aims to improve surgical outcomes.

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