1,085+ Funded Marketplace Startups 2026 | Verified Contacts & Funding Data

📅 Last Updated: February 14, 2026 | New marketplace startups added weekly

Looking for recently funded marketplace startups? This startup database provides 1,085+ verified two-sided platform companies with decision-maker contacts and funding details updated weekly. Marketplace startups raised a record $4.8 billion in 2025, making them prime targets for B2B sales teams selling infrastructure, payment solutions, and growth tools.

Our B2B lead database for marketplace startups includes verified founder emails, funding amounts, investor details, and platform intelligence—everything your sales team needs for targeted outreach to recently funded two-sided marketplaces, peer-to-peer platforms, and on-demand service companies.

Below, you’ll find 100 recently funded marketplace startups with actionable data you can use today.

👉 Jump to the List of 100 Funded Marketplace Startups

Quick Stats: Marketplace Startup Funding in 2025

• 📍 Major hubs: San Francisco, New York, London, Singapore, Bangalore
• 💰 Total funding 2025: $4.8 billion across 650+ deals
• 🏢 Marketplace startups tracked: 1,085 companies in our database
• 📈 Growth rate: 27% increase in marketplace funding year-over-year
• 🎯 Top sectors: E-commerce (32%), Real Estate (18%), B2B Services (15%), FinTech (12%), Logistics (10%)

Recently Funded Marketplace Startups

Marketplace Startups at a Glance

• Number of marketplace startups in our database: 1,119
• Number of verified email addresses in our database: 1,548
• Number of social profiles in our database: 3,031
• Other data points stored: 15,563
• Total funding raised in 2025: $4,818,913,667
  • Seed: $221,688,916
  • Series A: $293,506,278
  • Series B: $139,777,011
  • Series C: $316,977,202
  • Other funding*: $3,118,338,681
• Total funding raised in 2026: $916,059,144

*Other funding includes private equity, debt financing, and various other types of capital.

The Marketplace Startup Ecosystem in 2026

The marketplace startup ecosystem has matured significantly, with two-sided platforms becoming dominant business models across virtually every industry. Unlike traditional e-commerce businesses that hold inventory, marketplace startups connect buyers and sellers, earning revenue through transaction fees, subscriptions, or advertising.

Marketplace startups raised $4.8 billion in 2025, a 27% increase over 2024’s $3.8 billion. This growth reflects investor confidence in marketplace business models, particularly in sectors with fragmented supply chains and high transaction volumes, according to CB Insights marketplace trend analysis. The shift from asset-heavy to asset-light business models has made marketplace startups attractive investments for Series A and Series B venture capital firms.

The most successful marketplace startups solve clear inefficiencies in their target markets. Real estate marketplaces streamline property transactions, B2B service marketplaces connect businesses with specialized contractors, and peer-to-peer lending marketplaces reduce banking intermediation costs. Each creates value by reducing friction, improving discovery, and building trust between parties.

Geographic concentration remains strong, with San Francisco, New York, and London accounting for 45% of all marketplace startup funding, according to McKinsey’s analysis of global startup ecosystems. However, emerging markets like India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America are seeing rapid growth, particularly in sectors underserved by traditional infrastructure like logistics, agriculture, and professional services.

Marketplace Business Model Categories

Two-Sided Marketplaces

Two-sided marketplaces connect buyers and sellers, taking a percentage of each transaction. Examples include e-commerce platforms like Etsy, service marketplaces like Upwork, and real estate platforms like Zillow. These typically charge 10-20% transaction fees and scale by increasing both supply (sellers) and demand (buyers) simultaneously.

The network effects in two-sided marketplaces create powerful moat effects—more buyers attract more sellers, which attracts more buyers in a virtuous cycle, as explained in Harvard Business Review’s analysis of platform economics. However, reaching critical mass is challenging, with many marketplace startups failing to attract sufficient liquidity on both sides.

Peer-to-Peer Marketplaces

Peer-to-peer (P2P) marketplaces enable direct transactions between individuals without traditional intermediaries. FinTech startups like LendingClub pioneered P2P lending, while Airbnb demonstrated P2P’s power in travel and hospitality. These models typically monetize through service fees or interest spreads.

P2P marketplaces excel in industries with high intermediary costs. By removing middlemen, they offer better prices to buyers while increasing earnings for sellers. Trust and safety mechanisms—reviews, verification, insurance—are critical infrastructure investments for P2P platforms.

Vertical Marketplaces

Vertical marketplaces focus on specific industries or product categories, offering deep expertise and specialized features. Examples include healthcare marketplaces connecting patients with providers, construction platforms linking contractors with suppliers, and agriculture marketplaces serving farmers.

Vertical specialization allows these platforms to build industry-specific features like compliance tools, specialized payment terms, or supply chain integration. While addressable markets are smaller than horizontal platforms, vertical marketplaces often achieve higher margins and stronger customer retention.

On-Demand Service Marketplaces

On-demand marketplaces connect users with service providers for immediate fulfillment. Uber, DoorDash, and TaskRabbit pioneered this model, which has expanded to beauty services, home services, and professional tasks. These platforms prioritize speed, convenience, and mobile-first experiences.

The unit economics of on-demand marketplaces are challenging due to high customer acquisition costs and price sensitivity. Successful platforms achieve profitability through geographic density, optimized routing algorithms, and strategic pricing that balances driver/provider earnings with customer willingness to pay.

Marketplace Funding Trends 2025-2026

Seed and Series A Dominate Transaction Volume

Seed and Series A rounds accounted for 68% of marketplace funding deals in 2025, though later-stage rounds captured the majority of dollar volume, according to PitchBook’s marketplace funding analysis. Early-stage investors remain bullish on marketplace models due to capital efficiency—many marketplaces reach initial product-market fit with $2-5 million in seed funding, far less than hardware or manufacturing startups.

The average seed-stage marketplace startup raised $2.1 million in 2025, while Series A rounds averaged $12 million. These figures reflect investor expectations that marketplaces can achieve meaningful traction (>$1M GMV) before needing substantial capital.

Geographic Expansion Drives Series B and Later Rounds

Later-stage marketplace funding ($25M+) primarily funds geographic expansion and market category additions. Companies like Preply ($150M Series D) and Kalshi ($1B Series E) raised large rounds to expand internationally and add complementary marketplace categories.

International expansion requires market-specific features, local payment integration, regulatory compliance, and region-appropriate marketing. Series B and Series C startups typically use these funds to replicate successful playbooks across new geographies while maintaining central technology and operational infrastructure.

AI Integration Emerges as Key Differentiator

Artificial intelligence became a major marketplace investment theme in 2025, with AI-powered platforms raising significantly more capital than traditional marketplaces. AI startups in the marketplace space use machine learning for matching algorithms, fraud detection, dynamic pricing, and personalized recommendations.

PaleBlueDot AI’s $150M Series B exemplifies this trend—the company uses AI to optimize B2B marketplace matching and pricing. Investors increasingly view AI capabilities as essential infrastructure for marketplace competitiveness, not optional enhancements.

Vertical B2B Marketplaces Attract Strategic Investment

B2B marketplaces connecting businesses with suppliers, services, or expertise saw record investment in 2025. These platforms solve procurement inefficiencies in fragmented industries like manufacturing, logistics, and professional services.

B2B marketplace startups typically have higher average transaction values and more predictable revenue than consumer marketplaces, making them attractive to growth-stage investors. Strategic investors from incumbent industries also participate actively, seeking digital transformation partnerships.

Top Marketplace Startup Hubs

San Francisco & Silicon Valley

The Bay Area remains the dominant marketplace startup hub, home to 23% of all funded marketplace companies globally. Access to venture capital, engineering talent, and marketplace expertise creates powerful ecosystem advantages. Major platforms like Airbnb, DoorDash, and Instacart are headquartered here.

San Francisco startups benefit from proximity to major VC firms like Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and Benchmark—all active marketplace investors. The region also has the highest density of operators with scaling experience at $100M+ GMV marketplaces.

New York City

NYC startups raised $820 million in marketplace funding in 2025, representing 17% of U.S. total. New York’s diverse economy—finance, real estate, fashion, media—creates opportunities for vertical marketplaces serving these industries. The city also has strong talent pools for operations, sales, and business development roles.

Notable NYC marketplace exits include Etsy (public), Compass (public), and Rent the Runway, creating a strong founder-investor ecosystem. The city’s large consumer base also provides dense testing grounds for on-demand service marketplaces.

London & UK

London startups and the broader UK startup ecosystem lead Europe in marketplace innovation, with $680 million raised in 2025. London excels particularly in FinTech marketplaces (lending, investing, crypto) and professional services platforms.

Regulatory environment, English language, and time zone positioning make London attractive for marketplace startups targeting both European and U.S. markets. Companies like OneDome (real estate, $25M Series C) and Lawhive (legal services, $60M Series B) demonstrate London’s vertical marketplace strength.

India & Southeast Asia

India startups, particularly in Bangalore and Mumbai, raised $590 million in marketplace funding in 2025. Indian marketplace startups address unique market needs—agriculture marketplaces connecting farmers to buyers, hyperlocal service platforms, and vernacular-language commerce.

The fragmented nature of Indian supply chains creates massive marketplace opportunities. Companies like Arya Collateral ($80M Series D) demonstrate how vertical marketplaces can transform traditional industries. Southeast Asian markets like Singapore and Indonesia show similar patterns with rapid growth in logistics and e-commerce marketplaces.

Key Investors in Marketplace Startups

Top Venture Capital Firms

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) leads marketplace investing globally, with portfolio companies including Instacart, Faire, and TipTop. The firm’s marketplace-specific expertise and operating playbooks make it a sought-after lead investor for Series A and Series B rounds.

Sequoia Capital maintains an active marketplace portfolio including DoorDash, Thumbtack, and Airbnb (early investor). Sequoia’s global presence and multi-stage investing approach allows it to back marketplace startups from seed through IPO.

Benchmark Capital pioneered marketplace investing with early bets on eBay and Uber. The firm continues actively investing in early-stage marketplace startups with strong founder-market fit and clear liquidity paths.

Other active marketplace investors include GGV Capital (cross-border marketplaces), Lightspeed Venture Partners (vertical marketplaces), and Accel Partners (European and Indian marketplaces). For comprehensive investor lists, see our guides on tech VC investors and SaaS VC investors.

Strategic and Corporate Investors

Strategic investors play significant roles in later-stage marketplace funding. Payment companies (Stripe, PayPal, Square) invest in marketplaces to drive payment volume. E-commerce platforms (Shopify, Amazon) invest in specialized vertical marketplaces.

Traditional industry incumbents increasingly invest in marketplace disruptors as digital transformation partners. Real estate firms invest in property marketplaces, logistics companies invest in freight platforms, and financial institutions back FinTech marketplaces to access new customer segments.

Marketplace Startup Challenges and Solutions

Achieving Liquidity and Critical Mass

The chicken-and-egg problem—needing buyers to attract sellers and vice versa—remains the fundamental marketplace challenge. Successful platforms solve this through staged launches, single-player modes, or subsidized initial transactions.

Best practices for achieving liquidity:

• Launch in dense geographic areas or narrow niches first
• Provide value to one side even without the other (content, tools, data)
• Use manual curation or concierge services initially before automating
• Implement referral programs and network effects accelerators
• Consider strategic partnerships with existing supply or demand sources

Unit Economics and Path to Profitability

Many marketplace startups struggle with negative unit economics, particularly on-demand service platforms with high acquisition costs and low retention. Investors increasingly scrutinize path to profitability, with funding concentrated on marketplaces showing improving contribution margins.

Key metrics investors evaluate:

• Take rate (% of GMV captured as revenue)
• CAC payback period (months to recover customer acquisition costs)
• Repeat purchase rate and cohort retention
• Contribution margin after direct costs
• Geographic density and fulfillment efficiency (for logistics marketplaces)

Trust and Safety Infrastructure

Trust and safety represent major investment areas for marketplace platforms. Identity verification, payment security, review systems, fraud detection, and dispute resolution require dedicated teams and technology infrastructure, as outlined in Andreessen Horowitz’s marketplace playbook.

Insurance and guarantee programs build buyer confidence but add cost structure. Successful marketplaces balance trust investments with friction reduction—overly burdensome verification hurts conversion while inadequate safeguards enable fraud.

Regulatory Compliance

Marketplaces face complex regulatory landscapes varying by geography and industry. Real estate marketplaces must navigate licensing requirements, lending platforms face financial regulation, and labor marketplaces confront employment classification issues.

Proactive regulatory engagement and compliance-first approaches reduce legal risk. Many marketplaces hire regulatory affairs teams early and work with policymakers to shape favorable frameworks. See our GDPR cold email guide for marketplace email compliance considerations.

How to Sell to Marketplace Startups

Marketplace startups have distinct purchasing patterns shaped by their business model, growth stage, and operational needs. Understanding these patterns helps B2B companies effectively target marketplace founders and decision-makers.

High-Priority Infrastructure Needs

Payment processing and financial infrastructure: Marketplaces require payment gateways, escrow services, split payment capabilities, and international settlement. Providers like Stripe, Adyen, and specialized marketplace payment platforms are essential vendors.

Trust and safety tools: Identity verification, background checks, fraud detection, and content moderation tools represent critical infrastructure. Marketplaces invest early in these capabilities to protect users and reduce liability.

Communication and engagement platforms: Customer support tools, messaging infrastructure, email marketing platforms, and push notification services drive marketplace engagement. See our guides on email marketing tools and B2B lead generation tools.

Analytics and data infrastructure: Marketplaces are data-intensive businesses requiring robust analytics, A/B testing, funnel optimization, and cohort analysis tools.

Growth-Stage Technology Investments

As marketplaces scale, they invest in additional infrastructure:

• CRM and sales automation for B2B marketplaces
• Cold email outreach tools for seller acquisition
• Ad tech and marketing automation for demand generation
• International payment and localization services
• Logistics and fulfillment management systems

Best Practices for Selling to Marketplaces

Target recently funded companies: Marketplace startups make major infrastructure decisions after funding rounds. Our database of recently funded startups helps identify companies with fresh capital.

Understand marketplace unit economics: Frame your solution’s value in terms of GMV impact, take rate improvement, or cost reduction. Show how your tool affects marketplace-specific metrics like liquidity, match rate, or transaction completion.

Demonstrate social proof from similar marketplaces: Reference customers in related marketplace categories. If selling to real estate marketplaces, showcase e-commerce marketplace customers to demonstrate cross-vertical applicability.

Offer flexible pricing aligned with GMV growth: Marketplace startups prefer pricing that scales with their success—% of GMV, per-transaction fees, or usage-based models. Large upfront commitments are challenging for early-stage companies.

Using Startup Databases for B2B Outreach

Finding recently funded marketplace startups manually through press releases and funding announcements is time-consuming and often incomplete. A comprehensive startup database provides verified contacts, funding details, and decision-maker information updated weekly.

When evaluating startup lead databases, prioritize:

Data freshness – Weekly updates vs quarterly

Contact verification – Direct emails vs generic info@

Funding intelligence – Round size, investors, date

Decision-maker access – Founder/C-suite contacts

Growth List maintains the most current database for B2B sales teams targeting startups, with 100 new funded companies added weekly. Our marketplace startup database includes:

• Verified founder and executive emails
• Funding round details and amounts
• Investor information and board members
• Company size, location, and growth metrics
• Technology stack and infrastructure details
• Hiring indicators and expansion signals

Frequently Asked Questions About Marketplace Startups

Related Startup Lists

Explore our other curated startup databases with verified contact information and funding details:

• E-Commerce Startups – Direct-to-consumer and B2B commerce platforms
• Real Estate Startups – PropTech and property marketplace companies
• Travel Startups – Hospitality and travel booking platforms
• Social Media Startups – Social networking and community platforms
• FinTech Startups – Financial services and payment marketplaces
• Logistics Startups – Freight and delivery marketplace platforms
• Healthcare Startups – Medical services and provider marketplaces
• B2B Startups – Business-to-business service platforms
• Education Startups – EdTech and tutoring marketplaces

For geographic startup lists:

• San Francisco Startups
• New York Startups
• London Startups
• India Startups

For funding stage lists:

• Seed Startups
• Series A Startups
• Series B Startups
• Recently Funded Startups