WHOOP Stock: How to Buy Shares Before the IPO

Learn how to invest in WHOOP stock before the IPO. Linqto, a pre-IPO investing platform, is offering WHOOP stock shares to accredited investors. 

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WHOOP Stock IPO News

01/12/2023: WHOOP Layoffs Hit B2B Unit
11/25/2022: Whoop CEO Will Ahmed on guiding a sports tech unicorn
07/22/2022: Whoop lays off 15% of its corporate team
05/25/2022: The Incredible WHOOP Data Behind Justin Thomas’ PGA Win
11/08/2021: How Whoop landed a fancy new battery for its fitness trackers
08/31/2021: WHOOP Raises $200 Million Financing Led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 at $3.6 Billion Valuation
10/28/2020:  WHOOP Raises $100 Million In Series E Funding
11/12/2019: Whoop, a maker of makes discreet wearables, raises $55M

What is WHOOP?

Whoop is a wearable device technology popular with athletes. The WHOOP 4.0 is the company’s latest product. It’s a fitness tracker worn on the wrist, akin to an Apple Watch, but without the touch screen, notifications, or distractions.

Instead, it tracks your body’s vitals, and users get data from the accompanying smartphone app. 

The fitness tracker is lightweight and designed to wear 24/7. Sila Nanotechnologies provides the innovative battery technology.

WHOOP gives away its fitness trackers for free but with a recurring membership fee. Membership gives access to a smartphone app, coaching features, and performance reports.

The company claims the recurring revenue business model “provides a lower-cost way for customers to try the most advanced wearable technology without a high upfront cost.”

WHOOP was founded in 2012 by former Harvard squash athlete Will Ahmed.

It’s headquartered in Boston, Mass.

Here’s a look at the WHOOP 4.0 product.

Is WHOOP Stock Publicly Traded?

Not yet. WHOOP is a private company.

The company founders, employees, several venture capital firms, and professional athletes make up the bulk of investors. 

Since its founding, WHOOP has raised more than $400 million. The latest funding round, a Series F in August 2021, raised $200 million, valuing the company at $3.6 billion. 

Venture capital investors include the Foundry Group, Two Sigma Ventures, Softbank Vision Fund, Collaborative Fund, IVP, Cavu Ventures, Thursday Ventures, GP Bullhound, and NextView Ventures.

Several high-profile athletes have invested in WHOOP, including Kevin Durant, Larry Fitzgerald, Patrick Mahomes, Eli Manning, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Thomas.

When is the WHOOP IPO Date?

We don’t know yet. 

WHOOP’s most recent funding round was a Series F, suggesting venture capital investors may start getting anxious about exiting their investment. 

However, WHOOP is growing and may need future funding rounds to perfect its product and onboard talent for long-term growth. 

The author will update this webpage with news about a forthcoming IPO.

What is the WHOOP Stock Price?

There is no publicly traded WHOOP stock price yet. 

However, Linqto, a pre-IPO investing platform, has offered shares to accredited investors at $6.60 per share (as of April 2022). That’s an implied valuation of $4.9 billion.

Use the button below to visit Linqto and see if shares are still available. 

Learn More About Linqto

What is the WHOOP Stock Symbol? WHOOP Ticker?

WHOOP has not submitted filings to the SEC yet. Once they complete the regulatory filing and release it to the public, we’ll learn the WHOOP stock symbol.

Until then, we can only speculate. Here are a few suggestions that appear to be available in the U.S.:

• WOOP
• WHOP
• WHP
• WHOO

Where can I find the WHOOP S-1 Filing?

Whoop has not yet filed for an IPO with the SEC. As of now, the author is not aware of definitive plans for a forthcoming IPO. 

However, after several fundraising rounds and the onboarding of dozens of investors, the author expects an IPO in late 2022 or 2023.

Can you Invest in WHOOP Stock Today? 

Possibly. 

The pre-IPO investing platform, Linqto, began offering shares to its customers in January 2022. As of April 2022, shares were still available.

Anyone can sign up for their email list and be alerted to new share availability. Nineteen pre-companies were available for investment as of April 2022, including BlockFi stock, Ripple, Automation Anywhere, and Eat Just.

However, only accredited investors can invest (accredited means the investor has invested assets > $1 million, not including primary home equity, or annual income > $200k single, $300k married).

Pre-IPO investing is risky because private companies’ financials are not yet public or scrutinized by regulators. Investors may not have enough information to make an informed investment decision and can lose money. 

If you are not an accredited investor, you’ll have to be more patient waiting for the IPO. 

Below are three ways to invest in WHOOP stock when the IPO arrives. 

How to Buy WHOOP Stock in the Future

1. Buy WHOOP stock after the WHOOP IPO

Most investors will not have the opportunity to buy WHOOP stock before the IPO. 

Non-accredited investors cannot buy the stock pre-IPO as of now.

However, some investors may be able to participate in the IPO when it arrives (see #2 below). 

Even so, acquiring IPO shares for the highest demand IPOs is always challenging and never guaranteed. So you may have to wait until the IPO date and buy the stock once it is trading. 

Keep in mind that IPOs often come with inflated stock prices, so you may be able to buy shares below the IPO price if you are patient. 

You can buy post-IPO stocks with any online broker. My favorite is M1 Finance, which I consider the best for long-term buy-and-hold investors. M1 Finance does not provide IPO access. 

2. Buy WHOOP stock during the WHOOP IPO through a broker

Underwriters (big banks like Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, etc.) like to give IPO shares to their wealthiest clients. Historically, the rich benefited most from IPOs. 

However, startups are beginning to request that some shares be allocated to retail investors. Certain online brokers now provide this service. 

You’ll need an online brokerage account that offers free IPO investing to its customers to invest in the IPO.

This space is becoming more competitive, so multiple brokers will now be vying for the highest-profile upcoming IPOs.

The online brokers now offering free IPO access with zero or low minimum account values include:

• Tradestation — $500 account minimum. Highest IPO volume in partnership with Click IPO.
• SoFi Invest — No account minimums. Scored the massive Rivian IPO for customers in 2021.
• Robinhood — No account minimums. Likely candidate to increase IPO volumes in the coming years.

By having accounts with these brokers, you’ll receive communication regarding upcoming IPOs on their platforms. You can also read company S-1 SEC filings for clues about IPO access for retail investors.

Sometimes the broker’s name is listed in the S-1 filing. Other times, you’ll need to look for signs of a directed share program. 

3. Participate in the WHOOP Directed Share Program (Registered Customers)

Another possibility (far from a certainty) is a directed share program.

Sometimes when companies file their S-1 SEC filing (to begin the IPO process), they include a directed share program for executives, affiliates, and other people who helped it grow.

WHOOP can attribute success to its monthly paying customers. As such, the company may offer IPO shares to customers. 

This has happened before.

Uber offered shares to drivers that completed a certain number of trips.

GoPro offered shares to its email list. 

Airbnb offered IPO shares to hosts. 

Robinhood offered shares to its customers (all 22 million of them. Only about 300,000 requested shares)

Considering WHOOP’s recurring revenue model and engaged user base, it would be a nice and reasonable perk to offer its customers. If you’re a customer, monitor your WHOOP emails as the WHOOP IPO approaches. May get a shot at IPO shares. 

Bookmark this page for more information as the IPO approaches. 

When companies deploy directed share programs, customers will get an email and be asked to open an account with whichever broker got the deal. So unless you already have an account with that broker, you’ll need to open a new account. 

Then carefully follow the instructions outlined in the communications. If you don’t pay attention, you can miss out on shares. 

That’s one possible way to own WHOOP stock pre-IPO and three more potential ways to own WHOOP stock during or after the IPO. Good luck investing. 

Disclosure: The web page contains affiliate links from our partners. If a reader opens an account or buys a service from a link in this article, we may be compensated at no additional cost to the reader. Opening an account with a broker that provides access to IPOs does not guarantee the customer allocations of specific IPOs. IPO and pre-IPO investing involve unique risks. Do not invest with money you cannot afford to lose.