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Guideline
Fintech
Guideline is a San Mateo-based fintech company providing low-cost, easy-to-administer 401(k) retirement plans designed specifically for small and mid-sized businesses.
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Guideline was founded in 2015 by Kevin Busque, based on the observation that small and mid-sized businesses have historically been significantly less likely to offer employees a retirement savings plan than large companies, in substantial part because traditional 401(k) providers have often charged fees and required administrative complexity poorly suited to smaller businesses without dedicated HR or benefits administration staff, leaving a very large share of American workers at small businesses without convenient access to employer-sponsored retirement savings, a gap that has drawn increasing attention as a growing number of U.S. states have passed laws requiring small businesses to either offer a retirement plan or automatically enroll employees in a state-run alternative. Guideline's platform provides a fully digital, significantly lower-cost 401(k) plan offering relative to many traditional retirement plan providers, which have often layered numerous different fees, including plan administration fees, investment management fees, and advisor fees, that can meaningfully erode small business employees' retirement savings growth over time, particularly for the smaller account balances typical of newer retirement savers. The company handles plan administration, compliance, and integration with a business's existing payroll system automatically, reducing the administrative burden that has historically discouraged many small business owners from offering a retirement plan given the complexity and time investment traditional providers required. Guideline has positioned its offering as particularly well suited to the growing number of small businesses newly required or incentivized to offer retirement benefits due to state-level retirement savings mandates that have proliferated across a growing number of U.S. states in recent years, as well as small businesses that simply want to offer a competitive benefits package to attract and retain employees without the cost and complexity traditional 401(k) providers have historically imposed. The company has raised substantial venture funding from investors including General Catalyst, ICONIQ Growth, and Emergence Capital, reaching a valuation exceeding $1 billion, competing with other small business retirement plan providers including Human Interest and traditional providers such as ADP's retirement services division.
FOR QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL AND ACCREDITED INVESTORS ONLY: Under federal securities laws, private market investments on this platform are available exclusively to Institutional and Accredited Investors. Verification of status required before investing. Private investments involve significant risks including illiquidity, potential loss of principal, and limited disclosure requirements. "Augment" refers to Augment Markets, Inc. and its affiliates. Augment Markets, Inc. is a technology company offering software and data services, not a bank or financial institution. Cash Accounts are provided by Modern Treasury Corp. financial institution partners and through Augment's technology. Augment does not act as a money services business, provide money transmission, or serve as a custodian of funds. Funds held in your Cash Account are not FDIC insured unless expressly disclosed. Full terms available in the Augment Cash Account Agreement. Brokerage services are offered through Augment Capital, LLC, an affiliated broker-dealer and member FINRA/SIPC. "Investment accounts" are not brokerage accounts and do not hold customer funds or securities. Investment advisory services are offered through Augment Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration with the SEC does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Neither Augment Advisors, LLC nor Augment Capital, LLC provide legal or tax advice; consult your attorney or tax professional regarding your specific situation. For additional information, please refer to Augment Advisors, LLC's Form ADV Part 2A (Firm Brochure) and FINRA BrokerCheck.
