Carta, in plain English

• Carta is a connected platform that runs the critical equity and fund operations behind private companies and investment firms. Think of it as your Back Office control center: one place to manage ownership, raise and distribute capital, stay compliant, and be audit‑ready. (carta.com)

Why Back Office teams love it

• It creates a single source of truth for ownership and fund data, so finance, legal, HR, and investors are all looking at the same numbers.

• It automates repetitive work (issuing equity, capital calls, distributions, notices), which lowers error risk and speeds up closes.

• It keeps you compliance- and audit-ready with built‑in reports, filings, and traceable workflows.

• It improves the stakeholder experience with secure portals for employees and LPs—fewer emails, fewer attachments, more clarity. (carta.com)

Fund management on Carta (for PE/VC and investment managers)

• Run the core: portfolio tracking and real-time fund performance (IRR, TVPI, DPI, RVPI) on one dashboard.

• Move money with confidence: initiate capital calls and distributions, manage closings, and keep a clean audit trail.

• Serve LPs well: an LP portal to sign subscription docs, fulfill capital calls, access documents, K‑1s, and performance metrics.

• Stay compliant and fast: fund tax support (Form 1065 and K‑1 prep and distribution), plus audit support when you need it.

• Model and plan: tools for waterfalls, exit scenarios, and fund forecasting so the GP and CFO see around corners.

• Scale your structure: launch SPVs and new funds, streamline KYC/AML, and even access capital call lines of credit.

• Standardize communications: automate ILPA‑compliant notices so investors get consistent, timely updates. (carta.com)

Equity management for companies (from idea to IPO)

• Build and maintain a clean cap table without spreadsheets; issue electronic securities, handle transfers, and communicate with stakeholders in one place.

• Connect the stack: HRIS and payroll integrations keep option exercises, vesting, and employee changes in sync automatically.

• Keep compliance tight: generate 409A valuations, manage Rule 701, create QSBS attestations, and support 83(b) and Form 3921 workflows with audit‑ready reports under ASC 718/IFRS.

• Plan ahead: use scenario modeling to see dilution before a round; raise early with SAFE issuance; keep board actions and investor updates organized. (carta.com)

Liquidity and IPO readiness (when you need to go bigger)

• Offer employee and investor liquidity through integrated, cap‑table‑aware tender offers with in‑platform money movement, seller modeling, and tax withholding estimates.

• Track deals live with issuer dashboards; close faster with fewer reconciliations and immediate cap table updates.

• Get ready for public markets with the IPO Reports Bundle—one‑click export of equity, valuation, and stock‑comp disclosure reports to streamline S‑1 drafting and audits. (carta.com)

Scale and credibility you can point to

• Carta is used by 50,000+ companies, connects 2.6M+ equity owners, and tracks $4T+ in assets on platform, with $182B+ in fund assets under administration. Those numbers matter when you need dependable infrastructure for controls, audits, and investor trust. (carta.com)

Where Carta fits in your stack

• Plug in via APIs to sync ownership and comp data into HRIS, law firm portals, investor CRMs, and more; partners use these APIs to eliminate manual entry and keep systems aligned.

• Use native and ecosystem integrations (e.g., expenses to general ledger, HRIS sync) to reduce swivel‑chair work and cut month‑end time. (carta.com)

What this means for a solid Back Office

• You get clean data, controlled workflows, and fewer bespoke spreadsheets, which reduces operational risk.

• Your team spends less time chasing signatures and reconciling ledgers, and more time on forecasting, scenario analysis, and investor relations.

• Auditors, boards, and LPs see consistent, defensible reports sourced directly from the system of record. (carta.com)

Who it’s for

• Startups and LLCs that want to issue equity correctly from day one and be diligence‑ready at any time.

• Venture and private equity firms that want one system for fund admin, LP communications, and tax filings.

• Later‑stage companies preparing for liquidity or IPO and needing audit‑ready reporting and controls. (carta.com)

Quick takeaway

• If you want a Back Office that’s calm, compliant, and scalable, Carta gives you the connected rails for equity and funds, from the first share issued to the last distribution. It’s not just software; it’s the operating system that keeps your ownership, investors, and audits in sync. (carta.com)