Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in this Form 10-K. These factors include:

You are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. We undertake no obligation to amend this Form 10-K or revise publicly these forward-looking statements (other than pursuant to reporting obligations imposed on registrants pursuant to applicable federal securities laws) to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

RISK FACTOR SUMMARY

Our business is subject to significant risks and uncertainties that make an investment in us speculative and risky. Below we summarize what we believe are the principal risk factors but these risks are not the only ones we face, and you should carefully review and consider the full discussion of our risk factors in the section titled “Risk Factors,” together with the other information in this Annual Report on Form 10-K. If any of the following risks actually occurs (or if any of those listed elsewhere in this Annual Report on Form 10-K occur), our business, reputation, financial condition, results of operations, revenue, and future prospects could be seriously harmed. Additional risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently believe are not material, may also become important factors that adversely affect our business. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this Annual Report on Form 10-K to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and “Netcapital” refer to Netcapital Inc. and its subsidiaries.

Risks Related to our Business and Growth Strategy

Risks Related to Receipt of Securities for Services

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A significant portion of our total assets are held in equity securities of early-stage companies, which securities are illiquid and subject to volatility, which factors could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

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We are not, and do not intend to become, regulated as an investment company under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or the 40 Act, (and similar legislation in other jurisdictions) and if we are deemed an “investment company” under the 40 Act applicable restrictions would make it impractical for us to operate as contemplated.

Risks Related to Operation of our Proposed Secondary Trading Platform

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We will be dependent on a third-party for operation of our proposed secondary trading platform. Any disruption in the services provided by such third-party provider could adversely affect our business.

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We may become involved in disputes or litigation matters between customers with respect to failed transactions on our proposed secondary trading platform (such as in the event of delayed delivery or a failure to deliver securities).

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Failure to launch our proposed secondary trading platform could result in continued lack of liquidity for investors in our target market. Should this lack of liquidity cause reduced investor interest in investing in the unregistered or private securities offered by our clients, they may be less inclined to use our platform which could have a material adverse effect on our business or results of operations.

Risks Related to our Proposed Broker-Dealer Activities

Risk Factors Related to Our Common Stock

ITEM 1. BUSINESS.

Overview

Netcapital Inc. is a fintech company with a scalable technology platform that allows private companies to raise capital online from accredited and non-accredited investors. We give all investors the opportunity to access investments in private companies. We give virtually all investors the opportunity to access investments in private companies. Our model is disruptive to traditional private equity investing and is based on Title III, Regulation Crowdfunding (“Reg CF”) of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (“JOBS Act”). Our model is disruptive to traditional private equity investing and is based on Title III, Reg CF of the JOBS Act. In addition, we have recently expanded our model to include Regulation A (“Reg A”) offerings. We generate fees from listing private companies on our funding portal located at www. We generate fees from listing private companies on our portal. netcapital.com. We also generate fees from advising companies with respect to their Reg A offerings posted on www.netcapital.com. Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors Inc. (“Netcapital Advisors”), which is a wholly owned subsidiary, provides marketing and strategic advice to companies in exchange for cash fees and/or equity positions. The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the SEC, is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), a registered national securities association, and provides investors with opportunities to invest in private companies. The Netcapital funding portal is registered with the SEC, is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, or FINRA, a registered national securities association, and provides investors with opportunities to invest in private companies. Neither Netcapital Advisors, nor any Netcapital entity or subsidiary, is a broker- dealer, nor do any of such entities operate as a broker-dealer with respect to any Reg A offering listed on the www.netcapital.com website.

Our Business

We provide private company investment access to accredited and non-accredited investors through our online portal (www.netcapital.com), which is operated by our wholly owned subsidiary Netcapital Funding Portal, Inc. The Netcapital funding portal charges a $5,000 listing fee, a 4.9% portal fee for capital raised at closing, and beginning in fiscal year 2024, a 1% success fee paid for with equity of the funding portal customer. In addition, the portal generates fees for other ancillary services, such as rolling closes. In addition, the Funding Portal generates fees for other ancillary services, such as rolling closes. Netcapital Advisors generates fees and equity stakes from consulting in select portfolio (“portfolio Companies”) and non-portfolio clients. With respect to its services for Reg A offerings, Netcapital Advisors charges a monthly flat fee for each month the offering is listed on the netcapital.com website as well as a nominal administrative flat fee for each investor that is processed to cover out-of-pocket costs.

We generated revenues of $4,951,435, with costs of service of $108,060, in the year ended April 30, 2024 for a gross profit of $4,843,375 (consisting of $3,537,700 in equity securities for payment of services and $1,413,736 in cash-based revenues, offset by $108,060 for costs of services) as compared to revenues of $8,493,985 with costs of service of $85,038 in the year ended April 30, 2023 for a gross profit of $8,408,947 (consisting of $7,105,000 in equity securities for the payment of services and $1,388,985 in cash-based revenues, offset by $85,038 for costs of services). We provided additional services for two (2) and four (4) of our Portfolio Companies during the years ended April 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and our cash-based gross profits as a percentage of gross profits were approximately 1% in both fiscal years.

In fiscal 2024 and 2023, the average amount raised in an offering on the Netcapital funding portal was $280,978 and $128,170, respectively. The total number of offerings on the Netcapital funding portal in fiscal 2024 and 2023 that closed was 70 and 63, respectively, of which 17 and 13 offerings hosted on the Netcapital funding platform in fiscal 2024 and 2023, respectively, terminated their listings without raising the required minimum dollar amount of capital. As of the date of this report, we own minority equity positions in 20 Portfolio Companies that have utilized the funding portal to facilitate their offerings, for which equity was received as payment for services.

Funding Portal

Netcapital.com is an SEC-registered funding portal that enables private companies to raise capital online, while investors are able to invest from almost anywhere in the world, at any time, with just a few clicks. Securities offerings on the portal are accessible through individual offering pages, where companies include product or service details, market size, competitive advantages, and financial documents. Companies can accept investments from virtually anyone, including friends, family, customers, employees, etc. Companies can accept investment from virtually anyone, including friends, family, customers, employees, etc. Customer accounts on our platform are not permitted to hold digital securities.

In addition to access to the Funding Portal, the Funding Portal provides the following services:

Consulting Business

Our consulting group, Netcapital Advisors helps companies at all stages to raise capital. Netcapital Advisors provides strategic advice, technology consulting and online marketing services to assist with fundraising campaigns on the Netcapital platform. We also act as an incubator and accelerator, taking equity stakes in select disruptive start-ups.

Netcapital Advisors’ services include:

Proposed Broker-Dealer Business

Our recently formed wholly owned subsidiary, Netcapital Securities Inc. has applied for broker-dealer registration with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). We that by having a registered broker-dealer, it will create opportunities to expand revenue base by hosting and generating additional fees from Reg A+ and Reg D offerings on the Netcapital platform;, earning additional fees in connection with offerings that may result from the introduction of clients to other FINRA broker-dealers and expanding our distribution capabilities by leveraging strategic partnerships with other broker-dealers to distribute offerings of issuers that utilize the Netcapital platform to a wider range of investors in order to maximize market penetration and optimize capital raising efforts. Netcapital Securities Inc.’s application to become a registered broker-dealer remains subject to regulatory approval and/or licensing from the Financial Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). No assurance can be given as to when or if such approvals may be granted or when, if at all, Netcapital will be able to expand the services it offers. As of the date of this Annual Report, Netcapital Securities Inc. has not conducted any business activities.

Competition

We compete with a number of public and private companies that provide assistance with capital raising, strategy, technology consulting, and digital marketing. Most of our competitors have significant financial resources and occupy entrenched positions in the market with name-brand recognition. The majority of our capital raising and digital marketing business is on the Internet.

The barriers to entry into most Internet markets are relatively low, making them accessible to a large number of entities and individuals. We believe the principal competitive factors in our industry that create certain barriers to entry include but are not limited to reputation, technology, financial stability and resources, proven track record of successful operations, critical mass, and independent oversight and transparency of business practices. Obtaining approval from FINRA to operate as a funding portal is also a barrier to entry due to the significant internal control and capital requirements. While these barriers may limit those able to enter or compete effectively in the market, it is likely that new competitors as well as laws and regulations of governmental authority may be established in the future, in addition to our known current competitors.

We face significant competition in every aspect of our business, including from companies that facilitate online capital formation and the sharing of content and information, companies that enable marketers to display advertising, companies that distribute video and other forms of media content, and companies that provide development platforms for applications developers. We compete to attract, engage, and retain customers, to attract and retain marketers, and to attract and retain developers to build compelling applications that integrate with our products.

Increased competition from current and future competitors may in the future materially adversely affect our business, revenues, operating results and financial condition.

Industry Regulation

In an effort to enhance economic growth and to democratize access to private investment opportunities, Congress finalized the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) in 2016. Title III of the JOBS Act enabled early-stage companies to offer and sell securities to the general public for the first time. The SEC then adopted Regulation Crowdfunding, or Reg CF, in order to implement the JOBS Act’s crowdfunding provisions.

Reg CF has several important features that changed the landscape for private capital raising and investment. For the first time, this regulation:

●	Allowed the general public to invest in private companies, no longer limiting early-stage investment opportunities to less than 10% of the population;

●	Enabled private companies to advertise their securities offerings to the public (general solicitation); and

●	Conditionally exempted securities sold under Section 4(a)(6) from the registration requirements of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934.

The SEC had also adopted rules to implement Section 401 of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act by expanding Reg A into two tiers

We are subject, both directly and indirectly, to various laws and regulations relating to our business. If any of the laws are amended, compliance could become more expensive and directly affect our income. We intend to comply with such laws, but new restrictions may arise that could materially adversely affect our Company. Specifically, the SEC regulates our funding portal business, and our funding portal is also a member of FINRA and is regulated by FINRA. We are also subject to the USA Patriot Act of 2001, which contains anti-money laundering and financial transparency laws and mandates various regulations applicable to financial services companies, including standards for verifying client identification at account opening, and obligations to monitor client transactions and report suspicious activities. Anti-money laundering laws outside of the United States contain some similar provisions. In the event that our wholly-owned subsidiary receives a broker-dealer license, we will become subject to additional regulation and supervision of the SEC and FINRA, including without limitation Rule 15c3-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Uniform Net Capital Rule). The Uniform Net Capital Rule specifies minimum capital requirements intended to ensure the general financial soundness and liquidity of broker-dealers. The Uniform Net Capital Rule prohibits broker-dealers from paying cash dividends, making unsecured advances or loans or repaying subordinated loans if such payment would result in a net capital amount of less than 5% of aggregate debit balances or less than 120% of its minimum dollar requirement. Our failure to comply with these requirements as applicable to us could have a material adverse effect on us.

Our Market

The traditional funding model restricts access to capital, investments and liquidity. According to Harvard Business Review, venture capital firms, or VCs, invest in fewer than 1% of the companies they consider and only 10% of VC meetings are obtained through cold outreach. In addition, only 2% of VC funding went to women in 2022, according to PitchBook, while only 1% went to black-owned firms, according to TechCrunch.

Furthermore, under the traditional model, the average investor lacked access to early-stage investments. Prior to the JOBS Act, almost 90% of U.S. households were precluded from investing in private deals, per dqydj.com. Liquidity has also been an issue, as private investments are generally locked up until IPO or takeout.

The JOBS Act helped provide a solution to these issues by establishing the funding portal industry, which is currently in its infancy. Title III of the JOBS Act outlines Reg CF, which traditionally allowed private companies to raise up to $1.07 million from all Americans. In March 2021, regulatory enhancements by the SEC went into effect and increased the limit to $5 million every 12 months. These amendments increased the offering limits for Reg CF, Regulation A and Regulation D, Rule 504 offerings as follows: Reg CF increased to $5 million; Regulation D, Rule 504 increased to $10 million from $5 million; and Regulation A Tier 2 increased to $75 million from $50 million.

There was $494 million raised via Reg CF in 2022, according to Crowdwise. We believe a significant opportunity exists to disrupt private capital markets via the Netcapital funding portal. Private capital markets reached $12 trillion by the first half of 2022, per McKinsey. Within this market, private equity represents the largest share, with assets in excess of $3 trillion and a 10-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10%. Within this market, private equity represents the largest share, with assets in excess of $3 trillion and a 10-year CAGR of 10%. Since 2000, global private equity (“PE”), net asset value has increased almost tenfold, nearly three times faster than the size of the public equity market. Since 2000, global private equity, or PE, net asset value has increased almost tenfold, nearly three times faster than the size of the public equity market. Both McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group predict that this strong growth will continue, as investors allocate increasing amounts to private equity, due to historically higher returns and lower volatility than public markets. In addition, Boston Consulting Group estimates that there are $42 trillion held in retail investment accounts, which we believe represents a large pool of potential account holders for us.

Our Technology

The Netcapital platform is a scalable, real-time, transaction-processing engine that runs without human intervention, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For companies raising capital, the technology provides fully automated onboarding with integrated regulatory filings. Funds are collected from investors and held in escrow until the offering closes. For entrepreneurs, the technology facilitates access to capital at low cost. For investors, the platform provides access to investments in private, early-stage companies that were previously unavailable to the general public. Both entrepreneurs and investors can track and view their investments through their dashboard on netcapital.com. The platform currently has more than 100,000 users.

Scalability was demonstrated in November 2021, when the platform processed more than 2,000 investments in less than two hours, totaling more than $2 million.

Our infrastructure is designed in a way that can horizontally scale to meet our capacity needs. Using Docker containers and Amazon Elastic Container Service, or Amazon ECS, we are able to automate the creation and launch of our production web and application programming interface, or API, endpoints in order to replicate them as needed behind Elastic Load Balancers (ELBs).

Additionally, all of our public facing endpoints live behind CloudFlare to ensure protection from large scale traffic fluctuations (including DDoS attacks).

Our main database layer is built on Amazon RDS and features a Multi-AZ deployment that can also be easily scaled up or down as needed. General queries are cached in our API layer, and we monitor to optimize very complex database queries that are generated by the API. Additionally, we cache the most complex queries (such as analytics data) in our NoSQL (Mongo) data store for improved performance.

Most of our central processing unit, or CPU, intensive data processing happens asynchronously through a worker/jobs system managed by AWS ElastiCache’s Redis endpoint. This component can be easily fine-tuned for any scale necessary.

The technology necessary to operate our funding portal is licensed from Netcapital Systems LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, of which Jason Frishman, Netcapital Founder, owns a 29% interest, under a license agreement with the Funding Portal. Payments under the licensing agreement amounted to $195,000 and $430,000 in the years ended April 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Proposed Alternative Trading (“ATS”) Relationship

We believe that lack of liquidity is a key issue for investors in private companies in our targeted market. We also recognize that secondary trading of securities in private companies is subject to extensive regulation and oversight. Such regulation and oversight includes, but is not limited to, the need to be a registered broker-dealer that is licensed to operate an ATS, or to partner with an entity that is licensed to do so. In order to try to address what we believe is a large, unmet need, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Netcapital Systems LLC, a Utah limited liability company (“Netcapital UT LLC”), entered into a software license and services agreement on January 2, 2023 (the “Templum License Agreement”) with Templum Markets LLC (“Templum”), to provide issuers and investors on the Netcapital platform with the potential for greater distribution and liquidity. Templum is a company that provides capital markets infrastructure for trading private equity securities, and operates an ATS with approval in 53 U.S. states and territories for the trading of unregistered or private securities. We are currently working with Templum to design the software required to allow issuers and investors on the Netcapital platform to access the Templum ATS in order to engage in secondary trading of securities in a regulatorily compliant manner. The operation of the Templum ATS, however, remains subject to extensive regulation and oversight. Accordingly, any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. Any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. Any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. Any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. While we are currently working with Templum on the design of the required software to enable the access to secondary trading on the Templum ATS, no assurance can be given as to when, or if, we will be able to successfully complete this project in order to enable access to a secondary trading feature beta (testing) version to a closed group of users for testing before any final launch is made to the public, and Templum’s approval. Milestones required to launch the platform include, but are not limited to, plug-in of Templum’s KYC and AML requirements to enable interested users to directly send to the Templum ATS any KYC/AML information required by Templum for review and approval, as well as the launch of a beta version to a closed group of users. In July 2024, we announced the launch of our beta version for this secondary trading platform and our goal is to offer such secondary trading platform through the Templum ATS to all issuers and investors on the Netcapital funding portal before the end of 2024 subject to compliance with all regulatory requirements, however, we do not know when, or if, this feature will be fully completed and launched, as there are many details that remain to be completed.

The operation of the Templum ATS is subject to extensive regulation and oversight. Accordingly, any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. Any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. Any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. Any regulatory delays or objections will result in delays in our ability to launch the proposed platform. In addition, because we cannot easily switch between operators of secondary trading platforms of this nature, any disruption of or interference, whether due to regulatory issues or natural disasters, cyber-attacks, terrorist attacks, power losses, telecommunications failures, or other similar events, would impact our operations and may adversely affect the ability of issuers and investors to utilize this platform. There is no obligation for Templum to renew its agreements with us on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

Institutions and individual investors may face significant risk when buying securities on our proposed secondary trading platform. These risks include the following:

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private companies are not required to make periodic public filings, and therefore certain capitalization, operational and financial information may not be available for evaluation;

Further, we may become involved in disputes and litigation matters between customers with respect to transactions on our proposed secondary trading platform. There is a risk that clients may increasingly look to us to make them whole for delayed and/or broken trades. Customers may litigate over a failure of sellers to deliver securities or over the untimely deliveries of securities. Any litigation to which we are a party could be expensive and time consuming, regardless of the ultimate outcome, and the potential costs and risks of such litigation may incentivize us to settle, which could harm our reputation or have a material adverse effect on our business or results or operations. fails to comply with any obligations under this license agreement, such license agreement may be subject to termination in whole or in part, which could severely impact our ability to operate our funding portal which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, and results of operations. fails to comply with any obligations under this license agreement, such license agreement may be subject to termination in whole or in part, which could severely impact our ability to operate our funding portal which would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, and results of operations.

We estimate that the cost for developing this platform will not exceed $1.0 million, most of which has already been incurred and consists of salaries or fees paid to engineers and consultants. We have and continue to pay these expenses from our working capital. We do not currently have a revenue model associated with the sales of securities on the proposed ATS. However, we may seek incorporate this revenue model in the future, provided that we determine any such revenue model is in strict compliance with all regulatory guidelines.

We currently anticipate that we will also be able to sell our interests in any portfolio company using the Templum ATS provided such sales are made in a regulatorily compliant matter. We expect to place a restriction on any sales during any period in which an issuer is offering its securities for sale on the Netcapital funding platform. In addition, securities issued in a Reg CF transaction generally cannot be resold for a period of one year, unless the securities are transferred: (1) to the issuer of the securities; (2) to an “accredited investor”; (3) as part of an offering registered with the SEC; or (4) to a member of the family of the purchaser or the equivalent, to a trust controlled by the purchaser, to a trust created for the benefit of a member of the family of the purchaser or the equivalent, or in connection with the death or divorce of the purchaser or other similar circumstance. Accordingly, any shares owned by us would also be subject to these restrictions. Additional restrictions may be implemented, and there can be no assurance that we will ever sell any of our interests in any portfolio company using the Templum ATS. Further, our insider trading policy prohibits all of our employees, officers, consultants and directors from buying or selling securities while in possession of material non-public information and all such parties are also required to maintain strict confidentiality of all such information. In addition, in order to maintain compliance with our insider trading policies, any affiliate or employee seeking to trade securities in any issuer listed on the funding portal must receive prior approval and clearance from our Chief Financial Officer and all such requests for clearance will be documented and maintained with our compliance department.

Our Netcapital funding portal is currently registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. For so long as we continue to operate our Netcapital platform solely for primary offerings by issuers under Reg CF, we believe that we are not required to register under Regulation ATS.

Competitive Advantages

Based upon publicly available information either published on the websites of our peer group (StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc., Wefunder Inc. and Republic Core LLC) or included in offering statements of issuers hosted on such offering platforms, we believe that we provide the lowest cost solution for online capital raising. We also believe, based upon our facilitated technology platforms, our strong emphasis on customer support, and feedback received from clients that have onboarded to our platform, that our access and onboarding of new clients are superior due to our facilitated technology platforms. Our network continues to rapidly expand as a result of our enhanced marketing and broad distribution to reach new investors. Our network is expanding as a result of our enhanced marketing and broad distribution to reach new investors.

Our competitors include StartEngine Crowdfunding, Inc., Wefunder Inc. and Republic Core LLC. Given the rapid growth in the industry and its potential to disrupt the multi-billion dollar private capital market, we believe there is sufficient room for multiple players.

Our Strategy

Two major tailwinds are driving accelerated growth in the shift to the use of online funding portals: (i) the COVID-19 pandemic; and (ii) the increase in funding limits under Reg CF. The pandemic drove a rapid need to bring as many processes as possible online. With travel restrictions in place and most people in lockdown, entrepreneurs were no longer able to fundraise in person and have increasingly turned to online capital raising through funding portals.

There are numerous industry drivers and tailwinds that complement investor demand for access to investments in private companies. To capitalize on these, our strategy is to:

Investment Portfolio

A key part of our story involves the potential value creation driven by our portfolio companies. In our portfolio, we focus on companies with emerging, disruptive technologies. A partial list of our investment portfolio is described below:

KingsCrowd

Industry: Fintech

Trusted by over 300,000 investors to vet startup investments, KingsCrowd, Inc. is a leader in ratings and analytics for online private markets. The company aggregates, analyzes, and rates companies raising on platforms like Netcapital to help investors make more informed decisions.

Risks related to an investment in KingsCrowd include, but are not limited to the following:

ChipBrain

Industry: AI

Effective communicators close more deals. ChipBrain LLC’s emotionally intelligent AI assistant provides real-time emotion, tone, and facial expression feedback in live conversations across text, voice, and video. Taking the guesswork out of identifying conversational cues, the company’s technology enables sales professionals to see at a glance how they are coming across to customers.

Risks related to an investment in ChipBrain include, but are not limited to the following: