Groundfloor co-founder and CEO Brian Dally has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 Southeast Award by EY US. The recognition highlights leaders driving innovation, company growth, and meaningful impact.
Recognizing Innovation in the Private Market
Now in its 41st year, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program is one of the most respected awards for business leaders. It honors founders who reshape industries and create long-term value.
Dally was selected as one of 35 finalists in the Southeast region following a rigorous evaluation process led by an independent panel of judges. Regional winners will be announced on June 18 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Expanding Access to Private Market Investing
Groundfloor was built to open access to the private market for individual investors.
Historically, private market investing opportunities such as real estate debt were limited to institutions and high-net-worth individuals. Dally and co-founder Nick Bhargava set out to change that by creating a platform where individuals could participate with lower minimums and shorter-term investments.
“We built Groundfloor from day one for the purpose of opening access to private markets on equal terms,” said Dally.
That vision required overcoming significant regulatory hurdles. Groundfloor became the first company to receive SEC qualification to broadly offer direct real estate debt investments to both accredited and non-accredited investors.
Growth Reflects Investor Demand
Under Dally’s leadership, Groundfloor has grown into a category leader in private market investing. More than 300,000 users have invested over $2.2 billion across the platform. The company pioneered fractional investing in residential real estate debt, helping lower barriers to entry while maintaining exposure to asset-backed returns.
Today, investors are increasingly seeking:
- Private market opportunities beyond public stocks and bonds
- Income-generating investments backed by real assets
- Alternatives with defined timelines and more flexibility
Groundfloor’s offerings, including its Notes products, are designed to meet that demand by providing fixed income opportunities within the private market.
A Different Approach to Building a Platform
Groundfloor has also taken a unique path to growth. Instead of relying only on venture capital, the company raised capital from its own investor community. Today, approximately 32% of Groundfloor is owned by its customers.
This approach aligns with its mission. Investors can participate not only in private market investments, but also in the growth of the company itself.
Recognition Across the Industry
Over the past 13 years, Groundfloor has earned recognition for innovation and growth within the private market.
The company has been named to the Forbes Fintech 50, recognized by Benzinga as a leading alternative investment platform, and included on the Inc. 5000 list for six consecutive years.
The Growing Role of Private Markets in Modern Portfolios
Dally’s recognition comes at a time when private market investing is becoming a more defined part of portfolio construction, especially for everyday investors. In fact, Groundfloor had a record breaking year in 2025.
For years, these opportunities were largely limited to institutions and high-net-worth investors, often requiring high minimums and long lockups. Today, individual investors have greater access to:
- Real estate-backed investments
- Income-focused opportunities
- Diversification beyond traditional stocks and bonds
This shift is making the private market more practical for everyday portfolios. As access improves and structures become more flexible, private market investing is moving from a niche allocation to a more widely considered strategy.
What Comes Next?
Winners of the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Southeast Award will be announced on June 18, with finalists advancing to national consideration later this year.
For Groundfloor, the recognition comes after more than a decade of building and scaling access to private market investing.
As investor demand for accessible, income-generating alternatives grows, the company’s focus remains on delivering transparent, asset-backed investments with defined timelines. The next phase of growth will center on expanding product offerings and continuing to lower barriers to entry within the private market.
Explore how private market investing can help you earn income and diversify your portfolio with Groundfloor Notes.
Private Market Investing FAQs
The private market includes investments that are not publicly traded, such as real estate debt and private credit. These investments can offer income and diversification outside of traditional markets.
Private market investing is gaining traction as investors look for higher income potential, asset-backed opportunities, and diversification beyond public markets. Unlike stocks and bonds, many private market investments are less directly tied to daily market volatility.
At the same time, access is expanding. Platforms like Groundfloor are making private market investing more available to individual investors, offering lower minimums and shorter-term structures compared to the high barriers traditionally required by institutions.
Groundfloor offers real estate-backed investments and income-focused products with low minimums, short terms, and fixed rates. The company was established in 2013.
Its core offerings include high-yield Notes with 1-12 month terms designed to generate reliable, consistent income. In addition, accredited investors can access limited private market and private credit opportunities that may offer higher return potential.
