A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) is a company formed with the purpose of acquiring another company. This “shell company” raises its funds through an IPO, at which point investors only know what the management team and general focus of the SPAC will be. This is why they are considered “blank check” companies, due to the specific target company being unknown to investors. Investors are giving their money to a company without any operations or production, with the assumption that within typically two years, they will acquire a company. With all the mystery, it’s no surprise that many find SPACs shady and would be hesitant to invest in something so unsure. However, as more SPACs are created and have found success over the years, they have gained credibility and popularity. The successful groups and management are what many investors look for in a SPAC. So far in 2020, there have been over 80 SPACs with an average IPO of just over $400 million (SPAC IPO, 2020). This is already triple what was raised in 2018, with nearly double the average raise.