The Basics: What Is a SPAC? A SPAC is a public company formed by a financial sponsor, usually an institutional investor, created for the sole purpose of acquiring a privately held company. Through that acquisition, the private company becomes publicly traded. SPACs are funded by a combination of an up-front investment by the financial sponsor (typically a few million dollars) and the proceeds of the SPAC’s IPO. The SPAC’s management team uses those funds to acquire a private company. The SPAC is obligated to complete an acquisition within a specific timeframe laid out in its governing documents (typically 18 to 24 months).