How do you invest in pre-IPO stock, like Linked-in (old) or Facebook? Is there some wayway to get in line?

[A Nobody]

You don't

When there is an IPO, the distribution for sale rest solely on the syndicate manager who has a list of brokers and/or firs that they use to assist with the sale of the new issue.

There is absolutely no way a newbie can participate in the distribution either with the syndicate members and if the issue is "hot" there's no way you will be assigned any stock from broker/dealers who work with th syndicate.

Unless you're a big player and willing to take down a piece of all new issues both the good and the bad, from the syndicate you will be "missing" out on the action.

If you want the stock bad enough, just put your order in in the after market.