June 7, 2016 @ 8:27 am By JD Alois  |  

Digital bank solution for kids, goHenry, has become the largest ever crowdfunding round on Crowdcube closing at £3.99 million topping JustPark that raised £3.5 million in 2015.  Crowdcube states this is the 38th deal on their platform that has raised more than £1 million. The… Read More

June 6, 2016 @ 7:33 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last week the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) filed a comment letter with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regarding a discussion paper on “responsible innovation” in the financial sector. The letter, signed by Karen Thomas, Senior Executive VP of Government Relations… Read More

June 6, 2016 @ 8:36 am By JD Alois  |  

88 Delicious Brands Limited listed an offer on Crowdcube back in 2013. The crowdfunding round had raised a substantial amount of funding before Crowdcube pulled the plug and removed the campaign.  Crowdcube states that no funds were taken or transferred via their platform. Apparently Alan Colton Jr.,… Read More

June 6, 2016 @ 8:09 am By JD Alois  |  

Investment crowdfunding platform Growthdeck has announced it has raised £1 million in seven weeks of operation. The bulk of this amount came from Pinkster Gin. Growthedeck said that at ten weeks that number now stands at £1.5 million and is indicative of solid growth. Growthdeck… Read More

June 6, 2016 @ 7:24 am By JD Alois  |  

Nesta, a UK innovation foundation, has partnered with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) on a research document focusing on crowdfunding and “good causes.” By good causes, the authors mean charities and social entrepreneurs.  The report states that while “crowdfunding might be rapidly changing… Read More

June 5, 2016 @ 9:49 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) has sent a comment letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regarding ” responsible innovation”.  While everyone understands that Fintech can provide incredible benefits to both consumers and the economy, smaller banks are getting the… Read More

June 5, 2016 @ 9:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

Any investing entails an element of risk.  Early stage investing is a very risky endeavor in comparison to many other asset classes. Of course, the risk is shouldered as the expected returns should be higher than less risky alternatives. The fact is that most early… Read More

June 5, 2016 @ 2:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

Most businesses in the US are smaller firms. They provide the bulk of economic growth and job creation. In fact according to Dun & Bradstreet, of the 19 million firms in their US database, about 18 million generate less than $10 million in revenue.  Regarding… Read More

June 5, 2016 @ 10:37 am By JD Alois  |  

Kikka, an Australian online lending platform with a model similar to Kabbage, has received an equity investment from FlexiGroup Limited (ASX:FXL). FlexiGroup has purchased a minority stake for $2 million with an option to increase its ownership in the future. Flexigroup will also provide a… Read More

June 4, 2016 @ 7:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

Perhaps one of the most interesting rewards campaigns of all time, the De Halve Maan Beer pipeline is nearing completion. The project was launched last year by the Belgian brewer as it recognized driving tanker trucks through the crowded streets of historic Bruges was a growing… Read More

June 4, 2016 @ 4:35 pm By JD Alois  |  

  Invesdor, an investment crowdfunding platform based in Helsinki, is targeting substantial platform growth during 2016.  Their  vision is to become the leading next-generation financial service provider for investors and private growth companies.  As summer nears, Invesdor stated they had eight live investment offers and… Read More

June 4, 2016 @ 11:52 am By JD Alois  |  

Crowdfunding has grown dramatically in Scotland.  This is according to a report commissioned by the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, Harper Macleod, Santander and LendingCrowd. The report is an update of a previous study that was published in 2013. The actual research was handled by Twintangibles…. Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 6:27 pm By JD Alois  |  

The New York Department of Financial Services apparently is not content with just rifling through recent actions at Lending Club, the state agency has now sent letters to 28 different online lenders.  This is according to a report by Reuters – the news agency happened… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 2:15 pm By JD Alois  |  

FinCEN, a bureau of the Department of the Treasury, has proposed changing the regulatory definition of a “broker or dealer in securities.”  The proposed amendment will impact crowdfunding portals as created under the JOBS Act of 2012.  According to FinCEN; “these amendments would require funding… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 9:41 am By JD Alois  |  

Crowdcube was the first investment crowdfunding platform to launch in the UK. Since 2011, the site has grown quite a bit having helped to finance hundreds of companies raising more than £165 million in the process. During this time, Crowdcube has tweaked and adjusted its… Read More

June 3, 2016 @ 8:22 am By JD Alois  |  

wiseAlpha, a marketplace where both small and large investors may access secured corporate loans, has closed its crowdfunding round on Crowdcube.  Over 400 investors came together to purchase £594,950 or a 9.79% equity stake in the startup. WiseAlpha will be using the new capital to grow… Read More

June 2, 2016 @ 6:01 pm By JD Alois  |  

  The Chairman of the UK Parliament Treasury Committee has written both Tracey McDermott, head of the FCA, and Andrew Bailey, Deputy Governor of the Bank of England for Prudential Regulation, to enquire if consumers may benefit from further regulation of the peer to peer… Read More

June 2, 2016 @ 4:39 pm By JD Alois  |  

Paul Niederer, former CEO of ASSOB, has been appointed CEO of Wealth Migrate’ Australian agency. Wealth Migrate is a global real estate crowdfunding platform. Niederer is a well-known proponent of internet finance having traveled the world on behalf of ASSOB – an early pioneer of… Read More

June 2, 2016 @ 2:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced a proposed set of rules today designed to curtail abuses within the Payday lending industry. CFPB Director Richard Cordray released a prepared statement on the proposal explaining; “..our research has shown that too many of these loans trap borrowers… Read More

June 2, 2016 @ 9:17 am By JD Alois  |  

In a filing with the SEC under Reg D 506(c), investment crowdfunding platform SeedInvest indicated its intent to raise $7.5 million in a new funding round. The date of the first sale was listed as May 18th with $5.125 million equity sold and $2.375 million… Read More