Investment Platforms and Marketplaces

January 12, 2015 @ 9:49 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Emerging Frontiers announced on Monday (January 12th) that it has launched its private investor platform that will disrupt the rapidly growing market for private investment opportunities in frontier and emerging markets. The platform’s first listing on its equity crowdfunding platform is Endaga Inc., a California-based company… Read More

January 12, 2015 @ 9:33 am By Georgia Quinn  |  

  As far as the peer-to-peer or marketplace lending industry is concerned, 2014 ended with a bang and not a whimper as Lending Club, the leading online lender, completed its initial public offering. On December 10, 2014 the Lending Club offering went effective, and ultimately… Read More

January 12, 2015 @ 8:30 am By JD Alois  |  

In a company statement UK based investment crowdfunding platform Crowdcube shared it assisted 105 businesses raise £35.9 million in funding for 2014.  This represents a 246% increase compared to 2013 and means Crowdcube maintains the title of UK’s largest equity crowdfunding site.  Registered investors jumped… Read More

January 12, 2015 @ 7:54 am By JD Alois  |  

Legend Holdings, the holding company of Lenovo computer, is expanding into peer to peer lending and other forms of finance.  The investments are part of an overriding strategy to both acquire and grow core assets while simultaneously boosting growth with non organic expansion.  Legend hopes to… Read More

January 12, 2015 @ 6:56 am By JD Alois  |  

Harmoney, New Zealand’s first peer to peer lending platform, has raised $10 million in new funding to support the company’s growth. The decision to raise capital was said to be “in response to customer demand that has driven rapid month-on month growth since the launch… Read More

January 11, 2015 @ 11:14 am By JD Alois  |  

Fast growing real estate crowdfunding platform Fundrise has been expanding its message and platform reach across a growing number of states. Site co-founder Dan Miller recently stated they are aggressively growing their company and are intending on setting up shop in Europe – specifically London as they… Read More

January 11, 2015 @ 10:19 am By JD Alois  |  

UK peer to peer lending platform Zopa experienced an 81% rate of growth for 2013, according to a report in the Telegraph.  The ten year old platform is booming as total loans stood at £268 million for 2014, a number that is predicted to jump… Read More

January 10, 2015 @ 4:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

Leading Bitcoin exchange Bitstamp is back online after a difficult week.  Last weekend, on January 5th, an announcement was posted that operational wallets were “compromised” and almost 19,000 BTC (around $5 million) was pilfered. Bitstamp quickly jumped into hyperspace as the all hands on deck… Read More

January 10, 2015 @ 3:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

Cheryl Shuman, self-described cannabis expert and erstwhile crowdfunding platform operator, has received a pretty positive write up on NYT.com. Shuman shares her odyssey as to how she became a dedicated Cannabis activist when she was diagnosed with Cancer. Using Marijuana Oil to alleviate symptoms of the illness,… Read More

January 9, 2015 @ 6:43 pm By JD Alois  |  

According to multiple reports, peer to peer lending platform Faircent has raised capital giving an estimated valuation of the peer lending site of $4 million.  Specific details of the funding round were not readily available. VCCircle stated that “an undisclosed amount in funding from Devesh Sachdev… Read More

January 9, 2015 @ 1:25 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Last fall, Crowdfund Insider reported that the National Collegiate Athletic Association, also known as the NCAA was attempting to shut down a for-profit company known as FanPay, which was planning to launch a crowdfunding platform for pay-for-play college athletes. Despite these cease-and-desist letters from several schools and conferences, the… Read More

January 9, 2015 @ 11:49 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Taking time away from his duties at CES 2015, Indiegogo’s co-founder and CEO Slava Rubin sat down with Engadget to discuss the crowdfunding giant and funding method’s growth over the past few years. During the interview, Rubin stated, “Things are going well [with Indiegogo]. Just… Read More

January 9, 2015 @ 7:18 am By JD Alois  |  

Side by Side US / UK Investment Offer Called Fundraising Record by Crowdcube. Innovative bitcoin financial service company Bitreserve has raised £6.3 million ($9.527 million) according to a statement by company representatives. The offer was simultaneously posted on Crowdcube in the UK and Venovate in… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 11:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

Hong Kong’s first peer to peer lending platform WeLend has now closed a Series A funding round topping off at $20 million. The funding round was originally started in June when WeLab raised $14 million.  The additional $6 million was just added as new investors… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 5:22 pm By JD Alois  |  

Bitstamp bitcoin exchange is in the process of completely rebuilding its platform.  In a series of tweets, libertarian entrepreneur and BitStamp CEO Nejc Kodrič has kept site users up to date on the progress to reanimate the popular bitcoin site.  Last week, BitStamp reported that… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 3:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

AngelList, a funding platform that was “equity crowdfunding” before people even knew what that meant, initially started as a matchmaker for angel investors and startups.  That simple objective has morphed into one of the leading investment communities online today.  Raising capital for cool startups is still… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 2:31 pm By JD Alois  |  

US based investment crowdfunding platform Crowdfunder stated in a note to followers the platform has now raised over $60 million for companies raising capital on its site.  Crowdfunder also said it has grown its network to over 80,000 users.  While these “crowdfunders” may or may… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 1:36 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has awarded a $65,000 grant to the green crowdfunding organization, Green Our Planet, for its innovative work in conservation and education. Green Our Planet only recently launched and is unusual in that it is a conservation organization founded by two… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 1:31 pm By JD Alois  |  

Indiegogo has put together a brief video about 2014 touching on some of the most prominent (not necessarily most funded) campaigns that blessed their pages during the year. The promo is only a minute and a half so it will not take too much time… Read More

January 8, 2015 @ 12:30 pm By JD Alois  |  

The largest peer to peer lending platform in the world, Lending Club (NYSE: LC), has formed another partnership.  Adding to the recent announcement they are working with the Women’s Chamber of Commerce (USWCC), Lending Club is now partnering with SCORE – a source of free and confidential… Read More