Investment Platforms and Marketplaces

July 17, 2014 @ 10:12 am By JD Alois  |  

Equity crowdfunding platform Crowdcube has announced an investment in their company by Balderton Capital in the amount of £3.8 million (approximately $6.5 million).  This investment will act as the lead in Crowdcube’s forthcoming £5 million series B round financing.  The remaining £1.2 million will be… Read More

July 17, 2014 @ 7:44 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Sharing some news about her successful new smartphone app HandUp, chief executive and co-founder Rose Broome announced to the Wall Street Journal the app has received $850,000 during seed funding round. According to the publication,  the funding came from Version One Ventures, Launch Fund, SV Angel, individual angel investors… Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 8:45 pm By JD Alois  |  

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) in New Zealnd issued the very first peer to peer (P2P) lending license  last week to Harmoney.  The Auckland based company gets to claim “1st” in another country that has embraced the power of technology to transform the geriatric banking… Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 7:01 pm By JD Alois  |  

Peer to peer lending is super hot right now.  The new approach to providing loans by leveraging technology to match investor with borrower had it’s genesis in the United Kingdom.  Since then it has quickly spread across the globe as compelling efficiencies have been delivered… Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 7:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

Funding Circle Announces $65 Million Investment to Fuel International Growth in New Markets.  Funding Circle, one of the pioneers of peer to peer lending, has released dramatic news today stating they have raised $65 million in a series D round funding led by Index Ventures…. Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 2:57 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Canadian-based crowdfunding platform GreedyGiver has launched a new program called the Perk Marketplace. It is estimated that 70% of all crowdfunding campaigns fail to reach their target goal due to a variety of reasons such as the inability to tell a compelling story or lack or reach…. Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 12:41 pm By JD Alois  |  

FundersClub, an online accredited investor crowdfunding platform, has announced they are opening up their marketplace and software to key VC players, Angels and family offices. In a posting by Alexander Mittal, co-founder and CEO of FundersClub,  he described “Partnerships” as empowering an online presence to… Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 11:43 am By JD Alois  |  

Global crowdfunding platform Indiegogo sees Burning Man, an annual event but a year round culture, as an “un-official” office holiday of sorts.  The annual gathering has morphed into a community of individuals who have embraced the concepts of self-expression, responsibility, inclusion and much more.  For… Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 10:28 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Equity crowdfunding site RockThePost has announced a merger with CoFoundersLab seeking to create a one-stop shop for investors to simplify their search and due diligence process. CoFoundersLab is an online and in-person matchmaking network that scientifically builds startup teams.  The two companies have merged to create a new… Read More

July 16, 2014 @ 8:34 am By JD Alois  |  

UK based investment crowdfunding platform Crowdcube has released some half year numbers regarding their progress.  The young company shares they have raised £15 million for all of 2014.  That makes approximately £30 million since the site launched in 2011.  Some other data points include: 131… Read More

July 15, 2014 @ 2:35 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Scott Jordan, Founder of HealthiosXchange (“H/X”), the equity-based crowdfunding portal of Healthios, has published a White Paper—“Self-Directed IRAs, Meet Crowdfunding!”— which explores how self-directed IRA investors may use equity crowdfunding to achieve attractive returns in private equity. Jordan noted, “Equity crowdfunding, also called ‘portals’, which leverages the… Read More

July 15, 2014 @ 2:13 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

PropFunds L.P., having just completed its first thirty days in business in the real estate crowdfunding arena, fully funded its first investment opportunity on a five-unit apartment complex in the City of Santa Monica, one of the Southern California region’s hottest real estate markets. The… Read More

July 15, 2014 @ 11:01 am By JD Alois  |  

Global Equity  Crowdfunding Platform OurCrowd States Over $60 Million has been raised for 46 Companies in Just 16 Months. OurCrowd, a leading equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors, announced today that it has successfully raised $60 million in the aggregate to date over its platform… Read More

July 15, 2014 @ 9:53 am By JD Alois  |  

Since launching in 2012, SunFunder has sought to address the needs of off-grid communities by providing finance for solar energy.  SunFunder wants to “unlock the solar revolution” in emerging markets something that benefits both the community that receives financing and the rest of the world… Read More

July 14, 2014 @ 12:56 pm By JD Alois  |  

Funding Circle UK recently shared they had adjusted their policy on the types of loans and security required to allow the offer.  The peer to peer lender removed the £150,000 threshold for loans without asset security thus allowing their credit team greater flexibility in assessing and… Read More

July 14, 2014 @ 11:43 am By JD Alois  |  

Peer to Peer lending is experiencing dramatic growth in the UK  (and around the world).  While traditional loans have, in some categories, lagged the economic expansion, P2P is booming.  In fact UK businesses have benefited from over a half a billion in funds and consumer P2P… Read More

July 14, 2014 @ 9:26 am By JD Alois  |  

Global crowdfunding platform Indiegogo loves to hand out advice to help crowdfunders hit their goal.  Sure it helps them too, but Indiegogo was built with a mission to democratize access to capital and they are doing just that.  Crowdfunding is tough.  It takes time, dedication… Read More

July 14, 2014 @ 8:13 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

On Thursday (July 10), Tesla Motors founder Elon Musk announced another $1 million for creating a museum honoring the father of the electrical age. He joins the contributors from more than 86 countries who supported the initial campaign on Indiegogo. The donation from Musk was made on… Read More

July 14, 2014 @ 7:44 am By JD Alois  |  

Whole Foods Market in Northern California & Reno now accept Credibles as a way to invest in and pay local food producers. Credibles is a crowdfunding platform that allows backers to support small, sustainable food related businesses.  Consumers may “prepay” to support the food business… Read More

July 14, 2014 @ 6:13 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

Speaker Sponsor has become known as an online matchmaker between speakers and the small businesses that want to sponsor them. But now they’ve added a new service, crowdfunding for speakers. “I heard so many people say they’d love to spread the word about a particular… Read More