General News

August 25, 2014 @ 4:23 pm By JD Alois  |  

Crowdfunding remains small proportionally in one of the worlds largest economies – but it is growing quickly. Recent reports have stated that China generated 188 million yuan (over $30 million USD) from January to June.   This was the result of 1,423 crowdfunding campaigns.  This… Read More

August 25, 2014 @ 11:09 am By JD Alois  |  

Wealthforge, a company that started life in part as a crowdfunding platform and then successfully morphed into a crowdfunding service provider – is powering a new investment crowdfunding niche: Broadway. Earlier this month, Howard and Janet Kagan announced a new investment crowdfunding platform that is… Read More

August 24, 2014 @ 9:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

About 2 years ago a startup called Apigy was rejected by Kickstarter for their Lockitron project.  Their concept was pretty basic:  a connected door lock device that could be integrated with existing household hardware. Once installed the user could control their front door via an… Read More

August 23, 2014 @ 9:21 am By JD Alois  |  

In a posting on the Diaspora blog entitled, “Islamic State Fighters on Diaspora*”, the site operators have clarified they cannot prevent anyone from using their software as multiple reports have been released indicating ISIS is actively using their platform. ISIS, or Islamic State of Iraq… Read More

August 23, 2014 @ 8:22 am By JD Alois  |  

Ferguson, Missouri Tragedy Has Captured Global Headlines as Both Sides Raise Funds via Crowdfunding. It has become the norm for sympathetic supporters, family members or those who just want to help out to launch crowdfunding campaigns to donate funds to assist those in need.  The… Read More

August 22, 2014 @ 3:41 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

With a little under two months since investment crowdfunding has been legal in the state of Indiana, Secretary of State Connie Lawson spoke about the new opportunity the intrastate exemption is providing for growing businesses. Speaking about the state’s crowdfunding progress, Lawson stated, “Small businesses… Read More

August 22, 2014 @ 11:10 am By Samantha Hurst  |  

On Wednesday (August 20th), more than 40 participants from the crowdfunding industry gathered on a call to discuss key topics about the industry’s future. Those on the call were urged to join the #VoteOnCF movement, a campaign that urges the SEC to vote on the… Read More

August 21, 2014 @ 9:29 pm By JD Alois  |  

The inaugural Social Lending Awards is preparing to take place in London this coming January.  A veritable who’s who in the crowdfunding and peer to peer lending space will be participating in the ceremony.  The awards represent a major first for the social lending community with… Read More

August 21, 2014 @ 8:10 am By JD Alois  |  

The below interactive infographic is an interesting depiction of the entrepreneurial clusters that have formed in the United Kingdom.  The infographic is courtesy of the Policy Exchange and was developed in conjunction with a report on supporting tech clusters outside of London. The UK is… Read More

August 21, 2014 @ 7:46 am By JD Alois  |  

According to research firm Beauhurst, United Kingdom equity investment has been growing at around 25% per year for over three years now – an impressive pace.  At least part of this growth is due to the liberal approach taken by UK regulators regarding new methods… Read More

August 20, 2014 @ 1:20 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Looking to others after an unfortunate budget situation, University of Connecticut second-year Ph.D. student, Sarah McAnulty, has decided to launch a new crowdfunding campaign for her studies of the Hawaiian bobtail squid. The nocturnal animal has developed a keen relationship with glowing bacteria known to… Read More

August 19, 2014 @ 2:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

Several recent reports have noted the increase in attention law firms are paying to the crowdfunding space. The various sections of the JOBS Act, specifically Title II, Title III and Title IV, have perked interest by the legal industry as they see new opportunity to… Read More

August 19, 2014 @ 10:47 am By JD Alois  |  

EquityNet has announced receiving two more patents from the U.S. Patent and Trade Office.  The patents surround crowdfunding and represent the company’s fourth and fifth crowdfunding patents. Patent number 8,793,170 is titled “Electronic Enterprise Capital Marketplace Apparatus and Method” and patent number 8,793,171 is titled “Electronic System… Read More

August 19, 2014 @ 8:58 am By JD Alois  |  

Democratization of energy and finance now go hand in hand, thanks to crowdfunding.  A growing number of platforms from all over the world are enabling people to contribute towards the environment themselves, while making returns that beat any saving account. For renewable energy project developers… Read More

August 18, 2014 @ 8:07 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

Move over, New York City and San Francisco. According to a recent report, London has been dubbed the world’s capital of crowdfunding. During one of The Crowdfunding Centre events last week, an interactive map shows that London was the top city for the funding option,… Read More

August 18, 2014 @ 3:25 pm By JD Alois  |  

Our friends at the Cleveland Federal Reserve have published a report on the Peer to Peer lending industry (P2P).  They  have come to the conclusion of just about everyone else but have incorporated some interesting data points.  P2P lending is expected to grow and will… Read More

August 18, 2014 @ 2:55 pm By JD Alois  |  

Professor John Mullins, from the London Business School, authored a book entitled “The Customer Funded Business”. He recently visited the studios of CNBC to share his perspective on how some VCs can be injurious to a business. Mullins states that running a business is a… Read More

August 18, 2014 @ 2:39 pm By Samantha Hurst  |  

A few days after a very awkward phone interview with gaming website, Kotaku, Night Trap’s executive producer and Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign creator, Tom Zito took to his own blog to post his thoughts about his past conflict with Nintendo. As previously reported, when asked by backers… Read More

August 17, 2014 @ 8:32 pm By JD Alois  |  

The very first crowdfunding conference in Asia took place earlier this month.  A diverse and impressive group of regulators, high ranking politicians, portal operators and entrepreneurs gathered to discuss the benefits of crowdfunding in Asia.  Over 300 individuals attended the two day “Crowdfunding Asia 2014”… Read More

August 17, 2014 @ 3:26 pm By JD Alois  |  

Following the example of the 28 members of Congress who forwarded a letter to the SEC urging them to publish the proposed rules on Title  III of the JOBS Act, some in the crowdfunding industry are taking action and looking to the crowd to join… Read More