Strategy

August 15, 2017 @ 11:31 am By Ryan Feit  |  

Some equity crowdfunding platforms are putting startups at serious risk.  Working with a platform that doesn’t structure your deal appropriately could jeopardize your ability to raise future capital or worse, force you to become a public reporting company. The emergence of equity crowdfunding is a… Read More

August 15, 2017 @ 10:16 am By JD Alois  |  

4thWay, a peer to peer lending comparison platform, is out with a note that cautions users on the utilization of six money comparison websites stating they display “wildly inaccurate information about peer-to-peer lending.” Neil Faulkner, co-founder and managing director of 4thWay, commented on the report; “When… Read More

August 10, 2017 @ 10:00 pm By AdaPia d'Errico  |  

Real estate investing is on the rise again. Online real estate investing is quickly becoming the preferred method of investing for many people. Forbes reported earlier this year that real estate crowdfunding was a $3.5 billion industry in 2016, up from $1 billion in 2014…. Read More

August 9, 2017 @ 3:58 pm By JD Alois  |  

Last month PwC and the Crowdfunding Center partnered on a report regarding women and crowdfunding. Referencing data collected by the Crowdfunding Center that analyzed 450,000 rewards based crowdfunding campaigns, the document entitled “Women Unbound: Crowdfunding – Unleashing Female Entrepreneurial Potential,” showed that women-led campaigns reached their… Read More

August 4, 2017 @ 6:09 pm By Amy Wan  |  

  On Tuesday, July 25, the SEC announced that Initial Coin Offerings, also called Token Sales, in many cases may be considered securities. Of course, this probably terrifies a large amount of the ICO community. So how do you actually legally raise an ICO? Your… Read More

July 30, 2017 @ 2:17 pm By JD Alois  |  

In the aftermath of the SEC statement on Initial Coin Offerings and their intent to crack down on issuers in breach of securities law we reached out to Morrison Foerster for commentary on the question as to when an ICO is in fact a security…. Read More

July 29, 2017 @ 9:26 am By Therese Torris  |  

French firms have formed an association to foster the sustainable growth of the cryptocurrency investment sector and weigh in on its governance. Among other things, they hope to build on progressive regulations such as the French decree that allowed crowdlending securities called minibons to be… Read More

July 23, 2017 @ 6:38 pm By Howard Sherman  |  

Working with crowdfunders for nearly five years we’ve seen and heard almost everything.  While I could write a book – or perhaps even a series of books – on all the different experiences, observations and encounters I’ve accumulated over time – I’m writing this article… Read More

July 22, 2017 @ 12:21 pm By Cole Lyons  |  

Deloitte has recently released a report concerned with how finance will look in the years to come, titled “Crunch time – Future of Finance in a Digital World: An Indian Perspective.” In this report, Deloitte takes into account how rapidly digital adoption has improved within… Read More

July 18, 2017 @ 1:50 pm By Victoria Silchenko, Ph.D.  |  

This article is my attempt at providing a definitive guide to the complex, and so far, self-regulated, landscape of ICOs. Warning: mature content. What on Earth is ICO? Just as how in the ancient movie “Eyes Wide Shut” the password “fidelio” gave access to a… Read More

July 13, 2017 @ 2:42 pm By JD Alois  |  

Real estate and crowdfunding is a perfect match. Real estate has always been a very popular investment class but unless you had big money, or tons of time on your hands, it was pretty hard to get into. Sure, you can invest in traditional REITs… Read More

July 9, 2017 @ 12:37 pm By Jonathan Nieh  |  

Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF), which allows for true equity crowdfunding by small businesses and start-ups, has been in effect for over a year now. The amount of capital raised since Reg CF was launched last year has been steadily increasing as well as the number… Read More

July 6, 2017 @ 2:00 pm By JD Alois  |  

There is a bill circulating in Congress that may dramatically impact Reg A+ utilization – the crowdfunding rule that currently allows issuers to raise up to $50 million in a scaled disclosure environment. Sponsored by House Representatives Kyrsten Sinema and Trey Hollingsworth, the bill (HR… Read More

July 4, 2017 @ 8:07 am By JD Alois  |  

The Enterprise Investment Scheme Association (EISA) has launched a regional program to assist UK entrepreneurs and SMEs. The EISA will host a series of events across the UK regarding regional funding information and advice workshops, including the vast benefits of applying for EIS/SEIS approval. At the… Read More

June 26, 2017 @ 11:41 am By JD Alois  |  

Not too long ago the SEC came out with an Investor Bulletin, emanating from the Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, regarding the utilization of SAFEs as an investment vehicle on crowdfunding platforms. The SEC stated; “Some issuers have been offering a new type of… Read More

June 14, 2017 @ 10:50 am By JD Alois  |  

OTC Markets is out with a report that indicates small-cap companies are overlooking important ways they can boost investor interest in their stock.  The study, which was conducted between March and May 2017, surveyed 117 CEOs and CFOs of companies under $2 billion in market… Read More

June 10, 2017 @ 10:15 am By Cole Lyons  |  

Sepaking at the recent WSJ D.Live Asia event in Hong Kong, Ping An CIO Jonathan Larsen said Ping An is launching a new fund to invest in early stage Fintech ranging from $10 million to $30 million, according to a report from Dow Jones (here)…. Read More

June 9, 2017 @ 5:16 pm By Duncan Keene  |  

Traditional banking is facing tough times ahead. It’s easy to see why. The UK has lost 40% of its banks and building societies since 1989, considering usage of online banking has more doubled since 2007. After all, who wants to queue for an hour to see… Read More

June 8, 2017 @ 3:47 pm By JD Alois  |  

Some crowdfunding platforms are accepting money from international investors. First, to clarify, is is allowable under US regulations but there are caveats to the rules. In the US, there are three different securities exemptions where you can publicly promote your offerings online: Reg D (506c),… Read More

June 5, 2017 @ 9:25 am By Joshua G. Hamilton, James H. Moon & Bret M. Geckeler  |  

Crowdfunding regulations were enacted with the goal of providing small businesses access to capital without imposing arduous registration and disclosure burdens.[i]  In that regard, the regulations have shown significant promise. Commentators have rightfully highlighted the substantial benefits to both issuers and investors based on their… Read More