September 1, 2017 @ 3:46 pm By AdaPia d'Errico  |  

Modern Portfolio Theory is based on the idea that certain types of investment risk can be mitigated through a strategic pattern of diversification and asset allocation. Diversification is important because it spreads risk across multiple types of investments within a single portfolio. By diversifying into… Read More

August 23, 2017 @ 7:24 am By Swati Chataverdi  |  

Imagine if the going rate for your iPad 2 was $100 trillion. Apart from costing five times the GDP of the United States, such a device would be almost impossible to manufacture in a sustainable manner. In the 1940s, however, the technology needed to power… Read More

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 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

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

June 4, 2017 @ 8:32 pm By Soren Godbersen  |  

In recent years, a growing number of online platforms have begun to offer direct investments in residential properties, allowing individual investors to access this asset class much more readily and at lower minimums. Some platforms offer investments in apartment buildings (multifamily properties, in industry lingo),… Read More

April 26, 2017 @ 5:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

This is a cautionary tale not just for backers of ostensible promising hardware presales campaigns but for hardware creators with little to no experience on manufacturing and shipping hardware from Asia. GOKey, a rewards based project posted on Indiegogo in 2014, raised over $1.2 million… Read More

April 24, 2017 @ 10:48 am By Amy Wan  |  

Victoria Silchenko called out crowdfunding industry professionals earlier this year for not having invested in crowdfunding companies themselves. So, in that same spirit, I’m opening up my crowdfunding portfolio. Before I disclose, I’m going to say that I am NOT a financial advisor or any… Read More

April 21, 2017 @ 6:58 am By Timothy Li  |  

When I took my first computer science courses in college, my professor often cited the old adage “Garbage in, Garbage out”. Most of the students in the classroom chuckled. For most of us, that was the first time we heard that expression. What he meant… Read More

April 13, 2017 @ 10:36 pm By Allen Shayanfekr  |  

According to the Securities Act of 1933, any company that sells securities must either register with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or file for an exemption. The JOBS Act 2012 provides a way for companies to use crowdfunding as a means of selling securities,… Read More

March 28, 2017 @ 12:30 pm By Amy Wan  |  

So, you want to start a real estate crowdfunding (RECF) platform. This article is intended to serve as a basic guide to launching a real estate crowdfunding platform in the United States. Decide on what you want to do There are many different types of… Read More

March 19, 2017 @ 9:42 am By JD Alois  |  

Investment crowdfunding is very different from rewards-based crowdfunding. Participating in a project on Kickstarter or Indiegogo is more akin to a donation where you may (or may not) receive some sort of perk for your financial support. In investment crowdfunding, you are giving your money… Read More

March 17, 2017 @ 3:13 pm By Georgia Quinn  |  

Many entrepreneurs that successfully raised money using the newly enacted Regulation CF (or Reg CF for short) have likely tried to put the tiresome process behind them and are focusing on company operations and executing on their business plans. However, all successful issuers need to… Read More

February 5, 2017 @ 3:04 pm By JD Alois  |  

NextGen Crowdfunding is in the midst of their first Crowdfunding Video Award’s (CVA) to determine the most powerful pitch videos created for crowdfunding campaigns. Participants may come from either rewards or investment crowdfunding. Launched in January, the CVAs are now down to three finalists which… Read More

February 5, 2017 @ 9:41 am By JD Alois  |  

Amazon is not only one of the world’s largest retailers and marketplace, it is also a market for emerging products having raised capital online and from early stage investors. Amazon Launchpad has expanded its platform from just the US to now operating in Canada, India, Germany,… Read More

February 5, 2017 @ 9:31 am By Amy Wan  |  

Since Reg CF became effective, I’ve noticed a disturbing pattern in Reg CF deals—their valuations and economic terms are oftentimes unjustified. Unlike a normal angel or VC investment, which includes back and forth negotiations on terms with a lead investor, Reg CF issuers largely set… Read More

January 31, 2017 @ 8:02 pm By JD Alois  |  

The advent of new securities exemptions has created opportunity for various sectors of finance. Beyond the fact that issuing companies now have new alternatives for raising capital, and a broader group of investors may gain access to early stage companies, there is a question of… Read More

January 28, 2017 @ 7:09 pm By Jesse Kaufman  |  

To a crowdfund campaign manager, the distribution stage feels a lot like 100 surprise dinner guests. You knew this dinner party would happen at some point, but you didn’t know when. Now, all of a sudden, there’s a group of people at your doorstep asking… Read More

January 8, 2017 @ 1:30 pm By Lior Ostashinsky  |  

  The JOBS Act, which was signed into law in April 2012, led to the adoption of three exemptions from the registration requirements of securities offerings in the U.S. All three allow raising capital via crowdfunding. The first to go effective (September 2013) was Reg… Read More

January 3, 2017 @ 8:16 pm By JD Alois  |  

As the crowdfunding industry has evolved, both investment and rewards, the pitch video has emerged as an important variable in crafting a powerful message to back a campaign. Many of the biggest campaigns of all time benefited from a viral video that captured the attention of… Read More