Crowdfunding Now!

The crowdfunding provisions of the JOBS Act are one of the most exciting developments in the world of finance this year. The ability of companies with innovative products and services has already been proven. This effectively disintermediates venture capital firms and banks from a process they have been purposefully obstructing, the process of providing small businesses and entrepreneurs with start up capital.  As I mention in several blog postings ( http://under30ceo.com/ignore-the-naysayers-the-job...  and in my book (The JOBS Act: Crowdfunding for Small Businesses and  Startups  http://www.amazon.com/The-JOBS-Act-Crowdfunding-Businesses/dp/143024755X)   I understand that this is a complicated question, but it is also a critical one.  Here is what I think the SEC must do now:  Broaden the base. At its November 15th Forum on Small Business Capital Formation, the SEC did not have a single African American on any of the panels. (I guess the S...

On November 15th, the SEC held a Forum on Small Business Capital Formation. The Forum, held at SEC Headquarters, covered the following: 9:00 a.m.- Call to Order - Gerald J. Laporte, Chief, Office of Small Business Policy, SEC Division of Corporation Finance - Introductions of Chairman and Commissioners Meredith B. Cross, Director, SEC Division of Corporation Finance - Remarks Chairman Mary L. Schapiro, Commissioner Elisse B. Walter, Commissioner Luis A. Aguilar, Commissioner Troy A. Paredes, Commissioner Daniel M. Gallagher 9:50 a.m. Panel Discussion: JOBS Act Implementation- Moderators: Meredith B. Cross, Director, SEC Division of Corporation Finance, Gregory C. Yadley, Partner, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP. Panelists: Sara Hanks, Co-Founder and CEO, CrowdCheck, Jean Peters, Board Member, Angel Capital Association; Managing Director, Golden Seeds Fund LP, Michael Lempres, Assistant General Counsel ...