Crowdfunding Now!

Yesterday, Don Cheadle's crowdfunding campaign for a Miles Davis biopic (called Miles Ahead) closed and was successfully funded with $343,496. He is one of quite a few Hollywood celebrities that have gone to the crowd to raise funds for a project. Spike Lee and Zack Braff are in that number as well. Both of them hosted successful campaigns. However, there are several celebrities that had unsuccessful campaigns like Melissa Joan Hart and James Franco. Most of the campaigns are film-related in nature. There has been much concern from the public as to why these celebrities would even think to go to the crowd for funding. Some have even gone as far as to say that it is downright criminal. We don't believe this is completely true. Crowdfunding at the heart of it is a concept that has been around for many years. The civil rights' movement was essentially crowdfunded. The idea is that everyone rallies together for a particular cause and contributes as much as they can to support...

I thought I would share some initial feedback I have received on the new book:  The JOBS Act: Crowdfunding Guide to Small Businesses and Startups 2nd ed.   https://www.amazon.com/JOBS-Act-Crowdfunding-Businesses-Startups/dp/1484224086 "Definitely clear. I really enjoyed the depth of substance on the Act. I also liked the enthusiasm for crowdfunding w/o any of the manic cheerleading seen elsewhere (impact investing has the same problem - IMHO). Balance goes a long way in my view and you reminding readers that crowdfunding is real work is very important. Scott S. Thank you, Scott!

Google searches for crowdfunding up 37% in past week Worldwide-Wednesday, December 28, 2016 - Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Google searches for  crowdfunding  up 17% in past week Worldwide - Tuesday, December 20, 2016 - Tuesday, December 27, 2016

2016's Most Innovative Projects collection on @Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/campaign_collections/2016-s-most-innovative-projects https://www.indiegogo.com/campaign_collections/2016-s-most-innovative-projects

AGENDA 9:30 a.m. Co-Chairs Stephen Graham and Sara Hanks call meeting to order Introductory Remarks by Chair Mary Jo White and Commissioner Kara Stein 10:00 a.m. Consider “Accredited Investor” Definition Recommendation as discussed at May 18th Meeting 10:30 a.m. Regulation A+ Update and Review Update from SEC Division of Corporation Finance staff on the usage of Regulation A+ in its first year Presentation from Paul Elio, CEO and Chairman of Elio Motors Inc., a company that conducted a Regulation A+ offering Discussion by Committee Members 12:00 p.m. Lunch Break 1:30 p.m. Regulation A + (Continued) Presentation by Daniel Zinn, General Counsel, OTC Markets Group regarding secondary trading of Regulation A+ shares 2:30 p.m. SEC Proposal to Amend the “Smaller Reporting Company” Definition Briefing from SEC Division of Corporation Finance staff regarding the Commission’s proposal issued June 27, 2016 to amend the “Smaller Reporting Company” Definitio...

The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress. Fix Crowdfunding Act This bill amends the Securities Act of 1933 (Act) to increase from $1 million to $5 million the aggregate amount of securities sold to all investors by an issuer that qualify for the crowdfunding exemption from certain prohibitions relating to interstate commerce and the mails. The bill amends the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) to declare that a crowdfunding portal shall have a reasonable basis for disqualifying issuers from offering securities through the portal if through a background check it has found that an issuer has made an untrue statement of a material fact, omitted to state a material fact necessary to avoid making misleading statements, or engaged in fraud or deceit. No intermediary (crowdfunding portal) shall be liable for an issuer's material misstatements and omissions unless, in connection with the offer ...