Jonny Price, VP of Banter at Wefunder, joins Karen Rands on this episode of The Compassionate Capitalist Show™ to discuss the evolution and impact of Crowdfunding to fuel equality and opportunity for founders and create wealth for mainstreet investors.
Crowdfunding platforms, like Wefunder, democratize raising capital and creating wealth, providing investment opportunities to a wider audience. Previously, only wealthy accredited investors had access to early-stage investments, excluding many individuals, especially from marginalized communities. Wefunder’s two-sided marketplace connects diverse founders and investors, facilitating fundraising and fostering innovation.
Wefunder is a leading crowdfunding platform, with 39% of the marketshare and delivering $172.8 million into companies on their platform, from 140,386 investors, in 2022.
Key Takeaways:
1. Regulation Crowdfunding: Wefunder enables companies to raise funds through direct public offerings, allowing customers and the community to invest and share in their success. It provides a flexible and inclusive alternative to traditional fundraising methods of pitching to angel investor groups and venture capital firms.
2. Companies that Benefit: The JOBS Act offers various fundraising options for different types of companies, including tech and non-tech businesses like consumer packaged goods. Proper preparation (to be ‘investor ready’) and capital marketing strategy for outreach are crucial for crowdfunding success.
3. Investment Structures: Wefunder supports multiple methods for raising capital, also providing different risk profiles for investors – traditional equity with SEC compliance, convertible notes and SAFE notes for early-stage startups and alternative financing options like Revenue Financing loans.
4. Considerations for Investors: Wefunder conducts background checks, due diligence, and fraud prevention on platform companies, enabling investors to focus on evaluating risk factors, portfolio strategy, and industry preferences that match their passions, interests and values.
Overall, the impact of crowdfunding on democratizing access to capital and creating wealth has been significant, empowering both entrepreneurs and investors alike to participate in the startup ecosystem, potentially fostering innovation, job creation, and economic prosperity for a more diverse set of individuals and communities.
Wefunder is a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) with a mission to democratize capital markets and promote equality in wealth creation. It aims to level the playing field, especially for women and people of color-founded businesses, who historically faced challenges in securing investments from traditional angel investors and venture capitalists.
Website = http://wefunder.com and visit wefunder.com/school for FAQ and more.
Jonny Price leads the Fundraising team at Wefunder. Originally from the UK, Jonny started his career in strategy consulting at Oliver Wyman, before founding the U.S. team at Kiva.org (a leading community impact lending platform) which he led for seven years. Jonny has a degree in History from the University of Cambridge, and has served on the Federal Reserve Board’s Community Advisory Council.
Twitter = https://twitter.com/jonnycprice
LinkedIn = https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonnyprice/
Karen Rands is the leader of the Compassionate Capitalist Movement™ and author of the best selling investment primer: Inside Secrets to Angel Investing: Step-by-Step Strategies to Leverage Private Equity Investment for Passive Wealth Creation. She is an authority on creating[…]
