Happy Global Crowdfunding Day!

Internet-based finance has made significant progress since its inception in the mid-nineties and this Tuesday 5 April we celebrate the third annual Global Crowdfunding Day.

On this day we reflect on the technology’s rise and it has certainly come a long way from the early experiments of British rock band, Marillion. The prog rock group’s fan-based internet campaign raised $60,000 for funds to travel to the US and record an album. Little did they know that their victory would launch a wildly successful and transformative new business sector now known as crowdfunding.

From the arts, crowdfunding turned to the more serious industries of investment and finance, where it is now having a transformative impact on local, national and global economies. And it is growing exponentially. In the past five years alone, we’ve seen the industry grow from $880 million in 2010 to more than $34 billion in 2015.  It will see even more growth in the coming months with the implementation of Title III here in the U.S., which will open the private securities market beyond only a select few accredited investors to all who wish to partake, bringing exciting new opportunities to small businesses and mom-and-pop investors.

At Leverage PR, we have been involved in the crowdfunding industry since its pioneering days and have been a vocal advocate for its ability to democratize access to markets. We have been proud to work alongside crowdfunding innovators that are blazing a new path in the global economy. These include:

• Wealth Migrate, which is revolutionizing real estate investment by servicing investors in emerging countries, allowing them to invest in the world’s hottest property markets. Their cutting-edge technology is helping to advance the industry by providing secure transactions and investor portfolio management.
• SaundersDailey, an online investment marketplace, that connects both accredited and non-accredited investors to community funded real estate opportunities throughout the Midwest. They are committed to providing high-quality offerings, with low minimum investments, so that investors traditionally priced out of larger deals are able to invest moderate sums in their local market and reap the benefits of owning stake in multiple properties.
• CFIRA, a 501(c)(6) non-profit that is working to democratize crowdfunding. CFIRA plays a critical role for the advancement of crowdfunding by working with the SEC and FINRA to help enact rules, industry standards and best practices.

As we celebrate National Crowdfunding Day, we congratulate our clients present, past and future on all their success and look forward to continue working to spread the word about the positive influence of crowdfunding on business and society.

For more information about our work with fintech innovators please email [email protected].