TiE NY: Equity Crowdfunding – A Brave New World for Startups

What if the Oculus Rift Kickstarter backers had received equity instead of perks? 

Moderator: Georgia Quinn, Senior Associate, Seyfarth Shaw

Panelists:

Thomas Sheldon, Executive Vice President, Regulatory Policy, Financial Institution Regulatory Association (FINRA)

Ryan Feit, Founder and CEO, SeedInvest

Host: Kiran Lingam, The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE)

*Light dinner and beer/wine to be served

Come and learn from our panel of crowdfunding experts how you may soon be able to use equity crowdfunding to fund your startup.  Those interested in investing in crowdfunding, starting a crowdfunding portal, creating other products and services related to crowdfunding would also greatly benefit from this event.

On October 23, 2013, the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed rules to implement Title III of the JOBS Act, setting the stage for legalized equity crowdfunding.  Once effective, companies will be able to raise up to $1,000,000 per year in exchange for equity or debt in hundreds or thousands of small investments from the masses (i.e. “Kickstarter” style)

The act creates new opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking to raise capital and across a variety of verticals serving this new industry (crowdfunding portals, payment solutions, escrow services, due diligence services, advisory services… the list goes on and on).

While the act opens up many possibilities, it comes laden with regulation, disclosure requirements, and increased liability exposure. Anyone seeking to take advantage of these opportunities must have a good understanding of the legal, regulatory, and market framework that is developing right before our eyes.

TiE is the largest non-profit for entrepreneurs in the world with 13,000 members, including over 2,500 charter members in 57 chapters across 14 countries. TiE’s singular mission is to foster entrepreneurship globally through mentoring, networking, and education. Dedicated to the virtuous cycle of wealth creation and giving back to the community, TiE’s focus is on generating and nurturing our next generation of entrepreneurs.

“TiE Bootstrap” is a focused series of panel discussions and workshops for entrepreneurs considering a new venture or in the growth stage. In the panel discussions we will hear from leaders and peers on their experiences, best practices, actionable strategy and tactical advice..