This was originally written on May 15, 2012. It has been a long wait, but on May 16th, 2016, the final rules for Regulation Crowdfunding go live. I find it amusing it took 4 years almost to the day. I'm also gratified that we have stayed true to our initial vision. This is all true now as it was then.
Here's an embarrassing fact: last November, when I heard about the crowdfunding legislation in Congress, I thought the entire concept was idiotic. I envisioned thousands of scammy 'investment opportunities' posted on an eBay-like site, milking unsophisticated investors. Or, on the other side, I saw start-up founders struggling to manage hundreds of investors (along with a few crazies!)
Luckily, the story didn't end there - I couldn't shake the idea out of my head. I'm foremost a startup founder, but I always WANTED to invest small amounts of money in my favorite startups. I imagined there must be many people who would love to place small bets, backing new innovations they felt important. Wouldn't it be cool to have that feeling without needing millions of dollars?
I don't feel a sense of meaning when I buy a share of IBM - it's purely a financial transaction. But startups? If I could support entrepreneurs trying to change the world, and still have a chance of earning a return... well, that's value beyond money. I could give back. And that's the key to making crowd investing work.
After letting the idea stew for a couple weeks, I still thought there were hard challenges, but they began to feel solvable. So, in January, we decided to give it a go, and start Wefunder.
We were all drawn to work together on Wefunder because we share similar ideas about how we want to impact the world. Our goals are to:
The principles behind everything we do include:
Wefunder is the most fulfilling startup I've been apart of. I've never worked with a more skilled team of cofounders. I've never been as excited about the potential impact on the world. I abhor the words "revolutionary" and "game-changing" (unless Apple uses it!), but in this case... I feel it.
It's going to be an exciting journey, and it's only just started. Want to join us? Have any thoughts? Email me at [email protected]
Wefunder means Wefunder Inc and its wholly owned subsidiaries: Wefunder Advisors LLC, Wefunder Portal LLC, and Wefunder EU B.V.. This page is hosted by Wefunder Inc.
Wefunder Portal LLC is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Wefunder EU B.V. is registered with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. Investing on Wefunder is risky. Don’t invest more than you can afford to lose.
wefunder.com is a website owned by Wefunder Inc., the parent company of Wefunder Advisors LLC, Wefunder Portal LLC, and Wefunder EU BV. Wefunder Inc. operates sections of wefunder.com where certain Regulation D and Regulation A+ offerings are available. Wefunder Inc. is not regulated in any capacity, is not registered as either a broker-dealer or funding portal, and is not a member of FINRA or any other self-regulatory organization.
Wefunder Advisors is an exempt reporting adviser that makes filings with the SEC and certain states. Wefunder Advisors advises special purpose vehicles (SPVs) used in certain Regulation D offerings that are available on wefunder.com.
Wefunder Portal is a funding portal (CRD #283503) that is registered with the SEC and is a member of FINRA. Wefunder Portal operates sections of wefunder.com where certain Regulation Crowdfunding offerings are available. For Reg CF investments, Wefunder Portal may charge issuers up to a 7.9% fee. Anyone with a financial stake in a company fundraising on Wefunder, such as a promoter, employee, or founder, must disclose their relationship when communicating with other investors. Investors should read our educational materials on startup investing. Educational materials are continually updated at https://help.wefunder.com.
Wefunder EU is crowdfunding service provider that is registered with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets. Wefunder EU operates sections of wefunder.com where certain European Crowdfunding Service Provider Regulation offerings are available.
By using wefunder.com, you accept our Terms & Privacy Policy. If investing, you accept our Investor Agreement. You may also view our Privacy Notice.
All investments involve risks, including possible loss of capital.
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