Help Fund More American Businesses
Wefunder helps you get a free SEC & FINRA registered Funding Portal. Earn 5% of total funds raised. No monthly fee. No setup fee.
Over $500,000 worth of legal work and tech for free
We hand over a "Wefunder in a Box" so you get up and running fast
Keep 100% of Fees Until 2017
For the first year, retain 100% of your transaction fees. After one year, keep 70% of your fees, and pay us 30% for support.
Complete Tech Stack
Use all the software that powers Wefunder. Investors invest in a few clicks. Startups design profiles and file Form C's.
Complete Legal Setup
We provide a copy of the same funding portal docs that FINRA approved for Wefunder. Plus everything else needed.
What You Do
Scout Companies
Vet Companies
Help Companies
Fraud Check
Review Disclosures
What We Do
Everything else:
company profile editor, form C editor, form C generation, form C filing, compliance check, investment contract library, one click investing, electronic contracts, payment transfer, escrow accounts, investor education, communication channels, e-mail notifications, investor update system, account opening, investor limits, recordkeeping, accredited investor verification, SPV's for Reg D offerings, K1 generation, customer support, all compliance legal docs, and more.
Software
You have access to all the tools that power Wefunder. Here are a few screenshots.
Questions?
Do I need to apply to FINRA and register with the SEC?
Yes. In order to earn a transaction fee and comply with the law, a funding portal must be registered with both FINRA and the SEC. Wefunder will guide you through this process, and provide a complete set of legal and other compliance documents.
How long does the process take?
It generally takes about a month for FINRA to approve your application. It might go faster than in the past since FINRA has already approved all the marketing materials and software on Wefunder.com.
Do I need a license?
No. FINRA does not yet require a license for operators of funding portals. However, Wefunder will only work with those who we believe have a good understanding (or proven ability to quickly learn) the relevant laws.
If we work together, we'll teach you the relevant legal issues you need to be aware of in a couple of hours, in preparation for your FINRA membership interview.
If we work together, we'll teach you the relevant legal issues you need to be aware of in a couple of hours, in preparation for your FINRA membership interview.
What are important legal issues a funding portal must know?
The Wefunder software is designed to help everyone avoid accidently violating the law - for instance, enforcing investment caps.
However, it's important to be aware the law prohibits some business activities. For instance, funding portals must not offer investment advice or pay referral fees based on the sale of a security. Funding portals are also liable for reviewing the companies "Form C" SEC filing and ensuring it is properly filled out.
However, it's important to be aware the law prohibits some business activities. For instance, funding portals must not offer investment advice or pay referral fees based on the sale of a security. Funding portals are also liable for reviewing the companies "Form C" SEC filing and ensuring it is properly filled out.
How much am I allowed to charge?
We limit the maximum transaction fee that can be charged to 5% of the round. You can decide how to split this - we recommend 3% to the company and 2% to the investor.
Do I pay Wefunder any fees?
The funding portal does not pay Wefunder any fees. A company may elect to pay Wefunder for our full-service and "whole shebang" plans to create the profile and provide a draft Form C.
How long can I keep 100% of my fees for?
For one year after being approved by FINRA, you may keep 100% of your transaction fees.
In late 2017, Wefunder may elect to become a broker-dealer. At that point, if you wish to continue using Wefunder, we retain 30% of your fees.
Is there any long-term commitment?
No. You can stop using Wefunder anytime, and even take all the legal set-up docs we gave you to go build your own web site from scratch. We're confident that it's so much easier to use our software, that you will never want to attempt to build your own.
Can I 'own' my investor list?
Not exactly. All investors create Wefunder accounts. However, any investor who invests in one of the companies that your portal lists also subscribes to your portal. These investors will be notified via email (unless they turn it off) when you list a new company, and can opt to invest in a few clicks. You'll also be able to communicate with your subscribers.
Can I use my own domain name?
No. All funding portals that work with our software must be hosted at wefunder.com. We will never "white label" our software.
Your portal will be hosted at https://wefunder.com/your_portal_name. All companies you list will be hosted on your page, as well as potentially being discoverable on the Wefunder home page to drive more traffic to your portal.
Your portal will be hosted at https://wefunder.com/your_portal_name. All companies you list will be hosted on your page, as well as potentially being discoverable on the Wefunder home page to drive more traffic to your portal.
Can I pay you guys to develop custom software?
No. We'll never build software for only one portal on Wefunder. We will only implement feature requests if we believe it will be useful to all funding portals on Wefunder.
