This is part 1 in a 4 part series introducing Funds. 
  Part 2: Why invest?
  Part 3: Why be a partner?
  Part 4: What if I am unaccredited?

Today, we released Funds.  Each of our funds targets a different theme, targeted to invest between $10k to $200k in early stage startups.

We're re-thinking how venture capital can work. We believe we can fund more worthy companies - and increase investor returns - by decentralizing decision making to experts who are on the cutting edge of their fields.

We have recruited hundreds of partners to help run our funds, compensating them with 15% carried interest. These partners are operators, technologists, influencers, early adopters, & founders who personally invest in startups they believe in.  Only if they invest, does the fund invest.

We're also excited to fund a wider range of businesses than traditional venture capitalists, by letting investors choose the areas they care about (along with the risk/reward profile they are comfortable with). 

For accredited investors

Currently, the law only allows accredited investors to invest in funds.

We believe funds will result in higher-quality startups using Wefunder, and therefore better returns for investors.  

We expect that a team of industry veterans (compensated with 15% carry) will get access to better startups, vet them more fully, negotiate better terms, and actively help the founders get to the next level. 

The fund invests only in the startups that partners also personally invest in, under the same terms.  That way, they make money if you do... and they lose money if you do.  

Learn why we think our funds will increase returns for accredited investors

For potential partners

We're broadening who can be a venture capitalist.  We believe those who can make the best early-stage investments often do not want to become a full-time venture capitalist - they may want to primarily remain a maker, creator, founder, or operator.  However, they want to pay it forward, and help the next generation of startups succeed.

We're creating a world where even super-busy founders of hyper-growth startups can earn carried interest to help startups succeed, part-time, by doing the most meaningful and most important part: lending their expertise to those that need it most.

Learn about being a partner in a fund

For unaccredited investors

Unfortunately, it is illegal for unaccredited investors (those that don't earn $200k+ a year or have over $1m net worth) to invest in funds. 

Thankfully, the definition of an accredited investor will likely change soon.  In July, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill (406 to 4), which would let anyone take a test to become accredited. We hope this will become law in 2019.  

In the meantime, unaccredited investors can join a fund as a partner (it is not illegal to be a venture capitalist!). They also can follow a fund, and get notified if a startup also uses Wefunder to run a Regulation Crowdfunding campaign. In that case, investors can opt to invest after seeing the due diligence that partners performed.  

Learn about how funds can help unaccredited investors

This is part 1 in a 4 part series introducing Funds. 
  Part 2: Why invest?
  Part 3: Why be a partner?
  Part 4: What if I am unaccredited?