The Best Places to Learn About Equity Crowdfunding

Making Sense of Equity Crowdfunding and the JOBS Act

Best Analysis: The Crowd Cafe

Jonathan Sandlund covers the equity crowdfunding industry in a way no one else has matched. Jonathan is a former investment banker with plenty of private market experience that really shines through in the site’s articles and videos. Jonathan believes equity crowdfunding can solve many of the current inefficiencies that plague the private investment landscape, but he’s far from a cheerleader. If you want smart analysis detailing the issues, challenges, and future potential of the equity crowdfunding landscape, you must bookmark this site.

Recommended Reading: The Due Diligence Dilemma is a great example of what Jonathan has to offer. Start there, but also read everything in this section.

Best News Site: Crowdfund Insider

I’ve struggled to find a great news site that covers equity crowdfunding well, and most sites I look at come up far short in their coverage. Of all the options available, Crowdfund Insider is the best. They cover all types of crowdfunding, but their coverage of equity crowdfunding is consistent and excellent. The site offers news on platforms and campaigns along with original editorials from a number of crowdfunding experts. If you want to keep up with what’s going on in the crowdfunding world, Crowdfund Insider should be a daily destination.

Recommended Reading: Equity Crowdfunding Needs Educated Investors is a good recent example of one of their editorials.

Best Investor Education: Crowdability

Run by a team with past Wall Street experience, Crowdability offers a mix of news and articles about issues potential startup investors need to consider. Although the site can get a little cheerleader-y at times, the articles are often quick reads and thought provoking. Their weekly newsletter also provides interesting articles about both equity crowdfunding and more general startup investing topics. Whether you’re an active accredited investor right now or thinking about taking advantage of Title III, this is the site you need to read to make sure you’re evaluating and taking advantage of the investment opportunities available to you in the right ways.

Recommended Reading: How to Get 10x Return

Best Insight: Paul Niederer

Paul Niederer served as CEO of The Australian Small Scale Offerings Board (ASSOB), the world’s oldest equity crowdfunding platform and oversaw $75 million of transactions for 90 different companies. While most jurisdictions have platforms running with only accredited investor raises Paul managed both accredited and unaccredited raises with both investor types often in the same raise. Many in the U.S. are wondering what will happen as accredited crowdfunding continues to grow and unaccredited equity crowdfunding opens up to everyone. Based on his experience, Paul Niederer is probably the most qualified person to give insight into how things might play out.

Recommended Reading: Crowdfunding in 2020

Best Platform Blog: FundersClub

Most platforms have blogs but their posts are often infrequent, about only the platform itself, or both. Few of them provide valuable news or educational information that potential investors could use. But FundersClub stands out among the crowd. They still only post a few times a month, but almost everything they publish is worth reading. Of note is their monthly “digital magazine” which collects a number of great news and educational posts that both investors and entrepreneurs should read. It’s a great way to catch up on what’s going on if you don’t have time to follow the news.

Recommended Reading: Evaluating Technology Solutions from Startups

Best Editorial Site: Poor Man’s Angel*

A mix of news and opinion which tries to make sense of the sometimes confusing world of equity crowdfunding and the JOBS Act. This is probably the best site on the internet.*

*Possibly biased selection as this is my site.

Recommended Reading: The Definitive List of U.S. Equity Crowdfunding Platforms

Jason Camps is an entrepreneur and crowdfunding expert. You should follow him on Twitter.