Crowdfunding, or what...
Equity crowdfunding allows any interested person to invest in companies at an early stage of development. This form of investment is aimed at associating a company looking for capital with an investor who is ready to provide this support. The entire process can be carried out on a specially prepared equity crowdfunding platform. As part of crowdfunding, the investor becomes a shareholder, in the case of a limited liability company or a shareholder, in the case of a joint-stock company, and a co-owner of a given business, hoping that the company will be very successful in the future. If it fails, it may be impossible to sell the securities and the investor will lose everything he has invested. Equity crowdfunding is a medium-term investment, so the investment period is usually between 3 and 5 years, which is what we talk about in more detail at Webinar Universe.
The first crowdfunding-like activities were undertaken as early as the Enlightenment, when artists received funds from their patrons to finance the creation of new works. When it comes to modern times, the British band Marillion is considered to be the precursors of crowdfunding, which in 1997 conducted a fundraiser among their fans to pay for a concert tour. During the action, 60 thousand dollars were collected. Currently, crowdfunding is most popular in the United States, where platforms such as gofundme, Indiegogo and Kickstarter operate.
Buying stocks or shares on an equity crowdfunding platform is very simple. The investor chooses how much he wants to invest, i.e. how many shares he decides to buy. After that, they need to provide their personal information and make the payment. After payment, the investor receives an email confirming the purchase of shares.
The value of shares or stocks will go up along with the increase in the value of the company. Usually, the company plans to enter the selected stock exchange after 3-4 years, and the investor can sell the shares at a profit. Other possible options for exiting the investment are a buyout by a strategic or industry investor, or a buyout of shares by the company's owner.
Crowdfunding and legal issues
The act regulating crowdfunding applies to crowdfunding service providers within the meaning of EU regulations. A legal person intending to provide crowdfunding services shall submit an application to the competent authority of the Member State in which it is established for authorisation to operate as a crowdfunding service provider. The crowdfunding service provider is charged an annual fee determined on the basis of the average value of revenues from the provision of crowdfunding services in the last 3 financial years preceding the year for which the fee is due, in the amount of not more than 0.5% of this average, but not less than the PLN equivalent of EUR 750.
The provider is obliged to provide the PFSA with a list of projects financed through its crowdfunding platform. In addition, all information provided to customers must be reliable, clear and not misleading. The provider shall inform clients that the services are not covered by the deposit guarantee scheme established in accordance with Directive 2014/49/EU and that transferable securities or crowdfunding instruments acquired through their platform are not covered by the investor compensation scheme established in accordance with Directive 97/9/EC.
Is it safe?
During training on the training platform , we inform you that in order to safely start investing in crowdfunding, you should familiarize yourself with current projects by visiting equity crowdfunding platforms. It is necessary to carefully analyze the information posted on the website of a given campaign, the opportunities and risks resulting from the purchase of shares. The next step is to analyze the market in which the project operates. Big promises can be placed in a niche market with an original idea. And don't forget about the competition. It will be more difficult to fight with large and stable players on the market. In addition, it should be remembered that a good product or service is not everything if the company does not prepare an appropriate development strategy.
The company must directly have specific data about customers and financial plans. Companies that do not share their financial data and traction will not be very reliable. In addition, the duration of the campaign is limited, and the website always informs when it will end. Some campaigns may end early if they collect 100% of the goal amount. Investing in crowdfunding itself is therefore safe after proper preparation, but you must take into account, as always, the risk of incurring losses of the invested capital.
A future-proof investment?
Investing in small businesses through crowdfunding is extremely risky. However, this does not mean that you have to categorically give up this investment option. However, there are a few basic rules to keep in mind. An investor should put in as much money as he can afford to lose and survive without them for a long time. In addition, it is best to diversify your crowdfunding investments and pay attention to whether the company has the right staff. The investment model is beneficial from the point of view of companies that can raise capital to finance their most daring projects. On the other hand, people who deposit relatively small funds gain a chance to enter the world of investing and gain appropriate experience, which will be useful during possible investments in other assets in the future.
Crowdfunding is still a fairly new form of investment, but it is gaining more and more popularity and acceptance in society. Crowdfunding offers great opportunities for people with access to a wide network of social contacts. This is a good option in a situation where someone does not have enough funds for the investment or does not want to invest large financial resources in a single project on their own, but has a community that can co-finance it. It's also worth mentioning that using crowdfunding platforms can be effective, but we talk about this in more detail at Webinar Universe.