What do you think about crowd investing?

Discussion in 'Trading' started by trade5656, Apr 18, 2017.

  1. There are many platforms nowadays which allow you to invest in startups/small companies and get some equity in them

    Do you think there is money to be made in that?
     
  2. just21

    just21

  3. RaAt2

    RaAt2

    I don't like crowds.
     
    lawrence-lugar likes this.
  4. Jamie J.

    Jamie J.

    It can bring money, but not significant. So often crowdinvesting is so unpredictable for investors, and risk minimization is possible only through careful study of information, projects, platforms. For me, it's still controversial investing.
     
  5. just21

    just21

    Brewdog got £213 million from a private equity company but the crowd investors could only sell a few shares unlike the founders.
     
  6. lindq

    lindq

    I put crowd investing on the same level as crowd voting.

    Look where that's gotten us.
     
    sle likes this.
  7. Sig

    Sig

    If you invest in a crowdfunded startup you're essentially donating money to them in order to be part of something you're interested or excited about. There's nothing wrong with that, just don't make the mistake of thinking you're investing. You have no power over the term sheet, which is ridiculously stacked against the crowd funded investors, you have no control over how the company is operated, future funding rounds, sales, pay, options...
    You can generally expect that if the company is successful, future investors will come in at big valuations that will dilute all the crowd funders, in aggregate, down to a percent or two of the company. And that's if they're feeling generous. Even without future funding rounds, nothing stops the owners from issuing millions of new shares to themselves and employees, which is what is generally done to wash out key initial employees that leave. And that's just the worst issue, you're also exposed to significant adverse selection, the VCs have taken their pick and you're getting what's left, you get to do no due diligence, you have no board member to represent you, the list goes on and on.
    I'm an entrepreneur who fortunately can now self-fund. If I ever start a company that needs funding I'll most certainly use crowdfunding if I can because it would give me a bunch of money with no effective loss of control. You'd essentially be handing me free money with no strings attached. On the flip side, I wouldn't invest in a crowd funded company even if someone gave me a a 10:1 match on my investment.