Mindblower.com Disrupts the Crowdfunding World with Zero-Risk Crowdfunding Platform

Now anyone can crowdfund their business ideas and make money with no risk while crowdfunding backers get the perk they paid for — or their money back

By Robert Hoskins, Crowdfunding PR

London, UK – Since the dawn of crowdfunding there has been a struggle for inventors and dreamers to come up with the right crowdfunding success formula to hit their funding goal and turn their vision into a delivered product. Risking their money on developing a prototype, shooting the project video, marketing and public relations and all of the other expenses and effort necessary to launch a crowdfunding campaign — if they even get that far – comes with no assurances of success.

MindBlower.com Disrupts the Crowdfunding World with New Zero-Risk Crowdfunding Platform

Crowdfunding backers have their own risks to worry about. Projects like the Coolest Cooler, the Laser Razor, the Zano drone, Dragonfly Futurefon and so many other campaigns that promised incredible things failed to deliver on time — if at all — leaving backers high and dry. Years on, thousands of people have yet to receive the product they paid for or their money back.

There’s no question that crowdfunding has been a risky business for all concerned… until now.

That’s because MindBlower.com takes all of the risk out of crowdfunding for the backer and the would-be business person by assuming all of the responsibility in handling all of the details of production and fulfillment.

Ideas submitted to MindBlower by inventors undergo a double screening process and the best ideas are selected based on feasibility to produce, market viability and other key factors.

Ideas accepted by MindBlower are turned into crowdfunding campaigns on the MindBlower platform. Once the product reaches its crowdfunding goal, the MindBlower team is in charge of production and fulfillment, the single biggest point of failure for crowdfunding campaigns after they reach their goal.

The inventor receives a royalty on every product sold and the backer enjoys the peace of mind of a money back guarantee if they don’t receive the perk they purchased.

At the end of the day, inventors and backers have ZERO financial risk and inventors don’t have to exhaust their own resources in developing their ideas.

As they are fond of saying “It’s how crowdfunding was meant to be: A seamless, transparent and extremely efficient process that enables dreamers to bring great ideas to life with the help of the community.”

Two campaigns are underway and are wildly successful in exceeding their crowdfunding goals with new campaigns lined up to launch within the next 30-45 days.

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins runs one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding PR, social media and marketing agencies that has amassed a huge social media following and is dedicated to supporting a wide variety of donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

Real Estate Lender Zeus CrowdFunding Offers the Crowdlending Industry’s First Customer Loyalty Program

The Zeus CrowdFunding offers loans for property acquisition, refinancing, discounted home buying, renovation projects, transitional properties, non-traditional borrowers, fix-and-flip projects, fix-and-hold projects, transactional financing, gap financing, and time-sensitive transactions

 By Robert Hoskins

Houston, Texas – Zeus CrowdFunding, the fastest real estate crowdlending site in America, will offer borrowers a new incentive unmatched in the rapidly growing financial sector: the real estate crowdfunding industry’s first loyalty program. Repeat borrowers with the company can borrow up to 80 percent of a property’s after-repair value (ARV).

The ZeusCrowdFunding offers loans for property acquisition, refinancing, discounted home buying, renovation projects, transitional properties, non-traditional borrowers, fix-and-flip projects, fix-and-hold projects, transactional financing, gap financing, and time-sensitive transactions

The program is called LoyaltyZ, and its mechanics are simple. On a borrower’s first loan with Zeus CrowdFunding, they’re eligible to receive up to 75 percent loan-to-value (LTV) of his or her approved project’s ARV. With each loan that they finish paying back to Zeus CrowdFunding, the borrower will receive one more point on their LTV on their next loan—up to 80 percent of the ARV.

On a borrower’s second loan from Zeus CrowdFunding, for example, he or she is eligible to borrow up to 76 percent of the ARV; on his or her third loan, up to 77 percent, and so on. Beginning with his or her sixth loan, a repeat borrower can borrow up to 80 percent of the ARV on every loan.

Zeus CrowdFunding Founder and Chief Acceleration Officer Steven Kaufman says that LoyaltyZ was designed for real estate borrowers interested in completing multiple projects as quickly as possible. No additional sign-up or commitment is required of them.

“Simply put, we devised the real estate crowdfunding industry’s only loyalty rewards program because we value repeat business more than our competitors do,” Mr. Kaufman said. “We find it’s a valuable differentiator in an increasingly crowded marketplace that our customers love. It helps Zeus CrowdFunding to build ongoing relationships with real estate investors in our homebase of Texas and across the United States.

“Best of all, borrowers who pay off more than one loan with us are eligible to receive their funding in as little as three days,” he added.

For more information about Zeus CrowdFunding and the real estate crowdfunding industry’s only loyalty program, please visit AskZeus.com. The platform specializes in lending opportunities up to $2 million, secured by first lien and personal guarantees. New borrowers can receive real estate financing in as little as four days.

Zeus Mortgage Bank is a Texas-based mortgage lender providing the right loan at the right time at the right price for our clients. We pride ourselves on being the fastest mortgage lender in America, and our clients love our Lifetime Mortgage Warranty.

Zeus CrowdFunding is an online real estate crowdfunding platform that was launched by Zeus Trust Company in 2016. The ZeusCrowdFunding.com platform offers borrowers the flexibility to structure custom-tailored financing options that address a variety of unique transactions involving property acquisition, refinancing, discounted home buying, renovation projects, transitional properties, non-traditional borrowers, fix-and-flip projects, fix-and-hold projects, transactional financing, gap financing, and transactions requiring time-sensitive funding.

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Robert Hoskins
(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. Robert Hoskins is a seasoned marketing veteran with a proven track record of helping entrepreneurs, startups, small businesses as well as Fortune 500 corporations launch successful marketing communications campaigns to gain market traction for a wide variety of products and services.

On a regular basis, Mr. Hoskins consults with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

Google search “Robert Hoskins Crowdfunding” to see why Mr. Hoskins is considered one of the industry’s foremost crowdfunding experts that has amassed a huge social media following, which is dedicated to supporting donation, rewards and equity crowdfunding campaigns.

LoanDepot Announces Closing of $150M Crowdlending Fund to Further Fuel Its Record-breaking Performance with Investments in Technology and Product Development Projects

As a national marketplace lender, the loanDepot platform is disrupting finance by dissolving the lines between mortgage and non-mortgage credit

By Robert Hoskins

Irvine, California – LoanDepot announced the closing of $150 million in term debt financing and intends to use the proceeds to further fuel its record-breaking performance with continued investments in technology and product development, and to leverage its balance sheet to hold certain loan assets.

loanDepot matches borrowers through technology and high-touch customer care with the credit they need to fuel their lives

“Capital investment in consumer lending and in the mortgage industry is very tight and highly selective,” says Anthony Hsieh, chairman and chief executive officer at loanDepot. “Investors are interested in category leaders with scale who succeed in all credit cycles. This deal confirms the strength of our business model and the positive momentum of our brand. It also signals the competitive advantage loanDepot has in accessing capital in today’s market as we pursue our long-term growth strategy.”

As the nation’s second-largest nonbank consumer lender, loanDepot heads into the second half of 2016 with second-quarter fundings reaching nearly $10 billion in home, personal and home equity loans. Total fundings for the first half of 2016 are up 16 percent compared to the same time last year. The number of loans funded by loanDepot in the first six months of 2016 increased by 33 percent compared to the same period last year, further demonstrating the value of the company’s personal loan platform and cross-selling opportunities between loan products.

“Working capital and liquidity are essential for today’s nonbank lender, and only available if you have scale, a solid track record and a great reputation,” says Hsieh. “loanDepot is a strong and stable company responsible to our customers, employees and shareholders. We’ll continue reinvesting back into our platform in a variety of ways, including technology, the customer experience and product development. We believe this approach strengthens our position as the leading modern lender as the industry heads into the next generation of lending.”

In November 2015, the company postponed its initial public offering. This capital debt financing is the continuation of its capital strategy and commitment to pursue long- term growth plans.

Launched in 2010, loanDepot has achieved 80 percent year-over-year average annual growth from 2010 to 2015. The company continues to make significant reinvestments into its proprietary technology and marketing platform, credit and risk models, and product delivery systems.  The company operates from eight business centers and 150+ loan stores across the nation. loanDepot was the first nonbank consumer lender to offer home, personal and home equity loan products nationwide.

loanDepot matches borrowers through technology and high-touch customer care with the credit they need to fuel their lives. As a fast-growing national marketplace lender, the loanDepot platform is disrupting finance by dissolving the lines between mortgage and non-mortgage credit.

The company has funded over $70 billion in loans since inception. loanDepot is passionate about emerging financial technology and dynamic product delivery supported by excellent customer service to empower consumers.

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Crowdfunding PR Seeks Equity-based and Rewards-based Crowdfunding Sites to Add to Its Top 100 Crowdfunding List

Add Your Site to Our 2016 Top 100 List

Do you know of a new crowdfunding site that has been launched in the last 12 to 24 months? If so, we want to know the company name and what URL we should review for our Top 100 Crowdfunding Sites list.

Either follow us on Twitter @Crowdfunding_PR or connect with us on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/roberthoskins and then share the information you’d like to add to any of our lists.

Is your crowdfunding site listed?

• 2015 Top 100 Crowdfunding Sites
• Top 10 Equity Crowdfunding Sites
• Top 10 Real Estate Crowdfunding Sites
• Top 10 Rewards/Perks Crowdfunding
• Top 10 Donation Crowdfunding Sites
• Top 10 Texas Crowdfunding Sites
• Top 10 College/University Crowdfunding Sites

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Wells Fargo Announces Four-Point Plan to Expand Credit Coaching Programs and Offer $75 Million in Investments, Grants and Micro-Lending for Small Businesses in the U.S.

To help business owners learn how to obtain credit, as well as better understand the reasons for a decline and learn how to prepare to reapply, Wells Fargo has launched a new Credit Coaching program

  By Robert Hoskins

San Francisco, California – To gain more insight into the experiences of diverse business owners in the areas of lending and operating their businesses, Wells Fargo commissioned Gallup to conduct a national study of small business owners. Today, as Gallup releases the findings (on Gallup.com), Wells Fargo is announcing a four-point plan to address needs identified in the study. The plan will help more diverse small businesses become credit-ready and gain access to credit. The Gallup survey included findings of business owners in six segments – African American, Asian American, Hispanic, LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender), military veteran, and women.

Please click on this banner to vote yes for Crowdfunding PR’s business plan to open up Crowdfunding Training Facilities nationwide in tandem with co-working spaces, incubators and accelerators

“Serving diverse communities has long been a focus area and priority for Wells Fargo, yet we know there’s more work to be done, and it starts with gaining a deeper understanding of the experiences of diverse small business owners working with financial institutions,” said Lisa Stevens, head of Small Business for Wells Fargo. “For this reason, we commissioned the Gallup study, which gave us new insight into the perceptions and experiences of diverse business owners working with banks, and how we can improve as a company and as an industry.”

Overall, the national study revealed there are more similarities than differences between small business owners in all diverse segments and those in the general population. It also shows specific areas in which the financial services industry can provide more support for diverse business owners.

Credit Coaching Program

In the Gallup survey, diverse-owned small businesses were more likely to respond that they have been declined for business credit – about one in five African American, Asian and Hispanic business owners said they faced a credit decline in the past (14 percent of general market respondents said they faced a decline). After being declined, a higher percentage of African American business owners (64 percent) said they did not apply for credit again than their peers in the general small business population (47 percent). African American (14 percent) and LGBT (15 percent) business owners also reported greater personal credit challenges than the general market (5 percent).

To help business owners learn how to obtain credit, as well as better understand the reasons for a decline and learn how to prepare to reapply, Wells Fargo has launched an enhanced Credit Coaching program. It offers expanded support to business owners who have been declined business credit. The phone-based program has been rolled out to small business owners who apply for Wells Fargo Business Direct credit products (primarily credit products under $100,000 sold through its retail banking stores). Business owners who use the program will be connected with a credit specialist who will review the business’ credit profile, explain why the business was declined credit, and share resources that can help the business strengthen its credit profile and improve the likelihood of being approved for business credit in the future.

In addition, while the majority of business owners surveyed across all segments said they did not feel a perception of discrimination from a financial institution impacted their chances of obtaining business credit, 22 percent of African American and 11 percent of LGBT business owners reported that perceived discrimination impacted their chances of obtaining credit for their business, compared to 5 percent of the general small business owner population. The Credit Coaching initiative will be one way Wells Fargo will further increase transparency of credit decisions and facilitate conversations that build trust with all customers.

“We take pride in the fact that diversity and inclusion has long been one of our core values in every aspect of our business, and at every level of our organization,” said Stevens. “We want to make sure all customers feel welcome, respected, understood, valued and appreciated. The actions we’re introducing today are the next steps for Wells Fargo to better serve and connect with diverse-segment business owners.”

Community Development Financial Institutions Investments, Grants

Another key finding in the Gallup study is that African American, Asian and Hispanic small business owners are more likely to be in the start-up and growing stages of their business, compared to the small business population in general, and as a result may not qualify for many conventional bank loan products. In addition, 49 percent of African American-, 47 percent of women- and 45 percent of LGBT-owned businesses in the survey reported annual business revenue of less than $50,000, compared to 36 percent of small business owners in general.

To help newer, smaller and start-up businesses access the appropriate business financing and support they need, Wells Fargo will extend $50 million in investments and $25 million in grants to organizations called Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that serve small businesses and entrepreneurs. The investments and grants will be directed to CDFIs that help small businesses get started and established by providing flexible capital and technical assistance. Wells Fargo will work with existing and new CDFI customers in diverse communities across the country to deploy this capital and measure its impact.

“We know that in order to address the range of financial needs within all of our communities, we need to support and work with the ecosystem of organizations that serve small businesses,” said Jon Campbell, executive vice president, government and community relations for Wells Fargo. “Through this increased investment and connections with community lending organizations, we are making meaningful strides toward increasing access to capital for small businesses, as well as helping more business owners get the coaching and educational resources they need to succeed financially long-term.”

Nationwide Referral Network

In the Gallup study, more African American, Asian and Hispanic business owners reported they were unable to obtain all the credit they needed in the past year than the general business owner population, yet the majority of small business owners in all diverse segments said they did not need credit in the last year. At the same time, nearly one in four African American, Hispanic and Asian business owners plans to apply for credit in the next 12 months, higher than the general small business owner population planning to pursue credit (15 percent). Businesses in the startup and growing phases in general expressed more intentions to apply for new credit.

To ensure business owners are aware of and accessing the full range of financing options available to them, Wells Fargo recently established referral relationships with more than 20 nonprofits and other lenders in cities across the country that are participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Community Advantage program. Participants in the SBA’s program specialize in providing hands-on guidance to small businesses and offering credit to qualifying businesses in underserved markets. Wells Fargo, the nation’s No. 1 SBA lender 7(a) in dollar volume for six consecutive years (U.S. SBA data, federal fiscal years 2009-2014), established these relationships with the intent of providing small business owners with an additional financing solution that may better meet their lending needs.

Chamber Training Institute

On the topic of business education, the Gallup study showed that African American, Asian and Hispanic business owners were more likely than business owners in the general population to be extremely or very interested in learning how to build a strong business credit application, choose a credit product, and develop a business plan. To meet this demand, Wells Fargo is supporting a Chamber Training Institute that trains leaders of diverse-segment chambers of commerce on key business and leadership topics for their members, such as how to access business credit and craft strong business plans. This cross-chamber initiative builds on Wells Fargo’s strong working relationships with chambers nationwide that specifically serve and represent African American, Hispanic, Asian American and LGBT business owner interests.

“There’s no single answer to the challenges reflected in the study, just as the challenges facing all diverse-owned businesses are broader than any one financial institution can address,” Stevens said. “As America’s leading small business lender, we have a responsibility to do more. We believe the steps we’re taking will make a difference, help us foster more lifelong relationships, and move us closer to our goal of helping every business we serve succeed financially. We want to contribute to a national conversation, involving the public and private sector, industry stakeholders and small business owners, about how to better support small businesses in every community.”

Additional Gallup study findings

Other key findings in Gallup’s industry study included:

• Only about half of small business owners say they have ever borrowed money for their business, including the general population of small business owners (50 percent), Asian (53 percent) and Hispanic (51 percent) segments, while the percentage of African American business owners who have used credit (42 percent) is somewhat lower.
• African American (21 percent) and Hispanic (18 percent) business owners were more likely than their counterparts in the general population (10 percent) to be in the startup phase.
• Nearly half of Asian-owned business owners (49 percent) said they were in the growing phase of their business, a higher percentage than the general population of small business owners (37 percent). Also, 38 percent of Asian-owned businesses reported annual revenue of $250,000 or more, compared to 22 percent of businesses overall.
• A higher proportion of veteran-owned businesses (24 percent) reported being in the winding down phase – preparing to retire, sell or transition their businesses – than small business owners in general (15 percent).
• Just 9 percent of women business owners reported plans to apply for new credit in the next 12 months, compared with 20 percent of men surveyed.

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Invesdor Granted a MiFID License to Expand Debt and Equity Crowdfunding Services across All 31 European Union and EEA countries.

Invesdor First in Europe to Receive an EU License to Boost Cross-Border Crowdfunding in SME Sector

 By Robert Hoskins

Helsinki, Finland – Invesdor has been granted a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) license by financial authorities, to expand debt and equity crowdfunding services across all 31 European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries.  The fundraising site is the first crowdfunding platform to receive this level of operational license, part of the European Commission’s drive to harmonize financial regulations across Europe.

Invesdor has been granted a MiFID license by financial authorities, to expand debt and equity crowdfunding services across all 31 EU and EEA countries

“Making the fundraising process fair, transparent and standardized for all participants is very important for us,” says Invesdor CEO, Lasse Mäkelä. “We give growth companies an alternative way of fundraising, and now we can scale our business across Europe,” he adds.

Global crowdfunding almost tripled last year, becoming a $16 billion dollar industry, and the new license means that Invesdor will be able to operate freely in Europe, without having to start from scratch in each country, and apply for a new operating license every time. As Invesdor expands into new countries, startups across Europe can apply for funding on the platform.

Even before receiving the new pan-European operating license, Invesdor had established itself as one of the Nordic region’s most innovative, secure and transparent equity crowdfunding platforms, holding a 46% market share in the Nordic region, based on a recent report by the University of Cambridge and E&Y. Invesdor intends to become the dominant cross-border funding platform for new ventures in Europe.

“Through Invesdor, people become part of great stories and diversify their investment portfolios,” explains Tero Weckroth, Chairman of the Board. “We’re not only helping tech and software startups achieve their full potential in a wider market, but other companies in the sports, medical, musical, and hospitality and catering industries are also current clients,” he says.

Over 30 crowdfunding projects have already raised 4.4 million euros of equity-based funding on the Invesdor platform. The largest round received more than 780 investors and the most international round received investments from 27 different countries around the world.

To build its crowdfunding platform, Invesdor itself has raised more than €800,000 through crowdfunding rounds and public grants. The company will open its new equity crowdfunding round to the public on May 5 at 10AM GMT to boost the platform’s international growth, allowing anyone to be part of its growth story.

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Manta Research Reports that Most Small Businesses are Still Unaware of Crowdfunding as an Alternative Finance Option

Most notably, 23 percent have funded a business project using an alternative lender, other than a traditional bank, but only two percent report having ever used a crowdfunding platform

By Robert Hoskins

Columbus, Ohio – Even though the alternative financing market is expanding at an exponential rate, a new Manta business survey reveals that two-thirds of small business owners still do not think enough funding options are available. Additionally, 69 percent feel the funding environment has not improved in the past 12 months.

Small businesses slow to jump on the alternative financing bandwagon, but interest growing
Alternative funding opportunities, including crowdfunding, are growing at a rapid rate, but the survey showcases a cautious approach by small business owners. Most notably, 23 percent have funded a business project using an alternative lender (other than a traditional bank), but only two percent report having ever used a crowdfunding platform. Lack of awareness and persistent misconceptions may be the cause.

Manta Research Reports that Most Small Businesses are Still Unaware of Crowdfunding

The majority of small business owners who have obtained traditional loans note uncertainty regarding crowdfunding and alternative lending options. Thirty percent of respondents are unsure of the risks, another 20 percent don’t understand the technology associated with these alternative sources and 14 percent report they simply do not trust them. A small number believe crowdfunding sites and alternative lenders are too complicated, while others fear business failure with less traditional financing methods (seven percent and six percent, respectively).

Traditional financing options still most popular with business owners
Manta’s survey revealed that, despite a diversifying lending environment, small business owners overwhelmingly prefer traditional financing options. More than 70 percent of respondents have sought traditional bank loans, savings, credit cards, or help from friends and family to finance their business, while less than a quarter have utilized an alternative lender (other than a bank).

“Small business owners have more diverse options today than ever before when it comes to funding their business,” said John Swanciger, CEO, Manta. “However, we’re seeing a gap between what’s available and the perception among small businesses that the lending environment has not improved. Even though traditional bank loans are difficult to secure, small businesses are still apt to rely on them.”

Of the small business owners who financed their business through alternative lenders, 38 percent did so because they did not qualify for traditional bank financing. Nearly 20 percent sought alternative lending because they needed a small short-term loan, while nine percent recognized the fast access and convenience associated with alternative lending options, and seven percent wanted ongoing access to a credit line.

The survey results also showed that when small business owners received alternative financing, the amounts they borrowed varied greatly. Most (40 percent) borrowed $10,000 or less. Others aimed higher, with 27 percent borrowing $50,000 or more. Remaining respondents were split — 17 percent borrowed $10,000 – $20,000 and another 17 percent borrowed $20,000 – $50,000.

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Crowdlending Platform P2Binvestor Announces $50 Million Milestone

P2Bi simplifies lending through technology and provides efficient and competitively priced working capital to growing B2B businesses

 By Robert Hoskins

Denver, Colorado – P2Binvestor (P2Bi) announced that the firm has reached more than $50 million in invoices funded since signing its first direct client in May 2014. To date, P2Bi has financed the growth of companies in technology, natural foods and products, manufacturing, energy, and personnel services with average annual revenues ranging between $500,000 and $25 million.

Crowdlending Site P2Binvestor Announces $50 Million Milestone

“Exceeding $50 million in purchased invoices in 10 months is a huge achievement for us. It speaks volumes about the market demand for our product and the hard work of our amazing team,” said Krista Morgan, P2Bi CEO and cofounder. “I am confident our rapid growth will continue in 2015 as we launch new products; I’m especially excited about the first revolving line of credit for SaaS companies and a free-fill loan product for our natural foods customers,” Morgan added.

P2Bi’s crowdsourced funding model reduces its effective cost of capital, creating room for more flexible rates and terms for its clients. A crowd of accredited investors participates in funding each credit line, and investors earn a fair return on the platform in exchange for supporting P2Bi’s clients.

“The last year has been about proving we can underwrite effectively and be a good partner to the great companies we are funding,” said Bruce Morgan, executive vice chairman and cofounder of P2Bi. “Our innovative crowdfunding model has enabled us to achieve in a short amount of time what a traditional alternative finance company would take years to accomplish,” Morgan continued.

P2Bi can provide working capital financing of up to $5 million per client—normally secured by accounts receivable, future contractual revenue flows or other assets. The company’s aim is to improve access to working capital for growing businesses with a new generation of financing products.

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Crowdfunding Site, OurCrowd.com, Shows the World that the Equity Crowdfunding Industry is Sailing into the Global Economy Full Steam Ahead

OurCrowd evolves from participating in early seed rounds to a leadership position by successfully pooling tens of millions of dollars from top tier venture capital firms

By Robert Hoskins

Jerusalem, Israel – OurCrowd leads equity crowdfunding deal that reels in $16M in Series E funding round for Borro.com, the UK-NY based, asset-backed online lender. OurCrowd was joined by Rocket Internet AG (RKET), Canaan Partners and Augmentum Capital in this funding round.

OurCrowd alone raised $6M of the capital invested, making this the single largest equity crowdfunding round ever completed and demonstrates how equity crowdfunding can complement and even lead traditional funding sources, such as venture capital.

“In under two years, OurCrowd went from participating in early seed rounds to now successfully  leading a $16M dollar major funding round together with top tier venture capital firms such as Canaan and the renowned internet company, Rocket,” said Jon Medved, OurCrowd’s CEO. “We are delighted to be investing in quality companies like Borro, which is redefining the Fintech industry.”

Launched in the UK in 2009 and in the US in 2012, Borro has defined a new category of online personal asset-based lending. Borro focuses on providing liquidity to individuals, entrepreneurs, and business owners who use luxury personal assets such as watches, jewelry, supercars, fine art, antiques and high-end handbags as collateral for short term loans.

“Seven years ago, I joined the first angel investor group at Lending Club (LC) and witnessed first-hand the exponential growth of online lending,” Medved added.  “Lending Club’s IPO in December of 2014 was a pivotal point in the online lending industry and has shown that there will be multiple winners with eventual multi-billion dollar market caps. ”

Paul Aitken, CEO and Founder of Borro, said: “We are delighted with our collaboration with OurCrowd. Their ability to lead this important funding round has proven that equity crowdfunding has indeed come of age. I was excited by the quality of the investors they have brought to the table and am looking forward to their adding additional value to Borro as we move forward.”

Borro was recently ranked #8 right behind Lending Club (NYSE: LC) #6 and OnDeck #7 (NYSE: ONDK) in KPMG’s 50 Best Fintech Innovators Report. OurCrowd ranked #22 on the list.  Borro is backed by a consortium of high caliber VC investors with significant expertise in online finance.

Investing alongside OurCrowd is Rocket Internet AG, a German internet company based in Berlin that builds online startups and owns share of various internet companies including Foodpanda/Hellofood, Home24, Jabong, Jumia and Lamoda.  Other Borro investors include Canaan Partners (investor in Lending Club) and Augmentum Capital (investor in the UK’s top lending marketplace, Zopa). Borro has recruited notable financial industry veterans to its board of directors who bring a significant amount of experience to the company, including Nigel Morris (co-founder Capital One) as Chairman and Paul Grattan (ex-CEO Egg, First Direct.)

Borro launched in 2009 in the UK, and has gone on to open offices in New York and Los Angeles.  It is the leading online platform for luxury asset-backed lending and has defined a new lending category in a climate where loans to individuals, SMEs and entrepreneurs were few and far between. Borro offers loans from $5,000 – $2,000,000 secured against luxury assets including fine art, antiques, jewelry, luxury watches, fine wine, prestige and classic cars and other high-value assets. Borro investors include: Canaan Partners (Lending Club), Eden Ventures, Augmentum Capital. Borro’s board of directors includes Nigel Morris (co-founder Capital One) as Chairman, and Paul Gratton (ex-CEO Egg, First Direct).

OurCrowd is the leading hybrid venture capital equity crowdfunding platform for accredited investors who wish to invest in Israeli and global early stage companies. Managed by a team of well-known investment professionals and led by serial entrepreneur Jon Medved, OurCrowd selects opportunities, invests its own capital and brings these startups to its accredited membership. Members choose those deals they invest in via OurCrowd-managed partnerships.

OurCrowd investors must meet stringent accreditation criteria and invest a minimum of $10,000 per deal. OurCrowd provides post investment support to its portfolio companies, assigning industry experts as mentors and taking board seats. OurCrowd has raised over $100 million in equity crowdfunding for its 57 portfolio companies which include leading companies, such as: BillGuard, Consumer Physics (SCiO), BioCatch, Abe’s Market and ReWalk, OurCrowd’s first portfolio company to complete a successful IPO on the NASDAQ.

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Leading Lending-Based Crowdfunding Site Elects Krista Morgan as New Chief Executive Officer

G. Krista Morgan elected by the P2Bi Board of Directors to become the next CEO of the Denver-based crowdfunding platform for business lending

By Robert Hoskins

Denver, CO – P2Binvestor (P2Bi) announced that cofounder Bruce Morgan stepped down as CEO at the Denver-based financial technology company to take the position of executive vice chairman on its board. Cofounder and former President G. Krista Morgan was elected by the P2Bi Board of Directors to become the next CEO effective January 5, 2015. The father-daughter team cofounded P2Bi in 2012, developed a crowdfunding platform to deliver working capital to growing businesses, and started lending in early 2014.

Krista Morgan Named CEO of Commercial Crowdlending Company P2Binvestor based in Denver, CO

By combining technology with crowdsourcing, P2Bi simplifies lending and provides efficient and competitively priced growth capital to small and midsize businesses. The company offers receivables financing, an asset-backed line of credit, working capital secured by contractual future revenue (designed especially for SaaS companies), and purchase order financing.

P2Bi has the capacity to consider multi-million dollar credit lines and lends to U.S. companies in various industries including technology, energy, personnel services, natural foods and beverages, manufacturing, and more. P2Bi’s investor crowd is limited to accredited investor participation. Learn more at P2Bi.com.

“The tremendous growth of P2Binvestor is in large part due to Krista’s diligence in building a new and different company with a competitive product, a superior culture, and an inherent focus on customers,” said John Spiers, P2Bi’s chairman. “She is a natural entrepreneur and leader, and her innovative ideas, energy, commitment to transparency, and passion for helping small businesses grow are unparalleled.”

Krista is a proven executive in alternative finance while also being one of the youngest women in a leadership position in the industry. She left an agency career in digital marketing in London to cofound P2Bi in Colorado in 2012. Since signing the company’s first client in May 2014, she has grown P2Bi’s commercial loan portfolio to $12.5 million, representing 30% month-over-month growth. P2Bi uses invoices to secure most credit lines and in just seven months’ time purchased more than $37 million in invoices.

“Over the past three years, Krista has demonstrated her leadership and strategic skills as she created a strong brand and broad market appeal for P2Bi,” said Bruce Morgan, former CEO and now executive vice chairman of P2Bi. “She created a modern crowdfunding approach to working-capital financing that appeals to a diverse generation of entrepreneurs who aren’t typical users of alternative finance.”

Krista was a key driver in establishing P2Bi’s customer-friendly policies, such as eliminating monthly minimums, minimizing transaction costs for clients, and implementing daily clearing of client accounts to improve their cash flow. She also created a rate-guarantee policy that allows clients to cancel their contracts with P2Bi without penalty if they find less-expensive financing. Krista felt policies like the rate guarantee would make it easier for P2Bi to build mutually beneficial alignment with its banking partners while meeting the needs of its fast-growing business clients.

“We view it as a mark of success when our customers are offered a line of credit at a great rate with a bank. Our financing is designed to be a bridge that supports businesses through a high-growth phase on their way to being bankable,” Krista said. “We pride ourselves in giving our clients as much capital as they need to grow at the most competitive rates with the best service. We want to be a great lending partner for as long as it makes sense.”

Under Krista’s operational leadership, P2Bi transformed from a startup into a revenue-producing player in the alternative-lending and crowdfunding industries. With news of the recent Lending Club IPO, P2Bi is attracting more interest from businesses, investors, and others in the industry.

“My goal as CEO is to put our customers—both businesses and investors—at the center of every decision we make and position P2Bi for long-term success. I want to make P2Bi a company that businesses think of first when they need a flexible, affordable source of working capital and one that accredited investors think of first when they want an alternative investment vehicle that offers fair returns and good liquidity,” Krista said. “I’m honored to be leading an incredible team into the next phase of our company’s growth.”

As executive vice chairman, outgoing CEO Bruce Morgan will remain an active part of the management team and will be responsible for managing relationships with fund managers and leading the company’s credit underwriting function.

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