KupperMounts Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign Targets Bike Shop Owners, Bicycle Accessories Distributors with Big Early-Bird Discounts for Its New Patent-Pending Bike Racks

Kupper Mounts are the most affordable, compact, portable, secure, convenient and quick-to-install bike racks and can be mounted on any car, truck or SUV in the world, regardless of country

New York, NY – KupperMounts.com, a leading-edge, vacuum suction-cup bicycle vehicle rack manufacturer, announced as part of its crowdfunding campaign it is once again offering an opportunity to buy their popular vehicle bicycle racks at a 50-percent discount off their retail price of $199. The bicycle racks will be offered with Early-Bird discounts as low as $89 via the Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, which lasts from March 5, 2019, until April 18, 2019, and can be purchased at https://5cd03312.kckb.st.

Kupper Mounts Vacuum-Powered Suction Cup Bike Racks Are Affordable and Compact Enough to Pack in Checked Airline Baggage

Engineering Strong Vacuum-Powered Suction-Cups in the World

Offering 450 pounds of vacuum-suction power, Kupper Mounts, the bicycle industry’s largest 9″ UV-resistant, maximum-grip rubber suction cups, are loaded with features and benefits. Its 9″ and 6″ flexible-mounting cups and its compact size make it great for travel. Unlike other bike racks that require an expensive trailer hitch or a luggage rack, Kupper Mounts can be mounted on any vehicle, anywhere in the world.

The strength and durability has been tested by leading biking gear publications such as GearJunkie which gave Kupper Mounts bike racks an in-depth product test and wrote the following article: Suction Cup Bike Rack – Testing the Safety of Kupper Car Mounts.

Watch Video: Kupper Bike Rack Mounts Features and Benefits

Extending Vacuum-Powered Suction-Cup Bike Rack Sales

Over the past 12 months, Kupper Mounts has and continues to build a network of independent sales reps and domestic/international distributors to deliver Kupper Mounts bicycle racks to bike shops, retail locations and bicycle customers throughout the United States, Canada, Greece, Mexico, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom and other international markets.

Offering Volume Purchasing Discounts to Bicycle Dealers

In addition to consumer pricing for the Kickstarter campaign ranging from $99 to $199, attractive pricing is being offered to bike shops and high-volume independent bike dealers (IBD) in 10-packs for $990, 20-packs for $1,850, pallets (72-units) for $6,500 as well as container-based pricing.

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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-based crowdfunding campaigns.

 

JellyTank Floats Successful Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign, Secures Pre-Orders of $188,828 and Moves Sales to Indiegogo InDemand

JellyTank, the ultimate desktop jellyfish aquarium, pre-order sales exceed $188k on Kickstarter and moves sales to Indiegogo’s InDemand with full production of the tanks well underway

By Robert Hoskins

Sarasota, Florida – The JellyTank has scored a huge success on Kickstarter, chalking up a staggering pre-sales total of over $188k to date. The JellyTank is a 5-gallon Nano aquarium designed to create the most suitable environment for Jellyfish while providing a budget-friendly and low-maintenance desktop aquarium for jellyfish owners.

With over a thousand backers on Kickstarter, the JellyTank is quickly turning heads and stands as one of the most innovative and affordable jellyfish aquariums to date

Brock and Blake Gratton, the developers of the JellyTank, launched the Kickstarter campaign on February 7th with an initial goal of $25,000. In their relentless pursuit of success, the twin brothers managed to hit their target within only three days and pre-sold over 1,000 JellyTanks at over $188,000.

“With the support and help from everyone, we officially hit our goal within 72 hours of launch and was able to presell over $188,000 worth of JellyTanks,” said Blake and Brock Gratton, Co-Creators. “We’re working hard to get all the moving parts of manufacturing underway while successfully assembling an aquaculture facility. We’ve aligned ourselves with expert marine biologists while building relationships and partnerships within the industry.”

“We had no idea we would achieve this with our Kickstarter campaign, but hope to continue the same successful results on Indiegogo’s Indemand platform until we have product to sell,” the Grottons added.

With over a thousand backers on Kickstarter, the JellyTank is quickly turning heads and stands as one of the most innovative and affordable jellyfish aquariums to date. It has also received positive reviews by people in the marine and tech industries and has been featured on popular websites such as Dude I Want That, Aquanerd, Advanced Aquarist, Trend Hunter, and The Awesomer, among many more.

At present, the manufacturing of the JellyTanks is in full effect. Plans are currently underway to kickstart the delivery of the tanks at the end of July with jellyfish deliveries shortly after. Also in the works is a recently launched Indiegogo InDemand campaign which is set to further expand the reach of the JellyTank and help maximize exposure.

The twin brothers are currently on a mission to developing their stretch goals and hope to successfully manufacture and deliver nothing short of high-quality and fully-functional products in the coming weeks. Go to the Indiegogo InDemand campaign if you’d like to pledge or visit jellytank.com for the opportunity to learn more about the company.

Blake and Brock are both successful entrepreneurs with a strong passion for business and family. They graduated from the Florida State University in 2004 with majors in Economics and later became mortgage loan officers for four years until the real estate market came crashing down.

“We’ve always had a yearning for entrepreneurship, as teenagers we created our first company called B&B Stringing where we would string tennis racquets,” Blake Gratton added.

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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.

MyKronoz ZeTime: The Hybrid Smartwatch Makes Crowdfunding History Raising $5.3 Million on Kickstarter

The Swiss challenger is not stopping there; ZeTime pre-orders are now available on Indiegogo from $149, a discount of the future retail price of $199

By Robert Hoskins

Geneva, Switzerland – In just 35 days, Swiss brand MyKronoz, has now entered crowdfunding history: at $5.3 million, the game changing timepiece ZeTime has become the most-funded project from a European company, as well as the most-funded hybrid smartwatch ever.

ZeTime pre-orders now available on Indiegogo for $149, a discount of the future retail price of $199

Pre-orders for the ZeTime are now continuing on Indiegogo. With this achievement MyKronoz aims to become the worldwide leader in the hybrid smartwatch market segment.

Having already sold more than 2 million wearables since its launch in 2013 thanks to its “smartwatches for everyone” approach, accessible price points, a wide variety of models, and on-trend designs, MyKronoz is today an established and leading player in Europe.

The latest success of its crowdfunding campaign confirms MyKronoz bold leadership ambition to conquer the world outside Europe, especially in North America and Southeast Asia where thousands backers have supported this Swiss innovation.

MyKronoz is determined to accelerate its expansion across a network of strategic retail partners and increase its global market share, both with ZeTime and the rest of its $39 – $199 product range.

Today, MyKronoz is the first to offer a smartwatch with mechanical hands over TFT color touchscreen. This pioneering engineering means ZeTime is able to blend the classic design of a traditional timepiece with the most advanced features of a smartwatch, while making no compromises in quality of the materials, water resistance or battery life.

Proprietary ‘Smart Movement’ technology enables these always-on hands to function for up to 30 days with a single charge, while adjusting to users’ timezone, as well as aligning to make sure they do not obstruct visibility of the screen when reading notifications.

Combining Swiss watchmaking with wearable tech expertise

“We are achieving this success in the context of a wearables market where mainstream adoption has not yet taken off. So we decided to create a new dynamic by delivering the perfect hybrid smartwatch without compromises,” said Boris Brault, CEO and founder of MyKronoz. “Bringing the best of Swiss design and watchmaking expertise into a wearable device. ZeTime embodies this vision, and demonstrates our position as a game changer and fierce challenger to both established watchmakers and wearables players.”

Brault continued, “The huge momentum of this Kickstarter campaign has really been another market validation for us: both on the potential of hybrid smartwatches, and the international growth of our Swiss Brand thanks to this fantastic innovation. We have really felt an incredible amount of passion from our backers, and impatience for our product. This helps us to pursue our ambition to become tomorrow’s leader in new generation watches.”

Behind this groundbreaking success story lie 26,828 backers, a community that truly collaborated to build the ZeTime together. After raising 500% of their original funding goal in less than 24 hours on Kickstarter, MyKronoz surveyed contributors for stretch goal ideas.

Suggestions flooded in, ranging from “Kickstarter exclusives” such as a limited-edition watch engraving and “Kickstarter Green” stitch carbon wristband, to the more technically demanding such as upgrading the watch’s original Gorilla Glass protective screen to Sapphire Glass.

While pursuing its mission to make the perfect and most universal smartwatch, MyKronoz was able to integrate not only these features, but also to launch a much-requested 39mm “Petite” version of ZeTime, ensuring that all consumers could find the model that fits their wrist, however wide or small.

This community engagement, visible in the over 8,000 comments posted on the campaign’s front page alone, was amplified further during its two Kickstarter Live broadcasts: more than 3,000 simultaneous users attended to meet and chat with the company CEO, CPO and CMO, and see close-ups of product prototypes.

MyKronoz is extremely grateful to Kickstarter community for ZeTime’s success: the $5.3 million total has earned the campaign a solid place in the platform’s hall of fame.

However, the Swiss challenger is not stopping there: with pre-orders now available on Indiegogo from $149, a discount of the future retail price of $199.90 (shipping in October for Regular version, December for Petite version), it is not too late for those who missed the Kickstarter to claim a piece of this smartwatch revolution.

ZeTime: Breaking tech barriers to be an elegant daily companion

A classic take on wearable technology, ZeTime has a sleek stainless steel watch case available in two sizes (44mm & 39mm) inspired by the finest Swiss design, along with a variety of interchangeable digital watch faces and straps created to fit every style.

ZeTime is set for action with a 3-axis accelerometer and an optical heart-rate sensor to track activity and sleep. With waterproof performance (up to 30 meters’ depth), ZeTime provides the quality and versatility expected from traditional high-end timepieces, at a much lower price.

ZeTime belongs to the fast-growing segment of hybrid smartwatches, which at first glance look and function like traditional analogue watches but include smart features such as activity tracking, heart rate monitor and notifications. Accounting for a 7% share of smartwatch sales in 2016, market research firm Counterpoint Technology predicts hybrid smartwatches will rise to a 12% share in 2017, doubling in revenues to more than US$ 1 Billion.

Though both luxury traditional watchmakers and wearable tech brands are turning towards hybrid models, with ZeTime, MyKronoz is the first to drill a hole in a TFT color touchscreen display to incorporate mechanical moving hands.

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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.

Arrow Electronics Brings Technology and Design Hardware to Life with Up to $1 Million for Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaigns

Arrow Electronics and Indiegogo launches groundbreaking crowdfund-to-production service aimed at accelerating the pace of innovation for technology entrepreneurs

San Francisco, California – Arrow Electronics, Inc. (NYSE:ARW) and Indiegogo launched their groundbreaking crowdfund-to-production service, which is aimed at accelerating the pace of innovation for technology and internet of things (IoT) entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs can apply for Arrow certification on the Indiegogo platform. Arrow Electronics’ engineers will then analyze the design and manufacturability of each application. Projects deemed “ready for manufacturing” will be denoted with official “Arrow Certified” badges on their Indiegogo campaign site to let potential backers know the project is ready for production.

Every “Arrow Certified” campaign on Indiegogo that meets certain eligibility criteria can compete to receive a share of $1 million in flash-funding that Arrow will give away to 20-50 campaigns during the next 12 to 15 months. Click here for full funding details and rules.

“Arrow Certified” campaigns on Indiegogo will also lock-in up to $50,000 in benefits that help entrepreneurs succeed in prototyping and manufacturing their innovative products, which include some or all of the following:

• Direct, online access to the prototyping tools available through Arrow.com and Silicon Expert, one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive database for technology component design
• Comprehensive technical reviews of the raw materials, sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies, sub-components, parts and the quantities of each needed to manufacture a product
• Professional design-for-manufacturing product reviews and certification
• Up to $1,000 in materials for prototype development
• Free access to the Arrow Testdrive program to try out the latest innovations from leading semiconductor manufacturers with no up-front investment
• Customized marketing and promotional support on Arrow.com and through Arrow’s extensive technology-focused media network
• 10 percent off and free shipping on millions of products available through Arrow.com that will help accelerate prototyping and bringing innovations to market

In addition, a handful of “Arrow Certified” campaigns that Arrow experts deem truly technologically exceptional will qualify as “Arrow Innovator” campaigns and receive additional support, which includes some or all of the following:

• Supply chain services and contract manufacturing support worth up to $500,000
• Up to $10,000 in materials for prototype development
• A dedicated local Arrow technical concierge available for on-call or on-site support
• Perk protection that guarantees campaign backers will get their money back if for some reason the product is never manufactured—providing current and future campaign backers with increased confidence
• A fast-tracked review with Arrow’s in-house financing team to help fund the cost of getting production up and running

Arrow and Indiegogo formalized an alliance in May after Indiegogo entrepreneurs had been increasingly turning to Arrow to help transition innovative ideas into successful commercial products. Arrow is now a key component of Indiegogo’s efforts to support the entire product lifecycle for entrepreneurs on the platform.

Current and new Indiegogo technology or design campaign entrepreneurs interested in applying to become “Arrow Certified” should visit www.arrow.com/indiegogo.

“This groundbreaking crowdfund-to-production program will help so many tech entrepreneurs and startups accelerate their path to market and revenue. Halo Smart Labs didn’t have access to a formal production program like this when we were successfully crowdfunded on Indiegogo. However, we did have the good fortune of getting introduced to Arrow experts early on who helped us refine designs, source the right components, tackle first runs and scale to full production,” said Ben Stagg, Halo Smart Labs’ CEO. “Without the crowdfunding support we received on Indiegogo and without the go-to-market support we received from Arrow, we wouldn’t be preparing for the first Halo and Halo+ smart fire alarms to hit the shelves of major retailers this fall.”

“Arrow is leading IoT design and production for many of the world’s largest companies. We are broadening these capabilities to support the rising wave of innovation coming from crowdfunding,” added Arrow’s Chief Digital Officer, Matt Anderson. “The comprehensive design, manufacturing and go-to-market support that Arrow will provide Indiegogo campaigns will help IoT and technology innovators succeed in even greater numbers, making Indiegogo the only game in town when it comes to launching an IoT or technology idea.”

Indiegogo CEO’s David Mandlebrot commented, “This collaboration improves the experience for both entrepreneurs and backers on Indiegogo. Supporting the entire lifecycle for technology entrepreneurs—from idea, to funding, to manufacturing and ultimately retail selling—is a priority for Indiegogo and this collaboration with Arrow allows us to build on those efforts in an incredibly impactful way. At the same time, this alliance will enable backers to have greater confidence that they will ultimately receive their perks.”

Arrow Electronics is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for more than 100,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network of more than 460 locations serving over 85 countries.

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BomBoard’s Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign Offers $1,500 Black Friday Deal to Powerboat, Sailboat, Houseboat & Yacht Owners That Would Like to Purchase the World’s 1st Modular, Personal Watercraft

This Lightweight, 450cc Wave-Jumping Dynamo Can Be Separated Into Four Pieces and Transported Without a Trailer for Only $2,495, Unlike Jet Skis, Waverunners and Sea-Doos, which Cost Up to $12,000 More Due Powersports Dealer Markups 

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The BomBoard watercraft Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign opens at 12:01 a.m. on “Cyber Monday,” November 30th. The first 100 Early Birds will be able to purchase a BomBoard for only $2,495, a huge savings off the suggested retail price of $3,995. And for members who are signed up for BomBoard’s direct seller program, they will be offered the opportunity to receive the special offer as soon as Black Friday. To automatically receive the VIP Indiegogo pre-opening invite, the crowdfunding campaign URL, and the Black Friday special pricing offer as soon as it becomes available, please signup now at www.bomboard.com/win/.

BomBoard’s Crowdfunding Campaign Offers $1,500 Black Friday Discount to Powerboat, Sailboat, Houseboat & Yacht Owners that Would Like to Purchase the World’s 1st Modular, Personal Watercraft

“The BomBoard’s patented design is revolutionary. Our unique feature to pull it apart, put it in a car, and then put it back together again at the beach or lake allows for newfound freedom for millions to enjoy fun on the water with high-performance, portability, ease-of-use and a small price tag,” said John West, BomBoard’s CEO and Founder. “You can take the BomBoard out on any body of water. It is simple to operate and with speeds up to 45-mph, this craft offers every rider, from beginner to professional, a very exhilarating experience — no boat ramp, $1,500 trailer or $3,000 lift required. It’s the perfect accessory for lake, beach and vacation homeowners, as well as powerboat, sailboat, houseboat, and yacht owners.”

Unlike other traditional jet ski type products that sell through marine boating retail stores, resellers and distributors that mark up the price by 30% to 50%, BomBoard will be selling their products direct through the Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign first, and then through a worldwide network of lake house owners, houseboat dwellers, watercraft rental companies, marina owners and professional beach bum/surfing personal watercraft brand advocates (direct sellers) and manufacturer representatives.

 

BomBoard watercraft are not only the world’s lowest priced high-performance watercraft, easy to purchase with a credit card, but the company has also implemented a bonus referral program, where participants can earn $125 for each social media/email referral that buys a BomBoard or a free one if they convert 20 friends into buyers. The company uses a sophisticated CRM system to track referrals via Facebook, Twitter, Email, LinkedIn, Instagram and other social media platforms. But you need to get in line as soon as possible because the company has already signed up a network of 2,800 sellers. Join them at www.BomBoard.com/win/.

Sales tracking will begin with the Indiegogo Campaign’s Black Friday Special Promotion Price of $2,495 and will only be available to the first 100 buyers.

The BomBoard’s patented design has already been racking up leading industry awards. In October 2015, the BomBoard Personal Action Watercraft, won the prestigious 2015 NASA Tech Briefs, Create the Future Design Contest for Consumer Products Award and its Founder, and serial entrepreneur, John West, previously won the KPMG, Chicago Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

BomBoard Watercraft Product Specifications:

• $2,495 Black Friday Crowdfunding special (M.S.R.P. – $3,995)
• Stores easily in garages, closets, apartments and boats
• Clean 4-stroke 450cc engine
• 45 mph standing, sitting or kneeling
• Its four modules snap together in less than 60-seconds
• Simple transport in the back of a car or truck
• Only weighs 165 lbs. (heaviest module is 90 lbs.)

# # #

(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

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Mr. 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.

Hoskins is one of the crowdfunding industry’s foremost crowdfunding advocates and has amassed a huge social media following that is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns. Due to the overwhelming demand from the general public for crowdfunding information, he empowers entrepreneurs with some of the internet’s most affordable ($20) online crowdfunding training classes, which provide insight to startups around the world on a 24 x 7 basis.

Hoskins adamantly believes that the crowdfunding industry will empower everyone in the United States to rediscover the possibility of living the American dream with a little hard work, a great business idea and the dedication to researching, planning and launching a well-thought-out crowdfunding campaign. He consults on a regular basis with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

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AlgoValue Rolls Out Easy-to-Use “Enterprise Valuator,” a Highly Advanced Automated “N” Process which Valuates Both Private and Publicly Traded Companies

Its growing suite of solutions provides fast, accurate, and cost-effective valuations for accounting firms, VCs, private investors, startups, law firms as well as crowdfunding and secondary market platforms

By Robert Hoskins

New York City, New York – AlgoValue announced the latest product in the company’s unique line of valuation products and solutions: Enterprise Valuator. The easy to use Enterprise Valuator is based on a highly advanced automated “N” process which valuates both private and traded companies and uses the same methodology followed by valuation firms, investment banks, and major worldwide accounting firms, including the ‘Big 4’. The solution easily enables users to valuate any company – whether or not it is at seed stage, generating revenue, or profitable. With instant access to a database of current and historical multiples from over 11,000 comparable traded companies, Enterprise Valuator delivers results in minutes.

AlgoValue “Enterprise Valuator” for Both Private and Public Traded Companies

Founded in Tel Aviv in 2011 by former PriceWaterhouseCoopers valuation experts Raphael Meyara and Tsachi Hageg, AlgoValue is streamlining the way valuations are performed. The company has enjoyed a rapid rise in usership, with a wide client base that includes accounting firms, valuation firms, VCs, private investors, startups, and law firms – as well as crowdfunding and secondary market platforms. Its growing suite of solutions provides fast, accurate, and cost-effective results that empower users and bring transparency to valuations done for a wide variety of purposes (financial reporting, tax compliance, capital raising, negotiating term sheets, pricing private share placements and trades, management/board decision making, and more). Furthermore, all of AlgoValue’s products are AICPA, US GAAP, and IFRS compliant.

Schedule a demo with AlgoValue’s experts.

AlgoValue’s Enterprise Valuator perfectly complements the company’s other products: the Term Sheet Analyzer^TM, and the 409A/ASC 820 Compliance Wizard^TM. The Term Sheet Analyzer is a one-stop solution for calculating ‘what-if’ scenarios and simulations of equity financing events and the creation of investment waterfalls. The Compliance Wizard offers an efficient, comprehensive solution for performing and auditing valuations of equity securities of private companies for tax (409A) and financial reporting (ASC 820). Both products provide a complete solution which avoids costly Excel errors.

As with all of AlgoValue’s solutions, users can share the inputs and outputs of Enterprise Valuator in a secure, real-time environment with all parties involved in any valuation or transaction pricing exercise. Enterprise Valuator is attractively priced at $60 U.S. per month per user, including unlimited use of the software.

“The Enterprise Valuator – by using multiples of comparable companies – gives our team a highly effective, easy-to-use tool for the valuation of traded companies, private companies, and startups. And the pricing can’t be beat!”

# # #

(512) 627-6622
@Crowdfunding_PR

---

Mr. 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.

Hoskins is one of the crowdfunding industry’s foremost crowdfunding advocates and has amassed a huge social media following that is dedicated to supporting donation-, rewards- and equity-based crowdfunding campaigns. Due to the overwhelming demand from the general public for crowdfunding information, he empowers entrepreneurs with some of the internet’s most affordable ($20) online crowdfunding training classes, which provide insight to startups around the world on a 24 x 7 basis.

Hoskins adamantly believes that the crowdfunding industry will empower everyone in the United States to rediscover the possibility of living the American dream with a little hard work, a great business idea and the dedication to researching, planning and launching a well-thought-out crowdfunding campaign. He consults on a regular basis with crowdfunding campaign managers as well as crowdfunding sites, portals and platforms to deliver successful crowdfunding marketing campaigns.

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Miami’s ClassWallet Raises $1.9 Million to Fund Ed-Tech Digital Wallet Technology

Investment Signals Introduction of Digital Wallet Technology in Education; Another Success Story Emeres from Miami’s Startup Scene

By Robert Hoskins

Miami, Florida – ClassWallet, fast-becoming the leading platform for school funds disbursement and tracking, has closed a $1.9 million round of seed financing. Total funding raised to date is $2.53M. ClassWallet is a leading end-to-end digital solution to manage funding within school systems.  The platform combines funds disbursement, e-commerce, a reloadable debit card and tracking in a fully integrated manner designed for maximum simplicity and accountability.

ClassWallet brings accountability to a $23 billion system that relies heavily on cash, checks, and purchase orders that add up to 40 percent transaction costs and a fund-spend-track lifecycle that takes weeks. ClassWallet reduces these transaction costs to less than 5 percent, and the transaction lifecycle to same day.

ClassWallet platform for school funds disbursement and tracking

Investors include NewSchools Venture Seed Fund, Kaplan Ventures, William Guttman, as well as several edtech and fintech angel investors. Accelerated Growth Partners and other leading Miami-based angel investors, including MaverixLab, founded by former Noodle CEO Joe Morgan, continued their support by contributing to the round. ClassWallet is a graduate of the Kaplan EdTech Accelerator, powered by Techstars.

ClassWallet is a platform for school systems to disburse and track funds. The company will use the funding to fuel sales and accelerate its product roadmap. The team plans to release the next version of its platform this summer, which will include a reloadable ClassWallet debit card and a Pay by ClassWallet API for vendors to integrate.

“As school budgets shrink, an increasingly larger portion of procurement is being funded by corporations, foundations, parents and teachers to meet student needs,” said Jamie Rosenberg, ClassWallet’s founder and CEO. “The size of this market, up to $23 billion annually, and the amount of inefficiency and lack of transparency is staggering.”

Organizations and school districts using ClassWallet include Harrington Park School District, Albuquerque Public Schools Education Foundation, Reading is Fundamental, Broward Education Foundation, as well as many others.

Companies including Amazon, Office Depot, Best Buy, School Specialty, Scholastic and 40 more accept ClassWallet as a form of payment. Each provides ClassWallet with SKU level purchasing data, which makes tracking and reconciling of purchases seamless. Most recently, Marqeta, the program manager behind Facebook and eBay’s card platforms, joined forces with ClassWallet to power the ClassWallet debit card for offline purchases such as professional development, field trips and more.

“Getting accurate accounting from all of the cash and receipts that come through the business office is time as a school leader I would like to use moving the agenda forward,” said Adam Fried, superintendent, Harrington Park School District, Harrington Park, N.J. “ClassWallet has created a solution to a problem that we thought could never be resolved. It is giving me the ability to lead my district rather than manage a problem.”

Founder Jamie Rosenberg is no stranger to tackling school funding issues. His first venture, AdoptAClassroom.org, which he launched in 1998, is considered to be the first crowd funding site on the Internet and the first national education philanthropy online platform. ClassWallet President Neil Steinhardt has 20 years payments experience, most recently as managing director of the U.S. division of Skrill, the second largest digital wallet platform in the world, behind PayPal.

“What excites us the most,” stated Mr. Rosenberg, “is being able to leverage digital wallet technology to more closely align education procurement decisions with the actual users and beneficiaries….the teachers and students.”

“When ClassWallet approached us, we were able to look at the current process with a fresh perspective and realized how inefficient it was. Literally, ClassWallet took an entire box of paperwork from my desk and made it go away,” said Coco Burns, program coordinator, Broward Education Foundation, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

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TriPoint Global Equities Announces New Crowdfunding Title IV Reg A+ Platform, BANQ.co, Which Is Now Seeking Equity Issuers

The BANQ.co site offers access to registered public offerings, such as IPOs and secondary offerings, private placements and now Reg A+ transactions

By Robert Hoskins

New Y0rk City, NY – TriPoint Global Equities, LLC (“TriPoint”) announced that a new fin-tech trading platform BANQ.co, which is now accepting Crowdfunding Title IV Reg A+ issuers looking to raise capital.

TriPoint Global Equities Launches Banq.co Title IV Reg A+ Crowdfunding Platform

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently approved the final rules to activate implementation of Regulation A+ which is Title IV of the Jumpstart our Business Startups Act, or JOBS Act. The approval of Regulation A+ allows startups and small businesses to raise a maximum of $50 million under this law.

The newly approved Regulation A+ allows these funds, subject to certain limitations, to be raised from the general public. This means that startups and small businesses can now accept investment in small Initial Public Offerings from the general public, even if the investors are non accredited.

TriPoint’s new online investment banking division, BANQ.co, aims to provide individual investors with direct access to the primary and secondary equity markets. BANQ’s platform takes the entire public and private offering process online and provides instantaneous confirmation of all investment transactions.

BANQ offers access to registered public offerings, such as IPOs and secondary offerings, private placements and now Reg A+ transactions. In addition, BANQ offers low-priced trading commissions, as low as $0.99 and $3.95 per trade. By charging a low commission, BANQ is making investing even more accessible to the growing number of individual investors.

“Reg A+ potentially is the greatest innovation in capital raising since Reg D itself in early 1980s. It allows a company to raise money and create immediate liquidity for its shareholders and now thru BANQ, issuers have a platform to reach the investing community,” stated Mark Elenowitz, CEO of TriPoint Global Equities. “We are excited about Reg A+ and look forward to seeing the Small Cap IPO return.”

TriPoint provides companies of up to $500 million in revenue with access and entry to the U.S. capital markets via its specialized practices in: equity capital markets (IPOs, SDOs, private equity, venture capital, etc), specialty finance (senior and junior debt, mezzanine, etc.) and corporate advisory.

TriPoint created www.banq.co to become an electronic investment banking platform that streamlines the matching of investors with quality growth companies and alternative investment opportunities. BANQ widely markets its U.S. offerings utilizing the new general solicitation and advertising rules promulgated by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, in response to the passage of the JOBS Act of 2012.

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SolBid.com Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Raise Funds for Initiative ‘Brighter Classrooms’

Solar energy start up, SolBid has made it their mission to help schools from the looming educational budget deficit in the U.S. through the use of solar energy

By Robert Hoskins

Boston, MA – SolBid.com is a nationwide solar energy services provider, whose services have a profound economic and environmental impact. The brilliant idea Brighter Classrooms was conceptualized when SolBid’s co-founders Nate Raymond and Ian Ricci were mapping out the final iteration of their business model when over lunch talks of education in the U.S. manifested. Educational funding from both federal and state is diminishing, while costs to educate children are rising. This is causing teacher layoffs, termination of critical programs, increased pupil to teacher ratios, and school closures across the country.

SolBid Launches Crowdfunding Campaign to Raise Funds for Initiative Brighter Classrooms

“Because of detrimental budget cuts to education, we are taking away critical resources from our children and their teachers are being laid off. These children are our future leaders and something needs to be done. Schools spend an estimated $8billion a year in energy costs, the second largest budget item behind personnel. Instead of cutting personnel costs, why aren’t we tackling energy costs? Now there’s an idea!” said Nate Raymond, CEO.

The two co-founders found themselves in a situation where they could make an impact. SolBid’s solar solutions harvest energy from the sun to produce electricity, are virtually maintenance free, have an average life span of about 30 years, and can offer a return on their investment in little as 4-5 years. Beyond the economic benefits, solar is also a clean energy source that can help offset the use of damaging fossil fuels that release toxic carbon dioxide and mercury emissions that lead to harmful pollution and climate change.

What better than the use of solar energy on schools to reduce operational costs, alleviate budgets and help foster a better education for our children all while saving the environment.

So the men have vowed to take their patronage further by creating a business model which includes donating a portion of SolBid’s sales revenue for the life of the company to an initiative they are calling, Brighter Classrooms. Through this program SolBid will provide solar energy systems to disadvantaged schools across the U.S. and have them installed by local solar installers, generating yet another positive effect on the economy in the school’s surrounding area.

The school in turn will receive up to 30 years’ worth of free, zero-emission electricity generated by solar, saving school districts a tremendous amount of money. This will allow schools to funnel more dollars directly towards the education of our children, and potentially save a number of teachers from unwanted layoffs.

The vision of Brighter Classrooms is to free up school budgets and in return helping schools provide a better education for our children while at the same time reducing our carbon footprint and saving the environment.

There are over 120,000 schools in the United States that could greatly benefit from a solar power system. To support the cause SolBid is launching a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo beginning this Earth Day, April 22, 2015. The campaign will assist in launching the program and in donating the 1st solar energy system. For converting this idea into reality, the founders of SolBid seek the support of the people and are looking for contributions in favor of this campaign.

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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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