In my last post, I blogged about online funding platforms. In that post, I described the typical model of indirect investing through a special purpose vehicle (“SPV”) with the platform sponsor taking a carried interest in the SPV’s profits from the portfolio company and no transaction fee, as a means of avoiding broker-dealer regulation.
general solicitation
What’s the Deal with Online Funding Platforms?

Lately I’ve been approached by current and prospective clients about online funding platforms, either by folks interested in forming and operating them or those interested in raising capital through them. There seems to be a lot of confusion surrounding how they work and what the legal issues are, so here’s my attempt to bring some…
SEC Adopts Final Reg A+ Rules for Mini Public Offerings of up to $50 Million without Registration

The SEC yesterday issued its highly anticipated final rules amending Regulation A to allow issuers to raise up to $50 million in any 12 month period through public offering techniques but without registration with the SEC or state blue sky authorities. The 453 page rules release features a scaled disclosure regime to provide issuers with…
Will Your Demo Day Presentation Violate the Securities Laws?

FINRA Priorities for 2014: IPOs, General Solicitation, Crowdfunding Portals and Microcap Fraud

On January 2, 2014, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) published its annual priorities letter for 2014, chief among which will be IPOs, general solicitation in private offerings, crowdfunding portals and microcap fraud.
IPOs
In the area of IPOs, FINRA intends to focus on “spinning,” a practice in which an underwriter allocates “hot” IPO shares …
SEC Provides Guidance on General Solicitation Private Offerings

The Securities and Exchange Commission released helpful guidance on some of the practical aspects of the new Rule 506(c) exemption for private offerings using general solicitation and advertising. The guidance comes in the form of Questions 260.05 – 260.13 in its Questions and Answers of General Applicability and include the following:
- Exemption is available to
…
Free at Last: General Solicitation and Advertising in Private Offerings Begins September 23

The new SEC rules lifting the ban on general solicitation and general advertising in certain private offerings go into effect today, September 23, 2013. Beginning today, issuers in Rule 506 offerings may generally solicit investors and advertise their offerings provided they take reasonable measures to ensure that each purchaser is an accredited investor. The new…