Rojin Nair, Advisor
June 1st, 2021
HBR | Nicolas Sauvage, Claudia Zeisberger, Monisha Varadan | Jul 28, 2022
In the first half of 2021 alone, Corporate Venture Capital funds (CVCs) around the world inked more than 2,000 deals worth more than $70 billion. It’s an increasingly prevalent alternative to traditional funding options such as VCs and angel investors — but how can entrepreneurs determine whether a CVC is the right fit for their startup? Between 2010 and 2020, the number of CVCs grew more than six times to over 4,000, and these CVCs inked more than 2,000 deals worth $79 billion in the first half of 2021, surpassing all previous annual tallies.
These corporate investors offer not only funding, but also access to resources such as subsidiaries that can serve as market validators and customers, marketing and development support, and a credible existing brand. However, alongside this added value, CVCs can also come with some risk. We found that of the 4,062 CVCs that invested between January 2020 and June 2021, more than half were doing so for the very first time, with just 48% having been in operation for at least two years at the time of investment.
Once you’ve determined whether you want to work with a strategic CVC, a financial CVC, or something in between, there are several steps you can take to figure out whether a specific CVC is a good fit for your startup.
Entrepreneurs should start by speaking with employees at the parent company to learn more about the CVC’s internal reputation, its connectedness within the parent organization, and the KPIs or expectations that the parent has for its venture arm.
An outfit with KPIs that demand frequent knowledge transfer between the CVC and parent company might not be the best match for a founder looking for no-strings-attached capital — but it could be perfect for a startup in search of a hands-on corporate sponsor.
Is it independent in its decision-making, or tightly linked to the corporate parent, perhaps operating under the umbrella of a corporate strategy or development department? If the latter, what are the strategic objectives that the CVC is meant to support? What are its decision-making processes, not just for selecting investments, but for giving portfolio companies access to internal networks and resources? How long does the CVC typically hold onto its portfolio companies, and what are its expectations regarding exit timelines and outcomes?
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Coindesk | Eli Tan | Aug 6, 2022
A decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) called MoonDAO sent someone to space on Thursday, one of the biggest successes yet for such a crypto-crowdfunded project.
The DAO didn’t send just anyone up – Coby Cotton, a member of the viral YouTube trick-shot group Dude Perfect, was chosen in a Discord vote by the DAO’s more than 5,000 members to be its astronaut representative. The DAO’s future ambition includes hosting parties on the Moon.
Crowdfunding DAOs, which are groups of crypto enthusiasts that come together and purchase a currency or non-fungible token (NFT) to raise funds towards a common goal, have been more prone to failure than success.
The genre was popularized in November 2021 by a group called ConstitutionDAO, which came together to raise $40 million to purchase an original copy of the U.S. Constitution.
Dude Perfect’s Cotton made the trip with five other first-time astronauts as part of the Jeff Bezos-backed space tourism program Blue Origin, which has thus far completed six of these missions, each time sending regular people into space for around 12 minutes.
MoonDAO was able to purchase Cotton’s ticket with funds from its crowdfunding campaign that has so far raised more than $8 million. The DAO’s mission is to “decentralize access to space,” with the ultimate goal of creating its own Moon colony, according to its website.
I'm just kind of in love with the idea of DAOs in general, I think that they have a lot of promise, like a tool set for people to collaborate and coordinate online. When you buy an NFT, you know, it's pretty abstract. The idea that you could be selected to go into space because of it, now that’s interesting.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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The Globe and Mail | | Aug 6, 2022
When Colin Deacon started his career as an investment adviser 40 years ago, he made a point of working with some of the smallest customers – those who’d typically be passed over by the financial services industry. His clients got financial and tax planning advice, help with their small business concerns and investing assistance – support that, he said, was and still is typically unavailable to the majority of Canadians.
We still have a situation where most Canadians are not given really good, basic advice … and if you’re somebody from a marginalized community your access to that is 10 times worse.
Mr. Deacon said he sees the development of an open banking system in Canada as a solution to that problem. Open banking, or consumer-directed finance, would allow individuals and businesses to have control over their own financial data, and to securely share it with third-party financial service providers or authorize them to take action on their behalf.
Currently, Canadians don’t own or have the right to share their financial data, and their ability to access services provided by fintech companies is dependent on whether their financial institution permits it. This means that financial products and services aimed at helping Canadians improve their financial picture – such as credit-building products for those with poor or no credit history, predictive budgeting apps that warn the user if their account is at risk of being overdrawn and more – may not be available to them.
Many Canadians are unhappy with the current financial system, according to an April survey by FDATA and Paytechs of Canada. The survey of Canadian consumers and small businesses found more than half felt stress interacting with the country’s financial services sector. Women business owners were more likely than their male counterparts to report stress and younger Canadians were more likely than older individuals to say the same. More than two-thirds of respondents said they’d benefit from more competition and transparency in the market.
The federal government is expected to roll out an open banking system by early 2023, with working groups under way this summer. Proponents say this system will give Canadians access to a wider range of financial products and services, make it easier to switch financial institutions, reduce fees on transactions and make the financial system more equitable for marginalized Canadians. That includes the millions of consumers without a bank account or who aren’t adequately served by mainstream financial services.
Open banking is ultimately about consumer choice and making financial services more accessible and less expensive for small businesses and individuals, said Andrew Graham, co-founder and chief executive officer of Borrowell, a fintech firm that provides free credit monitoring and offers credit coaching and credit-building products.
I would not overlook the importance of lowering fees and the cost of interacting with financial services. Such payments can become a significant blocker to financial growth for many people and many businesses.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Aug 6, 2022
Unsplash/Krzysztof Niewolny
Surge protection is an inexpensive technique to safeguard your gadgets from sporadic power surges that could result in irreparable electrical damage. It is more than just an additional power strip with usable outlets. Here's how surge protectors and surge suppressors shield your appliances from power surges while ensuring there are no fire breakouts.
To understand surge protection, it is important to get a proper understanding of power surges. Simply put, a power surge is an increase in voltage that surpasses the typical voltage level of 120 volts and is flowing through electrical equipment. Surges can be caused due to several things such as bad wiring, incorrect lighting, high-powered devices, or an issue with a utility company's equipment.
Surge protection shields against the harm that unexpected power surges may bring about. The surge protector functions by drawing current from one outlet and directing it to the connected devices. A metal oxide varistor, or MOV, found in surge protectors directs any excess voltage to guarantee that electronics receive a constant level of power.
The MOV operates like a pressure-sensitive valve, it reduces resistance when it notices high voltage levels. Resistance rises when voltage levels are too low, in such cases, it will automatically engage in rerouting the extra voltage.
A MOV consists of three parts, including metal oxide that is joined by two semiconductors to your power and grounding line. When the voltage swings too high or too low, the semiconductors' fluctuating resistance forces the electrons to travel in a way that alters the resistance.
Here is a list of the characteristics to consider while buying surge protection:
It's critical to realize that even surge protectors, depending on how hard they work, have a certain lifespan. A surge protector's indicator light is, therefore, its most crucial component. This function let users know how well the surge protector was working. It's time to get a new surge protector if the indicator light quits working.
A good surge protector has a UL rating when it comes to power protection. The surge protector has undergone extensive testing and successfully complied with stringent criteria, as evidenced by the UL certification. Therefore, if surge protection has no UL rating, it is best not to purchase it
A surge protector started rerouting the surplus power away from electrical devices because of the clamping voltage measurement. A surge protector with lower clamping will act considerably more quickly to safeguard devices from a power surge and will activate much earlier.
The maximum amount of energy that a surge protector can absorb is measured in joules. The surge protector is often rendered unusable if the power surge surpasses this threshold. A surge protector may absorb more energy the higher its joule rating. Because of this, a surge protector with a greater joule rating typically has a longer lifespan.
A surge protector's response time is the period it takes to identify a power surge. Devices connected to the surge protector will be protected more quickly with a shorter response time. By reducing the amount of time that devices are susceptible to a surge, this function offers improved protection.
It is important for people to look for the best supplier when it comes to choosing surge protection. First and foremost, invest time in extensive online research to find the right supplier that can cater to your specific requirement. Once you choose the right supplier, get in touch with them.
In order to get in touch with them, look for their contact details like phone number and email id on their website.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Crowdfund Insider | | Aug 2, 2022
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee (SBCFAC) met today to discuss liquidity for certain exempt securities in the form of secondary trading. More specifically, the Committee addressed securities issued under Reg CF (Regulation Crowdfunding) and Regulation A (Reg A+).
In opening remarks, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler stated:
“I look forward as well to the Committee’s discussion on secondary market liquidity for investors in Regulation A and Regulation Crowdfunding companies, and for smaller public companies. I would be interested to learn about the Committee’s thinking on these matters as it relates to promoting investor protection and facilitating capital formation.”
Ryan Feit, CEO and co-founder of SeedInvest:
Joan Adler, partner at Ellenoff, Grossman and Schole:
Andrea Seidt, the Ohio Securities Commissioner and representative of NASAA:
In the end, the Committee voted on a recommendation to request the Commission allow pre-emption for securities issued under Tier 2 of Reg A+, an exemption that enables issuers to raise up to $75 million and must be qualified by the SEC. The Committee described it as a “pilot program” to support secondary trading that will provide for a harmonized environment to address the issue – one that the Committee has been discussing for years.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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