Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
Category Archives: Press Releases
OSC announces next steps in exempt market review
Ontario Securities Commission | August 28, 2013
TORONTO – The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) today published OSC Notice 45-712 Progress Report on Review of Prospectus Exemptions to Facilitate Capital Raising, which sets out the next steps in the OSC’s exempt market review and consideration of four prospectus exemptions. The objective of this work is to facilitate capital raising for start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and to modernize Ontario’s exempt market regulatory regime, while adequately protecting investors.
After reviewing feedback from a broad range of stakeholders, the OSC has determined to consider further the following capital raising prospectus exemptions:
• a crowdfunding exemption;
• a family, friends and business associates exemption;
• an offering memorandum exemption; and
• a streamlined version of the existing rights offering exemption currently available across Canada.
“The exempt market plays an important role in Ontario’s capital markets, especially for start-ups and SMEs,” said Howard Wetston, Q.C., Chair and CEO of the OSC. “It is important as a securities regulator that our continued work in this area promotes an exempt market that is innovative and globally competitive and that facilitates capital raising while protecting investors.”
This work is a priority for the OSC and any resulting proposals will be brought to the public for comment before making any final decisions.
Capital raising prospectus exemptions under consideration
1. Crowdfunding exemption - Develop a crowdfunding regulatory framework with a particular focus on investing through online funding portals.
2. Family, friends and business associates exemption - Consider a version of the family, friends and business associates exemption currently available in other Canadian jurisdictions with conditions that could mitigate any concerns identified with the existing exemption.
3. Offering memorandum exemption - Propose an offering memorandum exemption that is substantially harmonized with the existing model available in Alberta and certain other Canadian jurisdictions, while considering whether there is a need for additional measures to protect investors.
4. Exemptions based on existing security holder base - Consider whether the existing rights offering exemption could be streamlined to improve its efficiency and effectiveness.
Work completed to date
• Published a Consultation Paper, which resulted in 102 comment letters, to consider concept ideas for new capital raising prospectus exemptions.
• Solicited stakeholder feedback through a variety of channels, including public and targeted consultation sessions.
• Investor survey: commissioned research on retail investor interest in investing in start-ups and SMEs, including through crowdfunding.
• Established an ad hoc Exempt Market Advisory Committee to advise on possible regulatory approaches to the exempt market.
• Considered the experience of other Canadian jurisdictions with prospectus exemptions not currently available in Ontario, as well as international developments relevant to capital raising in the exempt market.
View the entire press release --> here
| For Media Inquiries: media_inquiries@osc.gov.on.ca | Carolyn Shaw-Rimmington Manager, Public Affairs 416-593-2361Aly Vitunski Alison Ford |
FundRazr’s Crowdfunding as a Service Platform launched at GROW 2013
NCFA Canada | August 15, 2013
Major Brands, Portals and Partners now Powered by FundRazr
Vancouver, BC – FundRazr moved from stealth mode today with the introduction of CFaaST, (Crowdfunding as a Service Technology), the ability for customers to run a fully functional crowdfunding service on their own branded site, Powered by FundRazr. At the Entrepreneurs in a Global Marketplace session today, CEO Daryl Hatton explained, “We think the primary focus should be on the customer brand and the funding they are enabling. We’ve introduced a lightning-fast SaaS solution to plug, play and fund for brands with massive online customer bases in need of personal or project funding.”
The panel discussed the challenges of global expansion and a shared insight was a hyperlocal focus on the customer in each market. A platform model that adapts to localization and local partners and taps existing community is a recipe for success.
2013 has been good to FundRazr with over $31 Million raised in 18 countries and awards including 2013 TIA Most Promising Startup and as a winner of the Global Adventure competition, sponsored by UK Trade & Investment. The industry-leading social network integration for Facebook, Google + and Twitter baked into the platform helps ensure much greater social visibility than simple social sharing and as a result, more funding.
“Currently, people in need of funding visit a multitude of crowdfunding sites. The next meaningful evolution will be not yet another niche platform but a movement powering major online brands and websites globally to create funding and engagement directly on their websites for their customers. All Powered by FundRazr.” Hatton commented. He added, “the numerous benefits for partner brands include the brand halo of public good enabled, new content, repeat traffic and heightened community and loyalty. Plus partner campaigns will also receive bonus visibility on FundRazr.com.”
The numerous advantages of this solution and The FundRazr Story are captured in this video and client examples and more information can be viewed on the Poweredby.FundRazr.com
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax4ib4NXmNw&feature=c4-overview&list=UUhlB_nj2nNjDklo7UaBcX-w[/youtube]
About FundRazr:
Vancouver-based FundRazr is the easiest, most effective crowdfunding platform in the galaxy Our deep social integration enables customer campaigns to rise above the noise on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and email and securely collect payments via PayPal. More than 40,000 customers in 18 countries have raised millions for projects, passions and causes they care about.
FundRazr. Crowdfund Anything. Anywhere. More information can be found at http://fundrazr.com/blog
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For Interview requests at GROW 2013 or other Press Inquiries:
Media Contacts:
Bret Conkin, CMO Elizabeth George
bret@fundrazr.com elizabeth@fundrazr.com
James Cooper Joins National Crowdfunding Association of Canada’s Ambassador Program
NCFA Canada | August 15, 2013
TORONTO, ON August 15, 2013 – The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) today announced that James Cooper, film director and author, has joined the Association’s crowdfunding ambassador program.
James is a crowdfunding enthusiast who has been passionate about storytelling from a young age. In 2012, James directed the short film Elijah the Prophet, starring Art Hindle & Melanie Nicholls-King, after successfully crowd funding $21,006 for the film’s budget on Kickstarter. Later that year, he directed a promotional teaser for the Image Comics series Hoax Hunters, and his first commercial for broadcast television, which aired on MTV 2 and MTV Hits.
He also authored the ebook Kickstarter for Filmmakers, drawing on his experiences funding Elijah the Prophet. The book went on to become the #2 business book on iBooks Canada the week of its release, and was featured on sites like Indiewire, Film Courage, and Ted Hope’s Hope for Film blog. He sees crowdfunding as the next revolution in filmmaking and is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experience with his peers.
"Crowdfunding is to film today what the digital revolution was to film in the 90s. Digital democratized the actual process of making films, and now crowdfunding is democratizing the funding of them. It's a very exciting time,” says James about the state of crowdfunding today.
You can learn more about James and his work at www.kickstarterforfilmmakers.com or www.james-cooper.ca.
About the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a newly formed cross-Canada non-profit with the mandate to be inclusive in providing education, advocacy and awareness in the emerging crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at a grass-roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Members are industry stakeholders (portals, experts, service providers, and enablers), small businesses and entrepreneurs using crowdfunding to fund their initiatives, and investors seeking to learn more and connect with a dynamic and growing crowd. For more information please visit ncfacanada.org.
Source: National Crowdfunding Association of Canada
For more information please contact:
Media Contact
Craig Asano
NCFA Canada
Executive Director
p. (416) 618-0254
e. casano@ncfacanada.org
# # #
Suzanne Paschall Joins National Crowdfunding Association of Canada’s Ambassador Program
NCFA Canada | Posted on July 16, 2013
TORONTO, ON July 16, 2013 – The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is pleased to welcome Suzanne Paschall, founder, Editor in Chief and CEO of Indie Ink Publishing, as the newest member of the Association’s crowdfunding ambassador program.
Suzanne is an experienced content creator and publisher, having produced award-winning short fiction, music, corporate and institutional public relations materials, and more than 300 newspaper and magazine articles over her career. She is currently Indie’s chief coach for its new Indie Consulting Services, offering manuscript development, brand development consulting, production, marketing and distribution services to indie experts who are seeking strategic advice and support in creating a book to supplement their training, speaking and consulting careers.
As an experience content creator, coach and consultant working with independent businesses, Suzanne recognizes the value of crowdfunding for her clients and the wider small business community.
"While crowdfunding is emerging as a significant business tool for all kinds of businesses, communities and charities and individuals, I'm really excited about the opportunity for cultural industries in particular, who tend to be at the low end of the totem pole when it comes to interest from traditional investment and financial institutions, “ says Suzanne. “We're finding that the crowdfunding space isn't just a viable environment for raising capital for cultural product and services--it's a natural and symbiotic home for it. People love supporting creators of culture--in our case, authors."
Craig Asano, Executive Director of NCFA Canada said, “Suzanne’s extensive involvement with Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurship and arts communities fits well with our community-based approach at NCFA Canada. We believe she will bring tremendous value in representing the crowdfunding eco-system in Saskatchewan as we collectively grow a strong and vibrant crowdfunding industry in Canada”.
About Indie Ink Publishing
Indie Ink is a Saskatchewan micro-publisher developing a niche in publishing high quality non-fiction books that help their authors build or augment their professional or personal brands and a vigorous mandate to market Saskatchewan cultural content to the rest of Canada and the U.S.
About the National Crowdfunding Association of Canada
The National Crowdfunding Association of Canada (NCFA Canada) is a newly formed cross-Canada non-profit with the mandate to be inclusive in providing education, advocacy and awareness in the emerging crowdfunding industry. NCFA Canada is community-based, membership-driven entity that was formed at a grass-roots level to fill a national need in the market place. Members are industry stakeholders (portals, experts, service providers, and enablers), small businesses and entrepreneurs using crowdfunding to fund their initiatives, and investors seeking to learn more and connect with a dynamic and growing crowd. For more information please visit ncfacanada.org.
Source: National Crowdfunding Association of Canada
For more information please contact:
Media Contact
Craig Asano
NCFA Canada
Executive Director
p. (416) 618-0254
e. casano@ncfacanada.org
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An incentive unadapted to new funding practices on the web
FonPop Press Release | By Yannick Lacoste posted on Jul 4, 2013
Montreal, July 4, 2013 - While Quebec suffers from a lack of funding for culture, the Quebec government announced yesterday the establishment of a tax credit for cultural philanthropy. However, this tax credit totally ignores new trends and funding practices on the Web, especially those related to the financing of cultural projects through crowdfunding.
Crowdfunding donation is booming all around the world: 2.7 billion were funded in 2012 in nearly 1 million campaigns over 500 platforms, among which already 15 in Quebec. Crowdfunding cannot be excluded anymore from reflections on cultural philanthropy, especially since the amount of money raised by this new means of financing doubles each year. According to figures released by the Canada Media Fund on July 2, 2013 during the "CrowdFund Night" in Montreal, more than 21% of crowdfunding projects directly concern cultural activities.
Fonpop regrets that no crowdfunding stakeholder has been consulted by either the Ministry of Culture of Quebec, or by the Committee of philanthropy created by Mrs. Marois. Fonpop has yet sought to contribute to the Committee, but the call is still unanswered to this day.
The Committee’s conclusions and the measures announced of a tax credit for donations above $ 5,000 will only touch a very small part of the population and do not take into account the public’s contribution into small donations.
"We are simply asking the government to consider a reality that has totally changed within the last five years. The average donation amount for culture is 25 $ in crowdfunding. Excluding small donations on websites from the tax credit is equivalent to staying blind about the ongoing crowdfunding revolution" says Yannick Lacoste, president of Fonpop.
Fonpop hopes to be heard promptly to enable implementation of measures that will have a real impact with a wider audience. If 40,000 people donate $ 25, it contributes to culture for $ 1 million, but no one today encourages these small philanthropists to do so.
About Fonpop
Fund projects in your community! Fonpop.com is a worldwide crowdfunding website. Fonpop believes that every creator should get a chance to achieve its innovative projects with the support of his or her community! Fonpop helps fund projects with your community, in exchange of rewards you offer to your support.
Media contact:
Adèle Mauthès - phone: 514-288-3888 ext. 252, info@fonpop.com
Resources and Links:
Related newspaper article here
View the press release: EN | FR
iFundWaterloo.ca launches new civic engagement crowdfunding partnership
IFundWaterloo.ca | PR | July 1, 2013
Similar to InvestYYC, a commity-based Crowdfunding project/hub launched in Calgary last year in 2012, IFundWaterloo.ca has partnered with the city of Waterloo to encourage and build civic engagements projects.
(Waterloo, Ont. – July 1st, 2013) The City of Waterloo is known for its community leadership in continuing to modernize its city to support its citizens. With the advent of digital social media, The City of Waterloo citizens are more connected than in any other time in history.
One of the major digital innovations enabling citizens to help fund local city and community projects is crowdfunding. Crowdfunding is simply funding a project online via multiple donors, called the crowd. Whether the funding campaign is to support a local school park project, help fight beetle infestations, buy uniforms for a school hockey team, purchase new trees impacted by freezing rain, or support a local entrepreneur to build a new product prototype, crowdfunding offers a new method to unlock neighborhood possibilities.
“Innovation is at an all time low in Canada, having dropped two indices in the recent World Economic Forum Report. We need to be bolder to bring new capabilities like crowdfunding and crowdsourcing to market. We are all about helping the small business or entrepreneur, social enterprise, or creative worker to strengthen our local economy and community by bringing traditional forms of fundraising online, making it easier than ever to secure funding for your particular pursuit. The City of Waterloo is an ideal partner to first enter the market with our brand, iFundTheFuture. With the City of Waterloo’s connectivity and social inclusion vision, crowdfunding provides a new form of economic stimulation to support local city growth, at a time when capital is increasingly more scarce to fund city projects, says, Nicole Niessner, Dr. Cindy Gordon and Heather Campbell, co-founders of iCrowdFund Social Media Inc.
National Chair, iCANADA, Bill Hutchison, says: “the co-founders of iCrowdFundSocial Media Inc. have a compelling vision to help Canada become an iNATION. The opportunity to build the first intelligent crowdfunding highway coast to coast, so every region, every city, every town, every village can unlock new possibilities – who would not want to join this parade?
PR Source: here
Crowdfunding’s Final Frontier – Extraterrestrial exploration Powered by FundRazr
CNW Press Release | Bret Conkin of FundRazr | Jun 27, 2013
FundRazr shoots for the stars with PayPal Galactic and SETI Institute.
Mountain View, CA – The crowdfunding innovators at FundRazr are proud to announce they are powering PayPal Galactic’s partnership with SETI Institute to crowdfund life on earth, and search for ET (extraterrestrial) life beyond it. SETI's Curiosity Movement crowdfunding campaign (http://seti.org/curiositymovement) is changing the way scientific research is funded and completed; FundRazr's platform is making the exploration of these new frontiers possible.
Like to join the team of space explorers and be a member of the crew that discovered another planet teaming with life? Make a donation and claim perks like:
- First Contact Alert - Be one of the first people on earth to be notified when SETI makes contact
- Voyager Message Plaque - A copy of the ET greeting message sent on Voyager autographed by Carl Sagan collaborator Frank Drake
- Guided Tour of Allen Telescope Array - Live the life of Jody Foster's character, hang with scientists and explore that first contact
- Limited edition SETI swag - Fly a Flag of Earth to show "We are all Earthlings" or nab a special edition Galactic T-shirt or poster
PayPal today announced the launch of PayPal Galactic, an initiative that addresses the issues to help make universal space payments a reality. PayPal Galactic brings together leaders in the scientific community, including the SETI Institute and Space Tourism Society, to prepare and support the future of space commerce. A live stream of the announcement will be available at 9 am June 27 at www.paypal-galactic.com.
“We are very proud to make it easier for earthlings to donate and support space sciences while receiving some very cool perks,” says FundRazr CEO and founder, Daryl Hatton. “PayPal Galactic and SETI's Curiosity Movement are discovering the potential of the universe. With FundRazr's new social funding technology contribution, the next groundbreaking SETI project could fund and result in groundbreaking discoveries beyond our world.”
FundRazr is now the galaxy’s crowdfunding platform. From your favorite causes, projects, ideas or events, your story can be easily created, shared and funded. Powered By FundRazr, the new technology behind Curiosity Movement, is an innovative CFaaST (Crowdfunding as a Service Technology) solution. Organizations, like SETI, can easily plug-in FundRazr’s componentry to run crowdfunding campaigns directly from their site, get them noticed and funded.
“We are launching a crowdfunding campaign powered by FundRazr to support SETI Institute's endeavors to educate the public and further its mission to improve the understanding of life on Earth, and the search for life beyond it," PayPal's Anuj Nayar, Senior Director of Communications and Social Media, told FoxNews.com.
SETI Institute, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, is a non-profit research organization that has been dedicated to expanding the knowledge of the universe and the search for intelligent life beyond planet Earth for about 30 years.
The private organization has a unique mission to pursue evidence of life in the universe as an exploratory science. Some of the world’s most advanced scientific endeavors are supported by the SETI Institute’s innovative team, such as, astrobiology and radio astronomical research with the Allen Telescope Array. Support the SETI Institute and the science of space could change our world, and the galaxy we live in forever.
The launch of PayPal Galactic is in conjunction with the celebration of PayPal’s 15th anniversary. Founded in 1998, the company has since grown its service of a faster, safer way to pay and get paid online to more than 128 million active accounts in 193 markets.
Video of the press conference, the 90-second PKG, and the PKG script can be found at www.paypal-galactic.com.
Follow developments on Twitter at @FundRazr, @PayPal and @SetiInstitute and via hashtag #paypalgalactic.
Contributing to causes and changing the way research is funded makes us all innovators. Whatever is next, FundRazr will be there to power it.
About FundRazr:
FundRazr is the easiest, most effective crowdfunding platform in the galaxy. Bringing new fundraising powers on earth and off, FundRazr is the CFaaST solution for reaching a universal adience and funding just about anything. Our deep social integration enables customer campaigns to rise above the noise on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and email and securely collect payments via PayPal. More than 37,000 customers in 18 countries have raised millions for projects, passions and causes they care about. FundRazr. Crowdfund Anything. Anywhere. More information can be found at http://fundrazr.com/blog
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Media Contacts:
Bret Conkin, CMO Elizabeth George
bret@fundrazr.com elizabeth@fundrazr.com
1(855)-620-0300
Source: here
