We’ve all heard the phrase, it takes money to make money, but to rephrase it in terms that accredited investors would understand, we must make an appendage: it takes money to make money in unregistered offerings.  This is because accredited investors have access to investment offerings and opportunities that most people do not, even those who earn above-average incomes and have respectable net worths.  In this article, we discuss who is eligible to invest in unregistered securities and how the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has moved the bar over the years for becoming an ..read more

There is a surprisingly large number of business finance terms that are prepended with the “pre-” flag: “pre-seed”, “pre-IPO”, “pre-revenue” and, you guessed it, “pre-money valuation.” Perhaps this is because evaluating early-stage business finance is preposterously difficult.  A company’s valuation can be a controversial talking point in the annals of VC boardrooms and the source of much back-and-forth during term sheet negotiations. This pain point has even led early-stage investors to adopt convertible notes as a way to pass the hypothetical valuation torch on to future investors.&nbs ..read more

All corporations, whether public or private, have shares of stock. Each share carries a price, whether established by the market (investors) or approximated by the company itself (pre-money valuation), that when combined, represent 100% of the company’s equity.  When one buys a share of stock, they are buying a sliver of equity ownership in the company. The type of stock they purchase will dictate if and when they have rights to distributions of money and votes on corporate actions. In this article, we cover what each form of ownership is (common stock vs. preferred stock) and how they d ..read more

Even if you’ve never started a company before, you’re likely aware of how expensive business ventures can be.  You hear about companies X, Y, and Z raising round after round of financing without even a semblance of profit. Who’s willing to fund these startups and small businesses to the tune of tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars without the certainty of return?  Knowing how to find private investors for business is essential and something serial entrepreneurs innately understand. But if this is your first time considering a fundraising strategy, you’ll want to understand w ..read more

This article was originally published on March 26, 2021. It was last updated for accuracy and relevance on June 6, 2022. There are many reasons to pitch your business — investment, sales, customer acquisition, recruiting, and more. In this article, we will focus on strategies to pitch when raising early-stage angel or venture capital. We cover some of the high-level considerations and tips for pitching investors, an outline for early-stage pitch decks, and advice gathered from watching and reading the pitches and pitch decks of the most well-funded and successful startups.  Tips to Deliv ..read more

Rural states saw massive jumps in venture capital investment from 2020 to 2022 When the Covid-19 Pandemic came to America in March 2020, analysts had dire predictions for the investing landscape. Massive economic recession was predicted, and with it layoffs, startup bankruptcies, and an overall reduction in venture capital investment.  Instead, in just two years venture investments are larger than ever, and funding is flowing to states that haven’t traditionally been seen as startup hubs. Using data and analysis conducted by Pitchbook, let’s look at what states stand out as funding winner ..read more

Since 2005, EquityNet has garnered five patents and grown into the leading business funding platform, with more than 200,000 users and $600 million in funding to date. Since 2007, we’ve been internally tracking crowdfunding statistics data that gives unique perspectives into the crowdfunding ecosystem and business funding environment more generally. From financial metrics such as average funding goals, pre-money valuations, and revenues, to market insights like growth rates and company sizes, we have made these insights freely available. Visit the Crowdfunding Statistics page f ..read more

Maybe you’ve had your standard individual retirement account (IRA) for some time. But do you want to make more unique investments than your current plan permits with the potential for higher appreciation? Many people choose traditional and Roth IRAs over a self-directed IRA (SDIRA). However, knowledgeable investors may be missing out on investment opportunities in nonstandard sectors like real estate, private equity, crowdfunding, and cryptocurrency. A self-directed IRA opens up these possibilities. Interested in learning more? Discover how to set up a self-directed IRA and tips you should kn ..read more

When you picture a venture capitalist, you probably imagine someone wealthy. How do venture capitalists make money, though, and what exactly do they do?  Becoming a venture capitalist is no easy feat. In fact, you’re more likely to be drafted into Major League Baseball than you are to become a venture capitalist — but Major Leaguers don’t count the odds and we bet you don’t either.  Maybe you’re one to defy odds and wonder how to become a venture capitalist.  If you’re looking to break into the world of venture capital, there are three main paths: becoming a successful entrepre ..read more

Liquidity ratios are used to measure the financial health of a business. These metrics are used by banks and creditors to determine loan eligibility, and by investors to decide if the company is a safe investment. The liquidity ratio helps the company itself determine if they have too little capital or have a surplus of capital that can be put to use. What is a Liquidity Ratio? The liquidity ratio is a comparison of a company’s liquid assets versus their current liabilities. It essentially answers the question, “If this company was forced to pay off all of its debts right now, would it be abl ..read more