Crowdfunding On the Horizon
Back in 2012, there was quite a stir when Congress and the President worked together to create the controversial Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act), Public Law 112-106. It was widely predicted at the time that the JOBS Act would be a disaster, and the naysaying has continued as the SEC’s regulations have wended their way through the implementation process.
We have very nearly, but not quite, reached the end of the very long implementation road. The SEC has announced that it has adopted final rules (PDF) for crowdfunding, but that 1) the forms for registering as a crowdfunding portal are not effective until January 29, 2016; and 2) the implementing regulations do not go into effect until May 16, 2016, 180 days after they were published in the Federal Register.
And, as was widely predicted at the time, it does appear that the 685 pages of SEC regulations could make crowdfunding a less-than-attractive option for startups, particularly those at the earliest stages. The SEC estimates “a cost range estimate for Form C and the financial statement review of: $2,500 for the smallest offerings, $4,000 to $23,000 for the larger offerings, $6,500 to $38,000 for first-time crowdfunding issuers conducting offerings between $500,000 and $1,000,000, and $7,500 to $50,000 for other issuers conducting an offering in the largest offering amount category.” This means that the cost of raising funds could be up to 7.6% for a first-time issuer conducting a $500,000 offering. This is on par with taking out a small business loan, an old-fashioned financing option that should not be discounted. While taking out a small business loan will involve quite a lot of time, effort, and paperwork, it won’t involve making the extensive disclosures and ongoing disclosures required by the JOBS Act implementing regulations. Small business owners should, as always, speak with their financial and legal advisors about their best options in their own situations.
So what’s next? Once they are allowed to begin to register this coming January, we see how many companies register as funding portals. Portals are how most small businesses (or “emerging growth companies,” as the JOBS Act calls them) will connect with their investors.
What do you think? Now that the process has become clearer, will crowdfunding be a good option for your business, or are you going to stick with more traditional funding methods?
