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Resources for Founders and Startups

Are you considering investment crowdfunding as part of your small business or startup financing strategy? Are you an investor thinking about investing in one of these businesses?
The first step is education about investment crowdfunding.

Resources

Are you considering investment crowdfunding as part of your small business or startup financing strategy? Are you an investor thinking about investing in one of these businesses? The first step is education about investment crowdfunding.

Below are some useful links to help you get started.

Would you like to be included on this resource list? If you provide services such as legal, accounting, marketing, web design, or investment crowdfunding services for startups or investors and you are ready to take on compliant investment crowdfunding projects, please email your information to [email protected].

Crowdfunding Marketing and Video Sites

These resources aid campaign marketing & investment crowdfunding video production for your crowdfunding campaign.

Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) Do’s and Don’ts (Webinar)

Chartreuse Moose ( Marketing Services, Raleigh, contact Jesse Hall)

Christi Lowe Productions (Video) (Fayetteville, contact Christi Lowe)

Front Runner Productions (Video) (Raleigh, contact Bryan Miller)

storyboardmedia.co (Durham)

enventyspartners.com (Charlotte, contact Roy Morejon)

growafanbase.com (Raleigh, contact Will Hardison)

www.dashstudio.net (Raleigh, contact Mack Garrison)

www.threepost.com (Raleigh, contact Michael Fortson)

www.centerline.net (Raleigh)

www.swagchimp.com (Raleigh)

Crowdfunding and Business Development Strategies Sites

A good investment crowdfunding strategies consultant and business development partner can help you get up to speed quickly on which crowdfunding approach is right for you, and how to grow your business. Small business training and services sites can help you organize and manage your new and growing business.

CrowdfundNC Services (Raleigh/Durham)

Entredot (Durham)

Lochside Consulting (Cary)

ActionCOACH – Team Hauser (Winston-Salem)

Kauffman FastTrac Small Business Training (online)

Bunker Labs – Support for Veteran owned startups (video at a Bunker Labs event)

Startup Secrets – Practical lessons and community to guide you from idea to success – for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs – Free for everyone

Startups.com – Startup education and services

Costarters.co – Get help building a startup ecosystem in your community

Technology Development and Services Sites

Technology Development and Services partners can help you get your product to market fast.

Intrepid Media (Durham)

Rocket Hanger (Raleigh)

HyperspaceVentures (Durham)

Spectrum Business (Raleigh/Durham)

Hiring, HR and Payroll Services Sites

Triangle Startups Jobs Board

These partners take care of staffing, payroll and/or HR so you can concentrate on building your business.

Lucas Select Services

PAYCHEX (Raleigh/Durham)

TriNet (Raleigh/Durham)

Accounting and Bookkeeping Services

The Accountkeepers

Hughes, Pittman and Gupton CPA

The Sledge Organization LLC, Jerry M. Sledge CPA

Software Tools Useful for Startups and Small Businesses

Malartu (Raleigh) Data analytics and reporting for investors

LivePlan.com Business planning software

Mailchimp Email Marketing software

Shopify Lite Accept payements on your website, or build an e-commerce site

appypie.com free mobile app builder

VideoMakerFX Video making software

Viddyoze Animated video software

FreeConferenceCall.com Free conference calls and online meetings

RoboForm Password Manager Highly secure password management

Giphy.com Download or create animated gifs for your campaign

Software Tools Useful for Startup and Small Business Investors

Seraf Due Diligence Report Template

DealRoom Due Diligence Checklist

North Carolina Startup Books, Blogs and Newsletters

Everything You Should Know About Startup – a great startup e-book by successful Triangle entrepreneur Joe Procopio covering 121 foundational principals for every entrepreneur.

The Startup Hats – Top Triangle investor David Gardner has written an excellent book on how to manage and grow a successful startup.

The Red Rocket Blog – Every entrepreneur needs to read these excellent startup lessons written by George Deeb of Red Rocket VC in Cary.

Malartu Newsletter – Triangle entrepreneur Sean Steigerwald writes a very entertaining blog on a variety of subjects of interest to the North Carolina startup community.

Fireproof Software Newsletter – Experienced engineer Scott Barstow publishes this excellent newsletter for the sole purpose of helping founders, product managers, and anyone else who’s mystified by the software development process to get a grip on their product and stop burning valuable time and cash.

Crowdfunding Opportunities and Challenges – Triangle attorney Jim Verdonik was part of the team that helped get the NC PACES Act passed.

Other Useful Startup and Small Business Support Links

NC Small Business and Technology Development Center (Raleigh)

A list of North Carolina Angel Funds

A list of North Carolina early stage capital resources and organizations

Raleigh/Durham Angel Groups and Venture Capital firms

An excellent example investor pitch deck

7 Insanely Creative Business Plan Templates

Startup X Perfect Pitch Deck (PowerPoint Template)

Creating an effective pitch deck (Geekwire post)

Our local NC Triangle Crowdfunders Meetup

JobHero small business resource guide

Advertising your Reg CF Offering – What Issuers Need to Know

Example Startup Documents and Templates

SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) Templates by Y-Combinator

SEC Form of Converible Note

UpCounsel Free Financial Legal Doc Templates

Crowdfunding Media Sites

These information and media sites cover crowdfunding from many different perspectives, and will help keep you up to date on the latest developments in the crowdfunding industry. If you launch an investment crowdfunding campaign, you can do some PR on these sites.

These local media sites often cover stories related to startups, small business, and crowdfunding in North Carolina:

wraltechwire.com

GrepBeat Triangle Tech News

www.bizjournals.com/triangle

These national media sites cover crowdfunding

www.crowdfundinsider.com

crowdfundbeat.com

www.crowdcrux.com

www.cfpa.org

www.cnbc.com/id/100807099

www.entrepreneur.com/topic/crowdfunding

Good infographic on stages of a startup

Good post by Amy Wan on Investment Crowdfunding Basics

Crowdfunding Center Map and Stats

The Crowdfunding Center about Donation and Rewards Crowdfunding

Nathan Rose Interview – The Secrets of Equity Crowdfunding

Law Firms

You will need to consult a North Carolina business law attorney to help create your investment crowdfunding offering.

Innovate Capital Law (Contact Benji Jones or Jim Verdonik)

Fallone SV Law (Contact Katelin Kennedy or John Fallone)

Wyrick Robbins Law (Contact Thomas Allen)

Important Rule 147A Update at Smith Anderson

North Carolina Accounting Firms:

You will need to work with your bookkeeper or accountant to help create your investment crowdfunding offering and to generate the required financial reports. If you need a business accountant, these North Carolina accounting firms specialize in startup businesses and can provide advice and guidance about financing your business using investment crowdfunding.

www.hpg.com (contact Adam Buchanan or Brooks Malone)

Crowdfunding Legal Blogs and Information sites

These additional legal sites will give you information about investment crowdfunding from a legal perspective.

Several good posts available from upcounsel.com:
Everything You Need to Know about Crowdfunding
Everything You Need to Know about Private Placements
Everything You Need to Know about Regulation D
Everything You Need to Know about Form D
Everything You Need to Know about the JOBS Act
Crowdfunding Legal Issues and Tips
Venture Capital Financing

Other legal sites:

gatewaycapitalx.com (Jim Verdonik’s legal blog, Raleigh)

crowdfundinglegalhub.com (Anthony Zeoli, Chicago)

www.startuplawblog.com (Joe Wallin, Seattle)

www.egsllp.com/Resource-Center (Douglas Ellenoff, NY)

www.mofojumpstarter.com

corporatesecuritieslawyerblog.com (Sam Guzik)

crowdfundattny.com (Mark Roderick)
Crowdfunding and Real Estate Podcast by Mark Roderick

crowdfundcapitaladvisors.com (Sherwood Neiss)

www.upcounsel.com/free-legal-documents (Contact Anna Le)

Investment Crowdfunding Websites

This is a big category. Their are many investment crowdfunding platforms out there specializing in various types of exemptions, regions, debt and equity offering types, target markets, and more. The sites below provide useful educational information and FAQs about investment crowdfunding and how to create a successful crowdfunding campaign.

You can also search these sites to find examples of investment crowdfunding campaigns for products, services, and target markets that are similar to yours. There is lots to learn from these sites and campaigns.

Here is a list of some of the most popular crowdfunding sites that are doing investment crowdfunding.

 

Federal JOBS Act Title II Regulation D Crowdfunding Sites

angel.co (AngelList silicon valley angel investor syndicates)

circleup.com (consumer products)

www.microventures.com (early and late stage secondary market)

agfunder.com (agriculture)

www.seedinvest.com (angels)

www.equitynet.com (searchable listing site)

fundersclub.com (VC style curation)

www.ourcrowd.com (global site located in Israel)

www.nextgencrowdfunding.com (Tim Draper site)

Federal JOBS Act Regulation Crowdfunding and Regulation A+ Investment Crowdfunding Sites

wefunder.com (Reg CF)

republic.co (Reg CF)

www.startengine.com (Reg CF and Reg A+)

Small Business Loan Sites

Small business loans introduction at US News and World Report

www.fundable.com

www.dealstruck.com

www.fundingcircle.com

www.streetshares.com (loans to veteran owned businesses)

www.lightercapital.com

Real Estate Loan Sites

www.groundfloor.us

www.realtymogul.com

www.fundrise.com

www.crowdstreet.com

www.realcrowd.com

www.earlyshares.com

Donation and Rewards Sites

www.kickstarter.com

www.indiegogo.com

www.gofundme.com

www.thegadgetflow.com

Non-Profit Crowdfunding Sites

www.crowdrise.com

Peer-to-Peer Lending Sites

www.lendingclub.com

www.prosper.com

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email us at hello (at) incolo.io.