Below is an article by GoodCrowd.info entitled “What does crowdfunding mean to women and minorities? Check it out!”
What does crowdfunding mean to women and minorities? Check it out!
By: Devin Thorpe, GoodCrowd.info
Sep 24, 2014
Judd Hollas, CEO of the large investment crowdfunding site EquityNet, shares my passion and enthusiasm for the ways in which crowdfunding can democratize entrepreneurship.
Judd explained, “Race and gender inequalities have existed for years in investing with white males typically leading the pack in both investing in new ventures, as well as in being able to easily access capital for their own ventures. Historically, females and ethnic minorities have either shied away from the investing game or were just left out of it altogether.”
Here are a few specific observations he shared with me:
Nationally, 98% of CEOs/founders in investment funding are male, leaving only 2% females. At EquityNet Crowdfunding Platform, females represent 20.7% of management teams, making the number on this platform over 10 times higher than at the average firm.
On a national level, an average of 80% of managers in the investment funding world are white, with numbers around 1% representing blacks and 5%, Asians. At EquityNet, whites only make up 69.3%, meaning 7.4% of these CEOs/founders are black, 10.3% are Hispanic and 13%, Asian.
On Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at noon Eastern, Judd will join me for a live discussion about the implications of the social changes that investment crowdfunding will create. Tune in here then to watch the interview live.
More about EquityNet:
EquityNet has operated the largest business crowdfunding platform since 2005. The multi-patented EquityNet platform has been used by over 40,000 individual entrepreneurs and investors, incubators, government entities, and other members of the entrepreneurial community to plan, analyze, and capitalize privately-held businesses. EquityNet provides access to thousands of investors and has helped entrepreneurs across North America raise over $240 million in equity, debt, and royalty-based capital.
Judd’s bio:
Mr. Hollas is a pioneer in the field of crowdfunding with multiple patents granted for web-based capital marketplace systems. He is the founder and chief inventor of EquityNet and continues to lead the Company’s efforts to create and introduce innovative new products and services. He is responsible for the overall management of the Company, including its strategic direction and fiscal and professional integrity. Prior to founding EquityNet in 2005, Mr. Hollas served as Division Manager for Beta-Rubicon, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in technology assessment and business due diligence services. He conducted extensive research on methods of conventional due diligence, causes of private enterprise failure and methods for risk prediction, marketplace characteristics in the private equity industry, and it was during this time that he developed the business model for EquityNet.