The Wild West nature of today’s ICO landscape concerns many stakeholders in our domain, and as it relates to crowdfunding or securities law rightfully so.
The Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) announced the rebranding of its knowledge-sharing platform as the Crowdfunding and Blockchain Expert Community Online (ECO) (https://crowdfunding.expertcommunity.online/) to reflect the association’s acknowledgement of how Blockchain technology will affect Crowdfunding activities from information archiving to value transfer to DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations). The announcement was made at the Digital Asset Investment Forum 2018 in New York City.
The CfPA was instrumental in working with industry, legislators, the SEC, and other stakeholders to help advance the passage of the JOBS Act in 2012 and this has opened the door to various forms of crowdfunding for entrepreneurs and investors.
“The Wild West nature of today’s ICO landscape concerns many stakeholders in our domain, and as it relates to crowdfunding or securities law rightfully so.” said Scott McIntyre, President of CfPA. “However, if properly instituted, as other Alternative Finance methodologies have been, we believe Blockchain tech, including ICOs and tokens are promising components of a diverse, fluid, and most promising to me, truly accountable ecosystem. The board of directors and I feel strongly that it is of great benefit to all, and therefore our duty, to get ahead of this movement and apply our knowledge and focus toward problem solving before problems arise, in much the same way that led to Crowdfunding’s successful inclusion in the JOBS Act. Our newly expanded ECO will serve a fundamentally important role in this effort.”
In 2017, ICOs have raised more than $4.2 billion, far greater than the $265 million raised in all years from 2014 to 2016. The market cap for all cryptocurrencies (including Bitcoin) fluctuates greatly but today exceeds $650 billion.
CfPA members, along with contributors and experts, are accessible to anyone seeking to learn more about crowdfunding, blockchain and ICOs. Companies and service providers will be showcased in the ECO’s Industry Directory which CfPA anticipates will become the most dynamic and comprehensive B2B listing of companies in the crowdfunding and blockchain arenas.
Some of the new Contributors added to the ECO roster include:
Christian Duffus, experienced Fintech entrepreneur and cryptocurrency investor. Currently Founder and CEO of Vite.Money, LLC.
Jeffrey Koeppel, CfPA advisor and Of Counsel at Kirk Halpin & Associates, P.A.
Jason Paltrowitz, Executive Vice President of OTC Markets Group and a recent addition to the CfPA board of directors.
Marti Tirinnanzi, Founder of Financial Standards, focusing on Crypto and Blockchain Education, Curriculum Development for FinTech workshops, and Author of an upcoming book on the blockchain.
Patrick Tracey, Sr. Vice President, Computershare Private Markets Group with particular attention to private, non-listed securities.
“Cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain technology are starting to unleash a wave of global innovation and creative energy unlike anything I’ve seen since the Internet took root in the late 1990s,” stated Brian Christie, CEO of Brainsy, the ECO platform provider. “People may debate whether or not there’s a near term valuation bubble associated many of the crypto coins, but there’s no doubt that the underlying technology is transformative.”
The Crowdfunding and Blockchain Expert Community Online (ECO) is made possible with the support of sponsoring companies including Computershare and Crowdcheck, Inc.
In conjunction with the launch, CfPA and Brainsy are issuing an open call for experts and contributors who want to be considered for inclusion in the ECO. Companies and service providers can pay for a premium marketing micro-site on the ECO’s industry directory and should contact sales@brainsy.com to learn more.
About CfPA:
The Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade group established shortly after the signing of the Jumpstart Our Business Startup Act (“JOBS Act”) on April 5, 2012. The CfPA is dedicated to equitably representing the Crowdfunding industry and supporting the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) by providing entrepreneurs, investors and industry professionals with education, networking and tools all necessary to cultivate a balanced and healthy ecosystem able to help accelerate capital formation and ensure investor protection.
About Brainsy, Inc.:
Brainsy offers patented Software as a Service (SaaS) to power knowledge sharing networks for private companies, trade associations, professional societies and other membership organizations. Deploying a Brainsy powered community under their own brand, organizations can showcase mentors or subject matter experts while earning non-dues revenue. Brainsy is backed by successful entrepreneurs-turned-Angels and is a portfolio company of TomorrowVentures, co-founded by Alphabet (formerly Google) Chairman, Eric Schmidt. More information is at: http://www.brainsy.com
About the Digital Asset Investment Forum (DAIF):
The premier global event for blockchain based digital assets managers and industrial leaders, the DAIF is the nexus for assets and capital innovation, offering a uniquely differentiated, powerful, and immersive event that convenes the world’s most influential organizations and smartest minds across industries to shape the future of digital asset technological solutions and its investment. More information at: https://www.blockchainaccelerator.co