Indiegogo Equity Crowdfunding Lets Anyone Invest In Startups

Indiegogo, a crowdfunding platform similar to Kickstarter, has announced a new way for users to give companies money: by investing in them. Indiegogo has teamed with MicroVentures to launch what it says is an equity crowdfunding service in which people receive company shares rather than various perks like prototypes and finalized products. Such an option is made possible via the 2012 JOBS Act.

Indiegogo announced the new funding option yesterday, saying it gives backers a chance to not only support businesses they like, but also possibly see a larger future financial benefit assuming the startup grows into something big. The equity crowdfunding platform is live now with four companies currently listed.

Choosing one of the campaigns takes users to the MicroVentures website where they can access a bunch of content about the company, including things like investment documents, company highlights, income data, info about both the company and its products, what kind of perks may be offered to investors, and more.

As with regular Indiegogo campaigns, users see a funding goal, how much is currently raised, and how many investors there are. A minimum investment amount is also presented, which seems to be $100 in the case of the current startups listed. Of course, any investment you make can go sour — be sure to read the "Risk Factors" section of the campaigns before making any investments.

SOURCE: Indiegogo