Remove 2012 Remove Development Remove Finance Remove Venture Capitalist
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An Insider’s Account of the Yahoo-Alibaba Deal

Harvard Business Review

In May of 2005, Yahoo CEO Terry Semel, cofounder Jerry Yang, corporate development executive Toby Coppel, and I — I was then chief financial officer of the Silicon Valley internet company — went on what would turn out to be a fateful trip to China. The company was owned by management, venture capitalists, and SoftBank.

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The Road to Crowdfunding Hell

Harvard Business Review

Crowdfunding of equity capital for startups is one of a handful of jewels in the crown of the JOBS Act that swept through the House and Senate in a rare and refreshing show of bipartisanship, and was signed into law by President Obama April 5, 2012. I am referring only to equity crowdfunding. Crowdfunding of debt can work.

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Crowdfunding’s Big-Bang Moment

Harvard Business Review

But those impressive numbers may be eclipsed by a revolution in venture financing that is only being held back by final government approval: start-ups raising actual investment funds from individuals in exchange for equity or a share of profits. How big a deal is this “democratization” of finance? Last week, the U.S.

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The Unique Value of Crowdfunding Is Not Money — It’s Community

Harvard Business Review

Rather than relying on venture capitalists and marketers to try to project nascent demand for new innovations, creators can directly reach out to customers and communities to refine ideas and gauge interest. Watch a bit of Lawnmower Man if you want to cringe at the 1990s version of VR).