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What is OrgTech?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: ,

Technology is a broader term than we are used to thinking of it. Generally, we think of it as the advanced computing power that we have in our pockets or the systems we build to automate large-scale data or information protection. However, in reality, it is a simpler term. Technology is simply the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in business and industry. Technology is as simple as a wheel, making transportation effective and as complex as an AI designed to learn and compete against masters in one of the most complex games ever made, AlphaGo from Google’s DeepMind. 

 

Technology has been the driving force behind the advancement of humanity as a species and has brought us into a modern world. Tools of war, tools of peace, tools of leisure; all have worked together to build the world we have today. 

 

It is no different for the business world. As technology has advanced through the ages, it has built organizations and empires, the Industrial Revolution. This event, which started in the early 18th century, fundamentally changed the way we lived our lives. Similarly, the Information Age has driven modernization and allowed new technologies to emerge that make processes more efficient.

So, when we talk about OrgTech or organizational technology, we refer to the practical applications of knowledge, processes, and devices used by an organization to fulfill its goals and services. In the Industrial Revolution, it was innovations like the assembly line and the printing press. Now in the Information Age, technologies such as the internet have revolutionized the way businesses operate. In an article for SpringerLink, Barbara L. Neuby defines Organizational Technology as “the sum total of man-made contrivances or developed processes that alter, refine, or create new goods and services delivered by organizations. It includes electronics, software, documents, new techniques, or any combination thereof used in the delivery of services.”

 

Let’s put this into an example so that we can best understand what we are discussing here. Let’s say you won the lottery today and you were planning to quit your job and see the world with your family. So, to prepare, you write up everything you use to do your job and the way you perform tasks so you can hand that off. Think first of how much that probably is, but next, how much relies on technology. No matter what industry you are in, you probably use a computer daily. Daily, you likely interact with software like: 

 

  • Word Processing Programs (like Microsoft Office, Google Docs, etc.)
  • Video Conferencing Software (like Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, etc.)
  • Communication Platforms (like Google Hangouts, Slack, etc.)
  • Cloud Storage Platforms (like Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or DropBox, etc.)

 

Those are the most basic, but if you have a list of customers, you probably have some sort of CRM like HubSpot, SalesForce, or RazorsEdge. If you are an e-commerce platform, you probably use HootSuite or Social Pilot for marketing and Shopify as your store base. Right now, these are just some software examples to illustrate the meaning of OrgTech. If you had to think of everything you do, there is probably a process that you follow to accomplish that and the technology it requires. Each of those actions, most of what you do, is a form of OrgTech. 

What is the private capital market?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre

In recent years we have seen exponential growth in the issuance of private capital to companies in the US, nearly doubling the amount of money raised by public companies through Initial Public Offerings. The private capital market has dramatically changed in the last ten years as more investors have entered the playing field. This shift was made possible by the 2012 JOBS Act (which has recently expanded) and significantly impacted the private investment market.

 

Previously, before the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act), it was more challenging to raise capital as a private company, as there were fewer overall players in the market. It was mostly limited to venture capital firms, wealthy investors, and hedge funds. However, this is no longer the case as the barrier for entry for investment into private companies has been lowered and allows lower-wealth individuals to invest a percentage of their income. 

 

Now, with the JOBS act adding in options like Regulation A+ and Regulation CF, a private company can raise close to $80 million in 12 months without having to enter the public market. With Regulation CF, anyone can invest in the offering. No longer is it an opportunity limited to wealthy participants. Investors with either a net worth or annual income less than $107,000 can invest $2,200 or 5% of the greater of their annual income or net worth into RegCF offerings. 

 

While the $5 million that a company can raise from this investment opportunity may not seem like much in the grand scheme things (Regulation A+ allows up to $75 million), this new rule has opened the floodgates to new investors and new capital for the private market. In 2020, 358,000 investors participated in Reg CF campaigns. That is 358,000 people that have added their money into the private capital market, which if each person invested only invested $2,200, that means there was $787 million added to the private market. That is significant.

 

For companies that are scaling fast, staying private longer is an advantage as they can spend more time increasing their valuation and their eventual share price if they were to go public. By raising this private capital, they are not only proving the concept is viable and that there is a market for what they are selling, but they are also able to operate without the same scrutiny as public companies. They will have to open up their books and meetings to the private investors as that is their right, but it is certainly less intrusive or time-consuming. 

 

Focusing on your business as you scale and grow is an incredible advantage for you as a business owner and your investors. The more valuable your company is by the time you go public, the better it will be for your investors. So, if you weigh the options for capital raising options, don’t forget that there is a thriving private market. 

 

What is KYC?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , ,

In 2007, the SEC approved the founding of the non-profit Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). FINRA was created in the wake of a failing economy to consolidate the regulation of securities firms operating in the United States. The authority’s responsibilities include “rule writing, firm examination, enforcement, arbitration, and mediation functions, plus all functions previously overseen solely by NASD, including market regulation under contract for NASDAQ, the American Stock Exchange, the International Securities Exchange, and the Chicago Climate Exchange.”

The mission is to safeguard the investing public against fraud and bad practices. To fulfill this mission, FINRA added two rules in 2012: Rule 2090 (KYC or Know Your Client) and Rule 2111 (Suitability). 

KYC works in conjunction with suitability to protect both the client and the broker-dealer and help maintain fair dealings between the parties. The Know Your Client rule is a regulatory requirement for those responsible for opening and maintaining new accounts. This rule requires broker-dealers to access the client’s finances, verify their identity, and use reasonable effort to understand the risk tolerance and facts about their financial position. 

KYC is an important rule as it governs the relationship between customer and broker-dealer and safeguards the proceedings. At the heart of this rule is the process that verifies the customer’s identity (or any other account owners) and assesses their risk level. Part of FINRA’s goal is to eliminate financial crime, which means that when a broker is accessing a potential customer, they are looking for evidence of money laundering or similar crimes. This process goes both ways as FINRA allows a customer to verify the identity of brokers in good standing with the organization.

KYC also goes hand-in-hand with the Anti-Money Laundering (AML) rule, which seeks to identify suspicious behavior, outlined under FINRA rule 3310. Crimes such as terrorist financing, market manipulation, and securities fraud are illegal acts that KYC, AML, and other rules aim to prevent.

Another part of the Know Your Client rule is the requirement of a broker-dealer to use reasonable effort to understand a client’s risk tolerance, investment knowledge, and financial position. For example, accredited investors can make Regulation CF and A+ investments without facing restrictions, while the everyday investor is limited based on their net worth and income. 

When making recommendations for a client, a broker-dealer must comply with Rule 2111, the suitability rule, which means that they must have reasonable grounds for this suggestion based on a review of the client’s financial situation.

Compliance with these rules is maintained by following policies and best practices that govern risk management, customer acceptance, and transaction monitoring. Due diligence is done to know a client needs to be recorded, retained, and maintained so that broker-dealers can continuously monitor for suspicious or illegal activity. In 2020, FINRA processed 79.7 billion market events every day and imposed $57 million in fines. 

What Forms of Alternative Finance are Available?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , ,

Starting a business can be difficult. Most young companies enter the scene with little capital to help them grow. Taking a loan out from the bank is a good start, but some options can end in higher rewards without a loan hanging over your head. These are alternative finance options, like raising seed capital from friends and family, angel investors, or crowdfunding. Today, we will explore forms of alternative finance available to you as a private company and where in the life cycle of your business they may appear. 

Friends and Family

In the early stages of your company’s business life cycle, raising capital from family and friends is a great place to start securing safe, additional funding if you are able. When your family and friends are early investors, they are not required to register as such, making it easy for them to help your growing company. In this stage of your company’s development, entrepreneurs will want to retain as much equity as possible. Friends and family investors make this possible without needing to give up part of a growing company. 

As you begin to accelerate your business plans, there are several avenues available that can help you raise significant capital and increase your valuation if (or when) you plan to offer your company later on the public market.

Angel Investors or Venture Capital Firms

As a private company, one of the traditional ways for you to raise capital is through an angel investor, a wealthy individual, or a venture capital firm, a group of investors that invest in companies on behalf of their clients to make them money. Both of these investors will generally invest early, requiring equity and hoping for a successful return on investment later on. 

Peer-to-Peer Lending 

Peer-to-peer lending is a pretty straightforward form of alternative finance. Typically, through online platforms, investors can enter a pool of lenders, which a borrower can pull from and then repay. This form of investment cuts out the bank as the middleman, which opens up access to companies that may not have good credit. 

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is a great mechanism for investments that build a company’s proof of concept because crowdfunding success relies on having a product or service people want or believe in. As the name would imply, crowdfunding is sourcing small investments from a large number of investors and falls into one of two categories rewards-based or equity-based offerings. 

Rewards-Based Crowdfunding

Rewards-based crowdfunding is an investment that expects compensation in the form of the product a company is producing. A good platform for this form of crowdfunding is Kickstarter. You will often see independent video game developers or small business owners looking to raise capital for a particular product and offer rewards based on how much an investor invests. 

Equity-Based Crowdfunding or Regulation CF

Regulation CF is a crowdfunding tool regulated by the SEC signed into law in 2012. However, it has recently expanded to allow more investing opportunities. The JOBS Act allows non-accredited investors to invest in private companies in exchange for equity in the company. More specifically, for investors with either a net worth or annual income less than $107,000, investments in Reg CF offerings are limited to $2,200 or 5% of the greater of their annual income or net worth. 

This tool allows companies to raise as much as $5 million in 12 months from many investors. In 2020, 358,000 investors participated in Reg CF campaigns. 

Regulation A+

Another method of allowing companies to have non-accredited investors invest in their companies is Regulation A+, by exempting the offering from SEC registration. Many companies have begun to offer securities through the RegA+ exemption following a successful RegCF raise. Proceeding this way will elevate your chances of raising more money, up to $75 million annually, because the Regulation CF will show potential investors that the products or services offered by the company are of great interest to many individuals. It is important to note that non-accredited investors are limited to investing 10% of their annual income or net worth, whichever is greater.

 

There are many avenues of alternative finance to investigate before going to a traditional financing option as a private company. We encourage you to look into all of these types and see which is right for you and your business. 

 

Warrants for RegA+

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , , ,

For private companies looking to raise capital through exemptions such as Regulation A+, Regulation CF, or Regulation D, there are many forms of securities that they may be able to issue to investors. Lately, there has been much buzz around warrants for RegA+ offerings and we are seeing them issued to investors as an equivalent to a perk. With the growing interest in this type of security, let’s explore what a warrant for RegA+ is. 

 

When a shareholder purchases a warrant, they are entering into a contract with the issuer. They purchase securities at a set price but are given the right to buy more securities at a fixed price. For example, if an investor was to buy a security at $1 apiece, but their warrant allows the shareholder to buy securities at a future point for $2 instead. If the company was to significantly increase in value, and securities were valued at $5 instead of the initial $1 they were purchased at, the warrant could be exercised and new securities can be purchased for the price specified in the contract. Such securities are typically sought after by investors who think the company they’ve invested in will significantly increase in value, allowing them to increase their ownership in the company without having to buy securities at a new, higher price. Typically, warrants have an expiration date, but they can be exercised anytime on or before that date. 

 

Warrants for RegA+ work no differently. 

 

For companies offering warrants to shareholders, many will choose to enlist a warrant agent to oversee the management of warrants. Much like a transfer agent, warrant agents maintain a record of who owns warrants as well as the exercising of the warrants. When there is a significant number of warrant holders, warrant agents maintain the administrative duties of ensuring warrant holders can exercise their rights and are issued additional securities when they are looking to do so. Just as KoreConX is an SEC-registered transfer agent, KoreConX can serve as your warrant agent as well. This allows you and your shareholders to perform all transactions, from the initial purchase to the exercising of the warrant, through the RegA+ end-to-end platform. Fully compliant, KoreConX helps you to ensure that all your capital market activities meet the necessary regulatory requirements.

 

For warrant holders looking to exercise their warrants, they can contact the warrant agent (if they bought shares directly from the company) or their broker-dealer to inform them that they would like to purchase additional securities. At the time of the purchase, the warrant holder would pay to exchange their warrants and be issued the appropriate amount of new securities. 

 

Warrants are also able to be traded or transferred. For example, warrant holders could transfer their securities to a child or relative if they were looking to pass them down. Alternatively, warrant holders can sell them to an interested buyer. If the company’s value has yet to exceed the warrant price, they are typically less valuable because shares may still be able to be purchased at a lower price. 

KorePartner Spotlight: Douglas Ruark, Founder and President of Regulation D Resources

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

With the recent launch of the KoreConX all-in-one RegA+ platform, KoreConX is happy to feature the partners that contribute to its ecosystem.

 

Douglas Ruark, the Founder and President of Regulation D Resources, has always been fascinated by the mechanisms and document structure used to syndicate capital. Starting his career nearly 30 years ago in corporate finance when he co-founded Heritage Finance, Inc. in 1992. Seven years later, he served as a primary founder of Regulation D Resources. The firm works primarily within the real estate, energy, tech, and manufacturing industries.

 

With Regulation D Resources, Ruark uses his expertise to help raise money for those industries through the Reg D and Reg A+ exemptions. This experience makes a difference when crafting SEC-required disclosures, evaluating proper exposure on the market, and analyzing clients’ business positions.

 

The fun part for Ruark is the deals with entrepreneurs that have developed technology that can have a significant impact and be a game-changer. He said: “I love seeing what entrepreneurs have developed.” That is why his company focuses on Reg D and Reg A+, helping companies structure their securities offering, and drafting offering documents. The company is determined to help entrepreneurs cross the line into the market so they can grow and succeed.

 

What Ruark enjoys about his partnership with KoreConX is the responsiveness of the staff. He said: “Oscar immediately reached out and set up a call to introduce services.” KoreConX has the same drive and vision that Ruark sees in other entrepreneurs. Plus, KoreConX’s application of tech to streamline compliance aligns with the goal he set out when developing Regulation D Resources’ Investor Portal Compliance Management application.

What is RegTech?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , , , , ,

In the wake of the 2008 economic crisis and the subsequent recession that followed, there was a push to create new regulations to govern financial institutions in the United States. With these regulations came requirements that businesses had to follow to be compliant with the new laws. What followed the new regulations was a rise in companies offering services to help companies manage compliance easily and efficiently, both in time and cost. This is the purpose and application of RegTech.

RegTech, or Regulatory Technology, is more specifically the use of technology to manage regulatory processes within the financial industry. The goal of companies that offer RegTech is to use cloud computing, machine learning, and big data to drive automation and lift a majority of the burden of complicated compliance requirements of the compliance teams in businesses, to reduce human error, and accomplish difficult tasks more efficiently. As regulations become more robust and regulators are demanding more transparency in the forms of auditability, traceability, and automation, a company that is required to comply with a lot of regulations cannot easily subsist without some form of RegTech to help them avoid the risk of sanctions.

RegTech services help to compile large amounts of data in secured and compliant ways, as well as comb that data for risks to the organization. While these services affect the budget of a company, it is arguably canceled out by the amount of time and energy saved by simplifying the complex processes. 

For example, let’s say a bank was previously doing all of their regulation audits manually, scanning the compliance law and solving what pertains to them, what they need to do, and how they need to do it to be compliant. While they could feasibly do this, it will take a considerable amount of time if the compliance officer tasked with this job is not a master of the laws pertaining to their enterprise. Then, following that long process, the bank will need to show the reporting, who did the reporting, when it was pulled, and keep the information secured. 

This type of manual process is solved by RegTech. Not only will your data be secured, but it will also be accessible and timestamped, so you can demonstrate who complied, how they complied, and when they complied by logging all of the actions a user takes and creating a trail.

This is one example of how RegTech helps in a compliance situation, but it is also used by regulators to help reduce the time it takes to investigate compliance issues. While these are the more well-known aspects of RegTech, it also helps in many more categories within the financial sector, such as:

  1. Reporting
  2. Anti-money Laundering 
  3. Compliance
  4. Governance
  5. Risk Management
  6. Management and Control 
  7. Transaction Monitoring

As the financial industry continues to rely more and more on data and technology, RegTech will continue to grow to keep up with the demand for more applications from companies and regulators alike. 

What is Regulated Crowdfunding

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , ,

On April 5th of 2012, President Obama signed into law legislation called the JOBS Act. Four years after that act was signed, Title III of the JOBS Act was enacted. This was Regulation CF, which allows for private companies in their early stages to use crowdfunding to raise money from any American, not just accredited investors. This opened the doors with funding portals for companies to trade securities to a larger pool of investors to raise needed growth capital and allow average people to benefit from the possibility of investing in an early-stage company.

When it was first implemented in Spring 2016, Reg CF allowed companies to raise a maximum of $1.07 million within 12 months. Now, with new amendments added to the law by the SEC that went into effect in March 2021, companies can raise a maximum of $5 million. You may be familiar with the idea of crowdfunding with the success of websites like Kickstarter, and this works similarly. Instead of donation tiers that would award you merchandise from the campaign, investing in a private company with Reg CF will give you securities or equity in the companies. Previously, the barrier for entry into this investment type was very high, as you needed a lot of capital to invest in a private company. 

The new amendments still have a limit on how much a particular individual can invest when it comes to non-accredited investors but removed the limits on accredited investors. More specifically, for investors with either a net worth or annual income less than $107,000, investments in Reg CF offerings are limited to $2,200 or 5% of the greater of their annual income or net worth.

Reg CF is typically used for early-stage startups to build capital and has significantly changed the road map for entrepreneurs, allowing them to look to crowdfunding options before venture capital investments. Because the cost and barrier to entry for Regulation CF lower than with Reg A, many companies are using this after their first round of funding to prove the viability of their concepts and build a business. Then after a successful Reg CF, raising up to $5 million, this proves that there is interest in what you are building. In turn, this improves your valuation and allows for a much more successful Reg A campaign that could help you raise even more capital. 

There is a significant benefit to everyone involved in a Reg CF. The companies running the campaign are raising money to prove their viability, fuel the growth, and democratizes capital, allowing everyday Americans to participate in a system that was until recently closed to them. In 2020, 358,000 investors participated in Reg CF campaigns, a significant increase from the 15,000 investors participating in 2019. RegCF is a way for Americans to diversify their investment portfolio. They can grow as an investor by investing in a private company with a much lower entry cost.

With Reg CF garnering much success for both investors and issuers alike, it will be exciting to see how it continues to evolve in the future. We may see even higher raise limits, further expanding access to capital, increasing the number of American jobs, and further democratizing investment opportunities.

 

What is a RegA+ Annual Shareholder Meeting?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , , , , ,

With Regulation A+ allowing companies to raise up to $75M USD, the regulation enables many great investors to support an issuer’s journey. From the everyday person to accredited investors, people can claim their stake in companies they foresee to be long-term successes. However, with shareholders come significant responsibilities issuers must uphold to maintain compliance with securities regulations. One such requirement is holding an AGM.

 

An Annual General Meeting, or simply AGM, is a meeting of shareholders that companies are required to hold once per year. The purpose is to provide shareholders with an update on the company and what plans lie ahead. During these meetings, the company’s directors will present annual reports to shareholders that are indicative of its performance. AGMs are a critical component of upholding the rights of shareholders, ensuring that they are provided all necessary information to make the right decisions regarding their investments. Typically, these meetings should be held after the end of the company’s fiscal year, giving shareholders adequate notice to attend or attend by proxy.

 

A company’s articles of incorporation and bylaws will outline the rules for an AGM, however, they typically include a review of the minutes from the previous AGM, financial statements, approval of the board of directors’ previous year actions, and election of directors. AGMs held by private companies do not require any regulatory filings but require them to check or change their bylaws to ensure that the meeting can be held online and information can be distributed digitally.

 

Before any AGM, shareholders will receive a proxy statement, which outlines the topics to be discussed at the meeting. The statement will include information on voting procedures for shareholders with voting rights, board candidates, executive compensation, and other matters that are important to a shareholder. The company will typically send shareholders a package containing this information by mail or over the internet if that is their preference. For shareholders that have invested directly in the company and their name is in the company’s official records, they are entitled to attend the meeting in person. For shareholders that have purchased shares through a broker-dealer or investment bank, they can request information on how to attend the meeting and cast their votes. Shareholders with the option to eVote can satisfy SEC requirements. Since 2007, “notice to access” rules enable companies to send a one-page notice to inform shareholders that materials are available online rather than being mailed a full copy of all reports.

 

AGMs are essential for the success of any private company, ensuring that shareholders are well-informed about company decisions and can exercise their voting rights. KoreConX offers our clients an all-in-one AGM planner as part of the REgA+ end-to-end solution. Our solution helps our clients maintain full compliance with securities laws, manage AGMs end-to-end, distribute circular materials, allow shareholders to securely vote online, and enable everyone to participate. We recognize that your shareholders are an important part of your company and strive to simplify the process of managing your relationships with them.

 

Annual shareholder meetings for RegA+ offerings are an essential part of compliance. Issuers are required to hold this meeting annually, empowering their shareholders to be active participants. Contact KoreConX to learn more about our AGM planning solution.

 

What is the role of a board director?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , , , , ,

When thinking about corporate governance, the first roles that often come to mind are the executive officers like the CEO or CCO. These roles are often responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company, keeping things running smoothly, with other roles reporting to them. However, the board of directors is just as important as they look out for the interests of shareholders. 

The role of a board of directors is to provide company oversight, ensuring that the company is operating in the best interests of shareholders. Decisions that the board of directors is responsible for include hiring or firing company executives, creating policies for dividends and options, and determining executive compensation. The board also generally ensures that the company has the right resources in place to operate effectively. The board of directors is governed by company bylaws, which include the process for selecting directors and what their duties entail.

The board is made of elected members called board directors. The shareholders must elect directors as voting rights are generally included as part of their rights as a shareholder. Shareholders are allowed to vote on board directors during annual shareholder meetings. Generally, board director terms are staggered so that only a few are elected each year, rather than needing to elect an entirely new board whenever elections are required.

Board directors are responsible for upholding the foundational rules outlined in company bylaws. Failure to do so can result in their removal from the board. Actions that may necessitate a director’s removal may include using inside information for personal gain, making deals that are a conflict of interest to shareholders, using their powers as a director for things other than the financial benefit of the company, and other actions that would be detrimental to shareholders.

There are typically three types of directors; inside, outside, and independent directors. Inside directors are typical representatives of company management and shareholders and may include company executives or major shareholders. Outside directors are not involved in the company’s day-to-day decisions, making them more objective and help strike a balance between inside directors but are generally compensated for attending board meetings and carrying out their duties. Independent directors are required to not have any ties to the company; for example, a relative of a company executive would be ineligible for this role.

It is important to ensure that board directors diligently follow the bylaws that govern them to ensure they always are acting in the best interests of the company’s shareholders. The board serves as a check and balance with the company’s management. Shareholders should also take their right to vote seriously, executing whenever possible to ensure that they are protecting their investment in the company. 

 

Reg A and Reg CF Issuers: Time to Count Your Shareholders!

Posted on by Sara Hanks Tags: , , , , , ,

Reg A and Reg CF have been around for a few years now and we are finding that some of our clients, especially those that have made multiple offerings, are getting to the point where they need to consider the implications of Section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act, which requires companies to become registered with the SEC when they meet certain asset and investor number thresholds.

Let’s start with the requirements of Section 12(g). It says that if, on the last day of its fiscal year, an issuer has assets of $10 million and a class of equity securities held of record by either 2,000 persons or 500 persons who are not accredited investors, it has to register that class of securities with the SEC.

Drilling down on each of those elements:

  • Assets: This is gross, not net, and it will include any cash that a company has raised in an offering but not spent yet.
  • Class of equity securities: Issuers with multiple series of preferred stock or multiple series in a series LLC will need to talk to their lawyers about what constitutes a separate “class.”
  • Held of record: Brokers or custodians holding in “street name” count as a single holder of record. Crowdfunding SPVs created under the SEC’s new rules also count as one holder, and as discussed below, there are special, conditional, rules for counting Reg A and Reg CF investors.  But check with your lawyers whether you need to “look through” SPVs formed for the purpose of investing in Reg D offerings.
  • Accredited status: Issuers are probably going to have to make assumptions as to the accredited status of their investors unless they maintain that information separately, and assume investors in Reg D offerings are accredited, and investors in Reg A and Reg CF offerings are not.
  • Registering a class of securities in effect means filing a registration statement with all relevant information about the company and becoming a fully-reporting company. This includes PCAOB audits, quarterly filings, proxy statements, more extensive disclosure and all-round more expensive legal and accounting support.

Since becoming a fully-reporting company is not feasible for early-stage companies, both Reg A and Reg CF are covered by conditional exemptions from the requirements of Section 12(g). The conditions for each are different.

Issuers need not count the holders of securities originally issued in Reg A offerings (even if subsequently transferred) as “holders of record” if:

  • The company has made all the periodic filings required of a Reg A company (Forms 1-K, 1-SA and 1-U);
  • It has engaged a registered transfer agent; AND
  • It does not have a public float (equity securities held by non-affiliates multiplied by trading price) of $75m, or if no public trading, had revenues of less than $50m in the most recent year.

Issuers need not count the holders of securities issued in Reg CF offerings (even if subsequently transferred) as “holders of record” if:

  • The company is current in its annual filing (Form C-AR) requirements;
  • It has engaged a registered transfer agent; AND
  • It has total assets of less than $25m at the end of the most recent fiscal year.

It’s important that the issuer’s transfer agent keep accurate records of which exemption securities were issued under, even when they are transferred. As of March 15, 2021, Reg CF also allows the use of “crowdfunding vehicles”, a particular kind of SPV with specific requirements for control, fees, and rights of the SPV in order to put all of the investors in a Reg CF offering into one holder of record. This is not available for Reg A, and still comes with administrative requirements, which may make use of a transfer agent still practical.

If an issuer goes beyond the asset or public float requirements of its applicable conditional exemption, it will be eligible for a two-year transition period before it is required to register its securities with the SEC. However, if an issuer violates the conditional exemption by not being current in periodic reporting requirements, including filing a report late, then the transition period terminates immediately, requiring registration with the SEC within 120 days after the date on which the issuer’s late report was due to be filed.

It’s good discipline for companies who have made a few exempt offerings and had some success in their business to consider, on a regular basis, counting their assets and their shareholders and assess whether they may be about to lose one or both of the conditional exemptions and whether they need to plan for becoming a public reporting company.

Meet the KorePartners: Louis Bevilacqua of Bevilacqua PLLC

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , ,

With the recent launch of the KoreConX all-in-one RegA+ platform, KoreConX is happy to feature the partners that contribute to the ecosystem. 

 

For the past 25 years, Louis Bevilacqua has served as a corporate and securities lawyer. After spending the majority of his time at large, international law firms, Louis discovered his passion for “representing entrepreneurs and helping them accomplish their goals.” Noticing that it was often more difficult to help small or microcap companies, Louis began his firm to eliminate the prohibitive costs typically associated with large law firms. 

 

Utilizing technology to allow lawyers to work virtually, Bevilacqua’s savings are passed onto its clients. Now, small companies can access the same top-tier resources that previously only large ones may have been able to afford. “Since most of our attorneys, like me, have decades of experience at big firms, we know how deals are supposed to be done and can provide excellent representation at lower price points,” Louis said. 

 

Not only is Bevilacqua’s team comprised of experienced lawyers, but many are also entrepreneurs. Understanding first-hand the challenges that small companies face, they are experienced problem solvers that are both flexible and proactive. Also, Louis says that “we also have a vast network of contacts with investors, broker-dealers, transfer agents, Edgar printers, audit firms and other service providers in the industry and can easily make the right referrals to anyone that the company needs.”

 

Through the JOBS Act and RegA+, investors have access to investments that they may not have had previously. Since the SEC requires substantial disclosure for RegA+ offerings, investors are provided more detailed disclosures than other private offerings. Companies also benefit from the lower costs associated with RegA+. Since it is more flexible and cheaper than a traditional IPO, the cost is not prohibitive. One of the primary reasons that Louis supports the regulations is that it “helps facilitate the raising of capital for smaller issuers, who always need capital and do not have as many avenues to obtain it.”

 

However, Louis also thinks that the resale market could be improved. Currently, companies looking to allow their shares to be traded “must identify a market maker willing to file a 211 application with FINRA”, which can be a difficult process. Making this process easier will allow more people to trade the shares purchased through a RegA+ offering. Additionally, for investors to deposit the shares they’ve purchased into a brokerage account, they typically must incur the fees associated, as the brokerage is generally required to perform their due diligence. 

 

For companies looking to raise money through RegA+, Bevilacqua provides clients with the legal services they need for a successful offering. Whether they need help “testing the waters,” filing the offering statement, drafting shareholder agreements, etc., Louis and his team provide expert guidance. Also, “ having a platform like KoreConX that brings all the components necessary to accomplish a Reg A offering in one easy to use platform is a fantastic tool to help us help entrepreneurs raise capital.” 

What Impact Will Blockchain Have on Private Markets?

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Blockchain has become a familiar buzzword, especially as things such as cryptocurrency grow in popularity. Currently, 46 million Americans now own Bitcoin. However, blockchain has many more industry-changing applications. Nearly any asset, both tangible and intangible, can be tracked and traded through blockchain. 

 

Blockchain, also known as distributed ledger technology, is a database where transactions are continually appended and verified across by multiple participants, ensuring that each transaction has a “witness” to validate its legitimacy. Blockchain transactions are immutable, meaning that they cannot be changed, making it difficult for hackers to manipulate. Copies of the ledger are decentralized, not stored in one location, so any change to one copy would immediately make it invalid, as the other copies would recognize that it had been altered. 

 

In private markets, blockchain technology has the potential to become a powerful tool, replacing manual inefficiencies with secure, digital processes. Everything from issues certificates to shareholders and preparing for audits becomes easier with transparent, readily available records. While public blockchains, like those that host Bitcoin transactions, enable anyone to participate, companies can also establish private and permissioned blockchains. In these forms of blockchain, the ledger is still decentralized, only access is controlled and only authorized individuals are allowed to participate. 

 

Rather than traditional securities, private companies can use distributed ledger technology to offer shareholders digital securities instead. These securities are still SEC-registered or fall under exemptions like Regulation A and Regulation CF. Digital securities protect investors, enabling them to always be able to prove their ownership, and companies are protected from the possibility of losing records of their shareholders. Private companies also benefit from blockchain as records are already transparent and readily available. Rather than hiring an advisor to review company documents, private companies employing blockchain technology will have records ready to go when conducting any capital market activity. Blockchain also dramatically reduced the amount of manual paperwork, since digital securities can be governed by smart contracts that preprogram protocols for their exchange. In addition, blockchain makes it easier for private companies to share information and data, while shareholders can feel confident that records are immutable and unable to be tampered with. 

 

Many companies are still in the early stages of adopting blockchain or are just beginning to consider its possibilities. Blockchain will only continue to be adopted by private companies both in the United States and around the world, improving the processes associated with private market transactions. The private market will benefit from increased transparency and efficiency, making transactions smoother for both companies and their shareholders.

What is the Role of a Corporate Secretary?

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A Corporate Secretary is a required position set forth by state corporation laws and is part of the ‘check and balance’ on board members and offers the board advice and support. While providing the company with advice on the state laws, they are also tasked with ensuring that board members maintain their fiduciary duties to shareholders. 

 

One way they do this is by accurately recording and maintaining the minutes for the board meetings they usually set up. Corporate secretaries are responsible for ensuring that an adequate number of board meetings are held and that scheduling coincides with the availability of board members. They are required to comply with meeting notices and often are responsible for other logistical arrangements. This is just one of the basic tenets of the position and typically remains a constant between companies. 

 

Corporate secretaries are essentially a compliance officer for board members, serving as a liaison between the board, officers, and shareholders while maintaining documents that are required to keep the board and company in compliance with regulations. They also direct the activities related to the annual meeting of shareholders and share transfers. As a note, while the corporate secretary does not need to be a lawyer, they need to have sufficient knowledge of corporate and securities law to ensure compliance, so a background in law can be helpful. They should also be as well-versed in the company’s business, understanding it thoroughly to be an effective corporate secretary.

 

Even though the role of the corporate secretary is dynamic and complex, varying slightly between companies, the basic function of the position can be boiled down to being responsible for providing support to the board, officers, and shareholders on business matters and the laws that apply to them. Whether it is setting up, facilitating, or creating the agenda of a board or annual shareholders meeting, a corporate secretary is an essential and mandatory part of a company’s structure in the modern world of business. 

Shareholder Rights and Why They’re Important to Know

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The first thought that comes to mind when someone says “shareholder,” is Wall Street, understandably, as Wall Street is home to the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ, the two largest stock exchanges in the world. In this sense, becoming a shareholder is dependent on owning stock. A common word in the financial industry, a stock is a unit of measure for how much of a company a shareholder owns. When it comes to the stock market found on Wall Street, those are stocks being traded in public companies, like Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. These are household names, but there are also privately-owned companies that you would know by name, like Koch Industries, Bloomberg, Staples, and Petsmart. These private companies also have shareholders, who have rights associated with their ownership in a private company. For private company shareholders, there are three major rights; access to information, voting rights, and the ability to attend and participate in meetings.

 

One quick comparison we can make between private and public companies is the number of shareholders they have. Because a public company has shares available on the stock market, there is a greater opportunity for everyday people to grab at least one share, while private companies traditionally have far fewer shareholders because there is less access. However, the JOBS Act is changing the landscape, allowing the everyday investor to access more investment opportunities in private companies through Regulation A+ and Regulation CF. These regulations allow investors to invest smaller amounts of money in exchange for shares of a private company. No longer are these types of investments limited to accredited, angel, and venture capital investors. 

 

However, this plays a role in the rights of shareholders due to the volume of your voice in meetings and decisions. One right that shareholders have is the ability to attend meetings on major decisions in the company. When there are fewer investors in a company, the louder your voice will be in the room. This is important because by owning a part of that company, shareholders gain the right to participate and attend meetings to protect their investment from decisions that they feel would misuse their funds.

 

As a shareholder, you have the right to vote on major decisions being made by the company that could very well change the direction of the company. This again goes back to protecting your investment, as investing in a private company is often a long-term investment. Private company earnings can be paid out to shareholders, but the more likely scenario for a shareholder in a private company, especially if it is not a particularly large company, is a liquidity event, such as going public, buying out shareholders, or by being able to offer shares for sale on a secondary market alternative trading system. Making sure that your investment is safe is why you have the right to vote on major decisions. The same is true for your access to information. As a shareholder in a private company, you have a right to know how the company is doing, to see how your investment is playing out.

 

It is important to know your rights as an investor whether it is in a public or private company because you have put your money in the hands of others with the expectation that they will use it to grow and make more money for you in the future. As an investor in a private company, you have more say than an investor in a public company by the fact that you are one of few as opposed to one of many. Use that power and protect your investment; remember that if you own stock, you own part of the company and have rights. 

What is the role of a CCO?

Posted on by Oscar Jofre

When it comes to business executives with acronyms, there are a few that come to mind fairly quickly: CEO (Chief Executive Officer), COO (Chief Operations Officer), and CFO (Chief Financial Officer). These are the well-known names, but there is one that has as recently as 2000 entered the business executive lexicon outside of the heavily regulated industries, like healthcare and financial services, and that is the CCO (Chief Compliance Officer). Historically, there are two reasons for a CCO to be a part of your business: Government regulations or security regulations. It is the role of the COO to lead their compliance officers in managing compliance risk so the business passes audits by the government or security audits.

 

The CCO role is generally on the executive level and who they report to is up to the company, but they play a very important role in the health of the company. They evaluate the company’s compliance issues and take steps to ensure that they do not become long-term problems. The CCO learns the laws and regulations that govern the company, which is essential as increases in regulations have made it necessary for an executive with a sophisticated skillset, so the rest of the company can focus on the business. The role of the CCO differs between public and private companies.

 

Many public companies (i.e. traded on the stock market) following the scandals of Enron and WorldCom in the early 2000s and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, created a position for a CCO and filled it. Basically, the United States Government required businesses to have a Chief Compliance Officer so that the companies would be compliant with the law the SEC created to regulate accounting in public businesses. 

 

In a private company, it is more likely that a CCO will be acting to prepare and manage the acquisition of security clearances like SOC 2 or ISO 27001. Security clearances are incredibly important to businesses looking to expand into servicing industries with sensitive material that require higher levels of security. For the CCO, Something like SOC 2 would be on their to-do list; they would create policies and manage the processes needed to pass the AICPA’s (American Institute of CPAs) Trust Service Criteria of Security, Availability, Confidentiality, and Privacy. This ensures that the consumer’s information is protected while still being available to use and disposed of properly. 

 

At the same time, CCOs for private companies must also ensure that if choosing to raise money, they meet all SEC requirements for their raise. Choosing to use financing methods such as Regulation A, Regulation CF, or Regulation D requires that companies follow the requirements set by the SEC, such as enforcing investor limits and ensuring that Blue Sky laws are met in each state the raise is taking place. Failure to comply with regulations can result in severe penalties and may require the company to refund investors.

 

Whether you are a part of a public or private company, a Chief Compliance Officer is a valuable part of your team. They are focused on making sure the company is compliant with compliance, government, or security regulations so the rest of the company can focus on their day-to-day functions without worry.

KorePartner Spotlight: Brian Belley, Founder and CEO of Crowdwise

Posted on by Oscar Jofre Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment on KorePartner Spotlight: Brian Belley, Founder and CEO of Crowdwise

With the recent launch of the KoreConX all-in-one RegA+ platform, KoreConX is happy to feature the partners that contribute to its ecosystem.

 

Brian Belley, founder and CEO of Crowdwise, has always been passionate about investing and alternative investments. By training, Brian is an aerospace engineer, but the JOBS Act represented the culmination of his interests. He took this as a great opportunity to build a platform providing a wealth of information centered around crowdfunding.

 

At Crowdwise, the primary service is free educational material for investors through courses and industry data on crowdfunding and early-stage investing. From his own experience and education on private investments, Brian understood what was most applicable to investors. The goal is to make this information easily digestible, translating data into the essentials that can be understood by new investors. Brain’s specialty lies in tech and early-stage startups, as well as analyzing industry data and trends. 

 

The private capital market is particularly existing for Brian because of the opportunities he foresees. In two to five years, the space will likely look completely different as it continues to be democratized and open to new investors. There are increasing opportunities for investors to build a diversified portfolio with broad investment types. At the same time, more investment opportunities for the everyday investor will lead to more access to capital, and new businesses will be able to come into existence because of it. 

 

Brian is excited about Crowdwise’s partnership with KoreConX, saying that it is completely about cooperation and building an ecosystem. He said: “not everyone has to be a competitor.” As more people continue to drive the private market forward, it will benefit everyone in the space, both investors and companies alike.

What is Portfolio Management?

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Portfolio management, at its most basic level, is the way that an investment portfolio is designed to align with the wants and needs of the investor. Portfolio management focuses on creating an investment strategy that factors in the goals set by the investor, the timeframe involved in the investment, and the risk tolerance of the investor.

 

This is done by picking a variety of kinds of investments like stocks, bonds, and other funds and monitoring and adjusting them as needed. There are two ways that portfolios are managed: actively and passively. Often, this will be decided by the risk tolerance that a specific investor has. With Regulation A+ and Regulation CF, the everyday investor can choose to invest in private companies as well, which significantly expand opportunities to be a part of new and exciting investments.

Active portfolio management is a hands-on approach that involves hiring portfolio managers who buy and sell stocks intending to outperform investment benchmarks. To try and outperform these benchmarks, portfolio managers have to take some risks in the investments they make. Some of these risks lead to big rewards, but as with all risks, they can also lead to large losses to the investor. Portfolio managers have a fiduciary responsibility to act in good faith regarding the investment, and also have fees attached to them based on the size of the portfolio and the return on investment of the portfolio. 

 

Passive portfolio management is a mostly hands-off approach where the investor is trying to match investment benchmarks rather than trying to outperform them. Portfolios that are managed passively are frequently managed by the investor, so no fees are going to a portfolio manager. Instead of buying and selling specific stocks, passive portfolios are usually invested in exchange-traded funds, index funds, or mutual funds. This is a very low-risk approach that values slow and consistent growth over time, making it a great long-term investment strategy.

 

There are four pillars in portfolio management: asset allocation, diversification, rebalancing, and tax minimization. Asset allocation is the practice of spreading your investment into a variety of different assets like stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. Good asset allocation means that an investor takes on a smaller amount of risk because investments are protected due to the various places that assets are allocated. Diversification is about making sure that investors don’t put all of their eggs in one basket, because if that investment fails, there is a lot of money to be lost.

 

Rebalancing is done every so often as a way to hit the reset button on asset allocation. Over time, some investments might be doing very well, while others might be doing very poorly. To maintain a low-risk nature, it is important to sell both assets that are doing well and ones that are not. Over time, market fluctuations might cause a portfolio to get off course from the goals that were originally set, so rebalancing keeps the train going down the right track. Tax minimization focuses on trying to keep as much of the money that your investment made as possible. Capital gains get taxed differently depending on what investments they came from and where. Investments in exchange-traded funds or mutual funds, for example, get taxed at a much lower rate than investments in stocks. The goal is to keep as much money as possible!

 

Whether you’re saving for your first house or saving for your dream house, good portfolio management will result in investors being able to set, meet, and surpass their financial goals. The right portfolio management strategies will help to build a worthwhile return.

 

There is a Market for Your Private Securities

Posted on by Oscar Jofre

KoreConX is proud to announce the upcoming KoreSummit event, “There is a Market for Your Private Securities.” The event, co-hosted with Rialto Markets, CrowdCheck, and Fintech.TV continues our mission of powering private markets with a half-day event dedicated to enhancing education on the availability and potential of the secondary market for private companies.

 

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021, join KoreConX, Rialto Markets, CrowdCheck, and other KorePartners to learn everything you need to know about a secondary market for private companies. Kicking off at 12:30 PM EST, the event begins with keynote speaker David Weild IV, Father of the JOBS Act. 

 

The opening session is followed by five panels featuring industry experts and thought leaders to bring you the most up-to-date information and insights into secondary markets. The first panel begins at 12:45 PM, titled: “What is Secondary Market Trading and How Does it Work?” This panel covers topics like blue sky laws, securities manuals, and ATS listings. 

 

Beginning at 1:45 PM is the second panel, “Building the Network: Diversifying Customer Acquisition.” This session covers strategies for successful and diverse customer acquisition. 

 

“Price Discovery & Research in Secondary Markets” is the third panel starting at 2:45 PM. The fourth session follows at 3:45 PM and is titled “What Companies Want to Know About Secondary Markets.” The event closes with the fifth and final panel at 4:15 PM, “Rialto Secondary Market for Companies, Investors, and Broker-Dealers.”

 

Join us for the KoreSummit event, There is a Market for Your Private Securities, starting at 12:30 PM EST on Wednesday, June 9, 2021. The event is free to attend and 100% online. You can register for attendance at: http://koresummit.io/

 

 

What is a Minute Book and Why is it Important?

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Unlike the name suggests, a minute book is by no means minute. As a business grows, a well-kept minute book becomes an essential record of all important company meetings and allows for the information to be easily accessed when required. With an up-to-date minute book, it makes it easier for companies to keep track of resolutions that affect financial transactions. If the company is ever audited, the minute book provides all the necessary information and references to documents in one place. Let’s break down what exactly you should find in a proper minute book.

 

A minute book should have the company’s certificate of incorporation that serves as proof of the company’s registration. This includes information such as the business’s address, company directors, voting rights, and the company’s purpose. The minute book should also have the company’s bylaws or the rules and regulations that the company and its officers must adhere to. Maintaining a record of bylaws ensures that the company is following the rules they have set to operate by.

 

The minute book typically contains the criteria by which the company’s Board of Directors and officers are chosen. For the Board of Directors, this may include how many are on the board and how long they are to serve.  For officers, it may include which ones are required for the company. In this section of the record, documents can also maintain a record of those who have previously served as a director or officer for the company. Additionally, the minute book should keep track of any meetings or communication with board members.

 

Maintained in the minute book is a record of shares and shareholders. Stock options granted to employees are kept track of, along with the number of shares the company is authorized to sell. Ensuring the company knows the limit to the shares they are legally allowed to sell is very important and is outlined in the certificate of incorporation. Additionally, companies usually maintain a record of any documents they’ve filed in their minute book. Having all documents filed in a common location makes them easier to track and refer back to when needed. Kept in this collection of documents are also various reports, whether they’re annual or special, so that they are easily accessed by authorized parties.

 

While keeping track of all of this information may seem like a daunting task, it is made easier by companies such as KoreConX. Integrated into its all-in-one platform, the KoreConX Minute Book ensures that all company documents are easily located and kept up-to-date. With all documents in a central location, both legal and board members can edit the material directly, without worrying about various versions that might exist offline. This consistency provides companies the ability to better manage their documents, ensuring that everything is accurate and easily accessed when needed.

 

An understanding of what goes into a proper minute book can help your company achieve success and transparency in business. In any situation where essential company documents are necessary, having them readily available cuts down on delays and frustration, making it a smoother process for everyone involved.

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