Welcoming delegates and acknowledging sponsors and partners while setting out the mission of the summit: shaping the future of finance together to find how we can eliminate inequality in access to capital and incentivize the most impactful ventures. 

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SPECIAL LIVE OPERA PERFORMANCE BY DANIELA PODOBEA & ASHLEY FAATOALIA

The notoriously low liquidity of early stage companies remains one of the main obstacles for attracting experienced investors and equity crowdfunders who are understandably cautious when an IPO or a buyout is not on the horizon.

Key discussion points:

• Accessing private equity and debt via online platforms: rules, issues & top platforms
• What types of companies are best positioned to take advantage of RegA+ aka “mini-IPOs”?
• What are the novel emerging venture exchange platforms and how they are different from the OTC Markets Group, the leading and the oldest venture exchange in the U.S.?
• How cryptocurrency exchanges and tokenization of digital assets will be changing the existing financing landscape in the U.S. and internationally?
• What can we expect on the regulatory side in 2018-2020?

It is official – the amount raised via Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) has surpassed earliest-stage venture capital so far in 2017. The current venture financing system is extremely complex and a new decentralized financial system is set to remove layers of intermediation while rewarding those new ventures which are fully capable of leveraging their network effects. Will the system mature to serve as a reliable financing tool while eliminating bad actors?

Key discussion points (debate):

• Basics: Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Token Crowdfunding, Smart Contracts, DAO, ICO
• What kind of companies/industries might think of staging ICOs?
• How to evaluate risks in investing in ICOs and cryptocurrencies and spot bad actors?
•Who is who in the new emerging industry: main players, platforms and service providers
• Legal landscape, rules in the U.S./world and what’s next

Historically, only fewer than 1% of companies have raised capital from VCs and today non-VC sources of financing are growing rapidly. However, capital issued by a VC firm remains the most desirable and celebrated among entrepreneurs who trust the VC firm brings much more than just money to the table but also expertise and guidance.

Confessions points:

• What kind of teams & industries are likely capable of providing the financial returns we are looking for?
• What are our typical terms and how do we collaborate or compete with other funds and investors?
• The truth about valuation, exits and should startups really worry about profitability?
• What we think about the rise of AI as well as crowdfunding, cryptocurrencies and ICOs?
• What future trends and potential disruptions we might expect in the world of venture capitalists and how we are going to adapt?

Exclusive Presentation for World Funding Summit

KEY QUESTIONS

• Fundamentals of royalty finance
• Equity retention versus cash flows
• Revenue share investing
• Tax implications
• Exchange traded royalties
• Complimentary tools and websites

Fireside chat interview with Rupert Scofield, micro-finance legend who grew his company from a single village bank to an organization with 10,000 employees and over 1.6 million clients across five continents

Financial technology and blockchain have become the greatest driver for small business capital formation in a generation and are connecting the world in new ways.

Key discussion points:

• Global fundraising landscape for private equity: traditional options vs alternative
• What works best: estimated costs, marketing, and regulatory compliance
• Leading platforms, family offices and other incumbents to work with on a global scale
• Liquidity for crowdfunded ventures: world best practices and examples
• Foreseeable trends, issues and impact

Angel investors and crowdfunders remain as one of the most valuable and often the only source of capital early stage companies can count on.

Key discussion points:

• Finding the angel: what are the most active angel groups, syndicates and leading platforms
• Veteran angels vs inexperienced angels aka crowdfunders: motivations, investment criteria and favorite platforms
• How does a portfolio approach apply to crowdinvesting
• Corporate angels for impact and social entrepreneurship
• Future trends and predictions

Venture Financing Redefined – War Stories and Invaluable Insights From Top Financiers and Entrepreneurs

IPO Interrupted: Liquidity Evolution and Future Paths to Success

Goldman Sachs 10,000 small businesses initiative: $500 million investment program

Obtaining foreign capital through investment visas/EB-5 programs

Film financing: how I found the winning formula

Non-tech entrepreneurs with impactful businesses but no visible exit strategy, scientists with projects in need of long-term “patient” finance, and founders with a limited capital network have been experiencing recurring problems with attracting investors. Learn from those who are resolving the problem.

PAUL BLANCHARD: Modern PR for Modern Founders: the Inconvenient Truth and What Really Works

DR. SAMIR DAMANI: Blockchain: Changing Health Care Through Patient Empowerment