What’s the deal with equity crowdfunding, and should I do it?
What’s changed? The updated legislation passed on September 12, including an amendment from Labor which means it will come into effect in 28 days. Equity crowdfunding will now be available to private companies, but there are still some restrictions. Companies must have less than $25 million in turnover and gross assets, and funds raised will be restricted to $5 million each year. Startups using the method will also be subject to transaction rules and stringent reporting and disclosure obligations, with annual reports and directors’ reports required. Once companies raise $3 million or more, they will also be subject to auditing requirements. Matt Vitale, co-founder of equity crowdfunding platform Birchal, tells […]
Melbourne millennial fintech Pelikin lands partnership with global payments provider Tuxedo
Melbourne travel and banking app Pelikin has partnered with global finance technology provider Tuxedo Money Solutions, to deliver the startup’s multi-currency prepaid debit card offering. Specialising in prepaid and alternative finance solutions, Tuxedo will power the payment technology and prepaid card offered by Pelikin. Founded in 2006 in the United Kingdom, Tuxedo has now grown through exciting partnerships, hosting transactions in over 200 territories worldwide and processing just under $2 billion in card loads. Technical Director of Tuxedo Nicholas Holt shared that he is excited to partner with such a cutting edge startup. “We’re very excited to partner with Pelikin and be a part of their journey, as well as […]
Anger grows over crowdfund farce
Anger is growing over “farcical” delays to passing the equity crowdfunding bill that would extend the regime to private Australian companies, with the scheme now unlikely to come into effect until the end of the year. There are also concerns that cuts to corporate regulator ASIC will further slow the implementation of the scheme, which has been in the works since early 2013. Amendments to the Corporations Act allowing private companies to undertake a crowdsourced equity funding round were introduced to Parliament last September. Despite broad support by the Opposition, the bill was not passed in the House of Representatives until February this year. It has now spent three months […]
FinTech startup Pelikin looks to recruit Gen Y investors
After a highly successful expression of interest campaign on equity crowdfunding platform Birchal, Melbourne FinTech startup Pelikin is continuing to rally millennials to invest in Pelikin. Encouraging Gen Y Professionals to invest in the banking alternative with as little as $100, Pelikin is hoping to get as many users as possible over the next month to be involved in building the travel banking app. Pelikin Founder Sam Brown said the younger market was the reason behind the development and creation of the app, so it was a natural progression for them to be a part of the Pelikin growth journey. “Rather than buying a house, Gen-Y are more interested in […]
New Pelikin app fits the bill for globetrotting millennials
Digital banking start-up Pelikin aims to reshape the way people save, send and spend their money in Australia and while travelling abroad. The company’s slogan is “spend like a local”. It will be targeting “digital natives” with its app and debit card. It hopes to launch by mid-2018 and is currently seeking expressions of interest for investment on Birchal, an Australian equity crowdfunding platform. “Acting as a transactional base for funds, Pelikin wants to create a seamless digital experience between everyday banking and travel banking; an important element for a younger market who are known for their tech-savvy and globetrotting lifestyle,” the company explains. It is currently beta testing features […]
Bank-in-an-app startup Pelikin has launched a crowfunding equity raise
Pelikin, a banking alternative designed for digital natives, today launched a $400,000 equity raise on crowdfunding platform Birchal. The fintech startup is founded by 28-year-old Sam Brown, who wants to disrupt traditional retail banking with a more efficient way to manage money in Australia and while travelling abroad. Pelikin users will be able to control and spend in multiple currencies at once, all from the one app and with one debit card, as well as transfer money to other Pelikin users instantly and free. “We’re not ex bankers who’ve had an epiphany that the retail banking world needs to change; we’re frustrated, everyday banking customers who are dedicated to making […]
Australia’s fintech industry wants to remove roadblocks for private company equity crowdfunding
Australia’s fintech industry has called for the fast adoption of stalled private company equity crowdfunding legislation to help more Australian small-to-medium sized businesses access the funds they need to grow. Legislation supporting crowdfunding for private companies was introduced to the House of Representatives in September last year hasn’t progressed. FinTech Australia chair Stuart Stoyan today called on Federal MPs to work together to give priority to the legislation when Parliament returns next week. He also called on legislation to start immediately after passing the Australian Parliament rather than a six month delay. The legislation would give hundreds of thousands of Australian businesses the ability to crowdsource up to $5 million […]
First crowdfund licences granted
Even though the Australian government failed to pass amendments to the equity crowd source funding (CSF) regime before the end of last year, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has granted seven companies licences to allow them to act as CSF intermediaries under the regime. The first batch of licences has been issued to Big Start, Billfolda, Birchal Financial Services, Equitise, Global Funding Partners, IQX Investment Services and On-Market Bookbuilds. “ASIC has been assessing applications as a matter of priority, as suitable intermediaries needed to be licensed before fundraising under the new regime could commence,” said ASIC commissioner John Price. “Intermediaries have an important gatekeeper role which will be […]
