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Trophy Hunting – I just don’t understand

Like many animal lovers, my first reaction was outrage at the senseless death of Cecil the lion by Walter Palmer. I let my first draft post that reflected my outrage subside into thought – I just couldn’t understand why a successful American dentist would feel the need to take the life of a beautiful African creature. Then I learned that …
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Note to the SEC on Accredited Investor Definition

8 June 2014

 

The Honorable Mary Jo White, Chairman

US Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F St. NE

Washington, DC  20549

 

RE:  Accredited Investor Definition

 

Dear Chairman White:

 

As a board member of the Angel Capital Association (ACA) and the Chair of the Seattle Alliance of Angels, I urge the Commission to protect angel funding to ensure …
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Comment to the SEC

November 4, 2013

Elizabeth Murphy, Secretary

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street NE

Washington, DC 20549

 

Re: File No. S7‐06‐13, Amendments to Regulation D, Form D and Rule 156

Dear Ms. Murphy:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide comments to the Commission on your proposed amendments to Regulation D and Form D.  Many others have provided …
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Why is the ACA making a big deal about the SEC proposed ruling?

I am being asked, why is the SEC proposed ruling such a big issue?

Unless you read the entire ruling and get to talk either directly or indirectly to SEC staff, it doesn’t seem like a big issue.

Simply put, the proposed SEC ruling is (a) trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist; (b) will increase risk in our …
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Too Much Complexity, so Tell the SEC

As a rule I live by, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” The new SEC rules violate that basic principle (see: http://www.startuplawblog.com/ or my previous posts). There is virtually no fraud in the Angel Investing asset class, but the SEC has decided to impose (without a Congressional mandate) stringent new rules that will cripple angel investing.

Let me use …
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They’re at it again!

The SEC just announced some new rules, based largely on the requirements of the JOBS Act. These rules, on their surface, seem really great. They acknowledge the rise in angel investing by allow companies to seek out angels nationally via “general solicitation.” Unlike Crowdfunding, which allows companies to seek investment from the general public, these rules apply ONLY to accredited …
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Angel Syndication – Regulatory and Legal Framework

Frequent readers of my blog know that I am active in public policy on behalf of angels. They also know that I am a nerd and about as far from a lawyer as you can get. So, they should take this post in that spirit.

When angels purchase stock in a startup, they must certify to the issuer that they …
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Angel Deal Syndication

As the VC market has (in general) moved upstream to later and later-stage deals, angel investors have filled the breach by not only investing at the seed stage, but also carrying deals through to exit. As a result, an increasing number of angels are joining groups (like the Alliance of Angels). As these groups reach their capital capacity in a …
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General Solicitation

Once again, through inadvertent action, the federal government is about to threaten Angel Investing. This all started as a way to increase investment in startups, when congress passed, and the Obama signed the JOBS Act (see: http://blog.drosenassoc.com/?p=97). Title II of the JOBS Act allows “General Solicitation and Advertising” of private placements (like Angel deals). One would think this is …
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