Crowdfunding Assignment

Crowdfunding Assignment:

Students will investigate some of the current crowdfunding sites and present three opportunities in which they would be willing to invest their money or pre-purchase a product.

Students will have to draw from two out of the three different types of crowdfunding sites:

1. A crowdfunding site which allows people to investing in a company with equity.
2. A crowdfunding site which allows people to lend entrepreneurs money.  This can also be described to as peer to business lending.  Note, this is not peer to peer lending where one person lends someone money so they can buy a stereo.
3. A site which you can support an entrepreneur by donating money and you receive a reward usually a pre-purchase of a product.  (Kickstarter)

Given the rules to access information on some opportunities on peer to business lending does change you do not have to use this type of site if you find it challenging.  You still have to present THREE opportunities, but they can come from A & C only if you which.

The assignment is NOT you reviewing the crowdfunding sites but finding businesses or ideas that you think merit investment or entrepreneurs you wish to support via pre-purchase.  This is what you write the paper about.  Again you write about three different businesses.

Students will prepare a five to nine-page report discussing the following:

1. The product/company they selected to invest in or pre-purchase the product. Students should explain why they selected the company and/or product.  Students should explain:

• What made the company interesting to them
• Why they think this product or company will be successful
• Terms of investment or donation for a reward site.

2. Students should discuss:

• The market potential for the product
• Advantages the product and company has
• Potential competition where you evaluate how the product/company compare
• Any other factors.

3. Link to the site.

4. Students should conclude the report with a two to three page reflection where they must discuss:

• What they learned in completing the assignment
• How entrepreneurs are using crowdfunding
• The types of pitches entrepreneurs are using and so forth
• What students found surprising, interesting, and relevant.

5. To earn an outstanding to excellent grade.  Students should:

• Read the text, articles on crowdfunding, and compare and contrast what they have learned, what they agree with, what is new information and so forth.
• Interject information from the text into their reflection. This it not repeating information but considering what is written and comparing/contrasting it to your thoughts and findings.
• Interject information from our optional videos or other sources.

Tips/Help:

Historically, there have always been students who ask the instructor ‘Where do I get this information?’.  To avoid this, I am going to offer the following:  Pretend this is a job assignment for which you have been given clear instructions and it is up to you to find the information yourself.  If I was a student, I would start with Google, I would discuss it with my peers and/or family, I would read the textbook, and I would make sure to read online articles.    That is what I would do.  You may choose to find this information another way and I will leave it to you to determine the best method to complete the assignment.

Students should recognize that there are a variety of crowdfunding sites and the differences between them.  You will not be able to complete this project only using one crowdfunding site.