Blog
-
Millennial Trends in Investing and Infrastructure Crowdfunding
What happens to a generation raised during the greatest recession the world had ever experienced? It produces generational trends that starkly contrast with previous generations. Generation X trusted large institutions and believed in owning houses by the age of 28. Millennials are increasingly turning away from banks and renting apartments. Beyond these trends, there are…
-
Turning Infrastructure on It’s Head with New Business Models
The public investment and ownership model for infrastructure assets isn’t working anymore. As the infrastructure funding gap increases, it’s time for us to find and invest in new business models for constructing and maintaining key infrastructure assets. This means looking for new revenue streams and rethinking life cycle costs. We often think about private investment…
-
Evaluating ConTech for your next Investment
In 2015 and again in 2020, the SEC published new rulings that allow companies to offer and sell securities through online portals. This ruling gave birth to regulation crowdfunding. Investment opportunities, once restricted to banks and venture capital firms, opened to millions of individuals. Since then, dozens of crowdfunding platforms have registered with the SEC… -
Democratize Investments in ConTech and Drive Industry Innovation
In 2016, McKinsey published a scathing report of the construction industry. As compared to other industries, the report found that the construction industry had not only stagnated in terms of productivity, it was declining. In addition to that, the construction industry had the least amount of digitization. The only sector to lag behind construction was… -
Infrastructure Industries are ready for COVID Stimulus Funds
COVID-19 has highlighted many, once (nearly) invisible, issues. Inequality in our communities. Lack of healthcare capacity. The negative effects of isolation. While these issues are now widely discussed, there is one issue that has remained obvious for years: the United States needs to invest in critical infrastructure systems. Prior to COVID, the United States was…
-
Closing the Racial Wealth Gap with Crowdfunding
Like many of you, we’ve spent the last few weeks grappling with the roots and current state of social unrest throughout the country. As part of better understanding the underlying tensions of the racial divides in America, we have focused on the ways in which InfraShares can be a mechanism for reducing inequalities by building…
-
Crowdfunding and Recessions: Two Peas in a Pod?
During recessions, banks and institutional investors, once eager to take on smaller projects and riskier ventures, tighten their lending standards and slow down investment outflows. The government can counteract these trends with loan programs and credit enhancements. But, during a recession, these dollars dry-up quickly, leaving businesses reeling. Even under these conditions, recessions can catalyze…
-
SEC Issues Emergency Rules to Facilitate Title III Crowdfunding During COVID-19 Crisis
The SEC has adopted temporary rules to make Title III Crowdfunding a little easier from now until August 31, 2020. They aim to make Title III Reg CF crowdfunding offerings easier to launch in four ways: The relief will apply to offerings launched between May 4, 2020, and August 31, 2020. Companies raising up to $250,000 will… -
InfraShares Co-Founder Brian Ross Featured in BerkeleyHaas Magazine
Infrastructure allows societies to thrive. But too often, whether because of funding constraints or political in-fighting, development of roads, bridges, airports, mass transit, water systems, and more is ignored until a crisis occurs. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ Infrastructure Report Card estimates that nearly $4.6 trillion of investment is needed in the U.S.… -
Investing in Infrastructure Assets Through Self Directed IRAs
Self Directed IRA Basics You may have heard the terms Self Directed IRA, Alternative IRA, or Real Estate IRA before, but you are probably wondering: What exactly is a Self Directed IRA? What benefits does it offer? What kind of impact can a Self Directed IRA have on my retirement portfolio? Self Directed IRA…