New York, April 16, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After the astounding success of the first real estate investing conference last 14 November 2013 where Barry Sternlicht of Starwood Capital and the leading real estate crowdfunding firms inspired and equipped the crowd, real estate investors and industry professionals hanker for more.
This 2nd Global Real Estate Crowdfunding Conference, like its predecessor, is working hard to be not your average and typical real estate conference.
It should not be hard: Crowdfunding has been growing by leaps and bounds in recent times. It's clear that this traction that real estate crowdfunding produces will even go far and wide. As a tradition, when a company wants to take their business venture another notch higher, they employ conventional ways to raise funds - that is, seeking out banks and professional investors to secure that much-needed capital. However, entrepreneurs are now able to raise funds from a group of smaller investors via online crowdfunding platforms.
"Crowdfunding platforms for real estate allows even non-accredited investors to invest directly in their local community or city," says David Drake, founder and chairman of The Soho Loft. "To a great extent, this has impacted several neighborhoods as people built places they cared about through public ownership," Drake adds.
The rehabilitation of the iconic Marcus Bookstore in Washington, DC, through the platform Fundrise, is one example of this. On the other end of the spectrum, BD Bacata, the first and tallest skyscraper in Bogota, Colombia, which raised over $200 million from over 3,500 investors through Prodigy Network, is one of the largest capital raise in the history of crowdfunding to date.
The conference then offers a unique window into a historical and monumental shift in real estate investing. If you are involved in real estate or closely following the changes and journey of this industry, you have to be there where the action is to witness history unfold.
But it offers more than that. The conference will also feature the roles and opportunities for family offices, venture capital, angel networks and private equity who are now looking to support and strengthen the infrastructure needed by crowdfunding platforms, firms and investors.
Peer-to-peer real estate lending via crowdfunding platforms allows for a symbiotic work towards the goal of building communities and growing wealth. Carlo Tabibi, a 20-year real estate veteran, co-founder and CEO of Patch of Land believes that the impact of the lifting of the ban in general solicitation under the 80-year old SEC regulations will be most felt in the real estate industry and will continue to make significant inroads in its investor engagement
Delivering the keynote at this event is Richard Russo, VP Development at Morgans Hotel Group, owner of Delano and Mondrian Hotels. The Morgans Hotel Group is the same group who will manage the hotels being built in Colombia and Galapagos Islands by Stock & Fund Managers led by Alexander Oppenheimer, VP Sales and Marketing.
The speakers and topics for the day:
Keynote: Richard Russo, Morgans Hotel Group, VP for Development
Moderator: David Drake, The Soho Loft, Founder and Chairman
Panel 1: Real Estate Crowdfunding Trends and Growth
Speakers:
Sydney Armani, Crowdfund Beat Founder
Benjamin Miller, Fundrise Co-Founder
Jilliene Hellman, Realty Mogul Founder and CEO
William Skelley, iFunding Founder
Carlo Tabibi, Patch of Land Co-Founder and CEO
Panel 2: Real Estate Investments by Family Offices
Speakers:
Richard Aidekman, Prime Realty Services Inc. Principal and Co-Founder
Dan Farrell, Privos Capital Chairman and CEO
Michael Felman, LDJ Capital Fund Advisory Director
Rebekah Woo, Crimson Capital Principal
Panel 3: Crowdfunding Strategies: How do you Crowdfund your Real Estate?
Speakers:
Lita Dwight, Sterling Green Corp Senior Vice President
Stefano Zaccaria D'Aniello, Groundbreaker Co-Founder and COO
Brian Dally, Groundfloor Co-Founder and CEO
Panel 4: Global Platforms and Investors: Crowdfunding from Foreign Investors
Speakers:
Alessandro Lerro, Lerro & Partners Founder
Rodrigo Nino, Prodigy Network Founder and CEO
Bruce Lipnick, Asset Alliance (Family Office) CEO and Chairman
Nick Jekogian, Signature Community Investment Group Founder and CEO
As an added perk, all companies can attend the Pitching Workshop Breakfast from 8am-10am. This workshop will help companies construct that concise and winning elevator pitch based on what investors need to hear to make an investment decision.
"Crowdfunding is highlighting the fact that the old ways of raising capital are just not enough today. We need to be part of a collaborative platform such as this to be able to bring more power-packed financial innovative ideas into action," says Joe Rubin, Director of FundingPost.
The event will also give everyone - investors and entrepreneurs alike - the chance to hobnob and swig cocktail glasses before and after the panels and during the Lunch and Cocktail Party.
For those who have an awesome project to demonstrate, you can set up your exhibit booth at the event. You will be given a two-minute elevator pitch in person to the panel of investors during the event. As an additional advantage, entrepreneurs can submit a one-fourth-page summary of their companies to the panel of investors and speakers. All investors will get a chance to get your company description and information.
For those seriously studying this emerging industry, Times Realty News (www.timesrealtynews.com), the only real estate crowdfunding news website, has created the definitive guide with the TRN (Times Realty News) 2014 Top 10 Realty Crowd Fund Report, distributed exclusively in collaboration with The Soho Loft and Victoria Global through this conference. This is available for $499 only.
For a limited time only: Pre-order the TRN 2014 Top 10 Real Estate Crowdfunding Report worth $499 with the Event Pass worth $785 for only $1099 (to save $185) until April 23.
To register for the conference and/or to pre-order the TRN Top 10 Report, go to:
http://thesoholoft.com/conferences/global-real-estate-crowdfunding-conference-ii-new-york-city/
Watch for more conferences happening across the country and around the world by The Soho Loft. The next one may be in your city.
Visit www.thesoholoft.com/upcoming-conferences for more information.
About The Soho Loft (www.thesoholoft.com)
The Soho Loft - The Voice of Capital Formation - is a global financial media company with three divisions in Corporate Communications, Publishing and Expos & Events.
TSL Corporate Communications division handles Public Relations, Investor Relations and Social Media Marketing for its clients. TSL Expos & Events division organizes up to 200+ investor-focused events annually and TSL Publishing division produces financial and entrepreneurial content that is published and syndicated in 100+ leading online publications and growing.
As The Voice of Capital Formation, The Soho Loft Media Group is your global communications partner for your equity and investment strategies.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Victoria Global (www.victoriaglobal.co)
Victoria Global is your leading content and communications marketing partner with expertise and network in both institutional investing and crowd financing. With a history deeply intertwined with financial innovation, Victoria Global offers an integrated approach to cutting edge public and investor relations using balanced and multi-tiered systems and strategies.
The Victoria Global integrated approach is a balanced approach: Combining thought leadership and targeted engagement to drive a positive, sustainable and long-term impact to building brand awareness and loyalty.
The Victoria Global integrated approach is a multi-tiered approach: Linking traditional media channels and strategic optimization of new media like blogger outreach, social networks, platforms and technologies to propel a creative, organic and solid growth to customer and audience engagement.
As your leading content and communications marketing partner, Victoria Global is all about knowing and connecting with your crowd.