CfPA Highlights Achievement and Innovation at Inaugural Industry Awards Ceremony

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Rose Kauzeni 

Community Coordinator

Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA)

Email: coordinator@cfpa.org

Website: https://CfPA.org 

CfPA Highlights Achievement and Innovation at Inaugural Industry Awards Ceremony

Leading voice of the Regulated Investment Crowdfunding industry announces winners of industry awards following a successful 2024 Washington D.C. Summit  

Washington, D.C. (October 24, 2024) The Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA) is pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural CfPA Industry Awards, presented at the end of the CfPA hosted and organized Regulated Investment Crowdfunding Summit 2024. This prestigious event celebrated the most innovative minds and impactful projects shaping the future of the regulated investment crowdfunding industry.

The awards honor excellence across five key categories, highlighting success stories and pioneers driving positive change in the sector. 

1: Social Impact Award (Tie)

This award recognized a Reg CF issuer that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to creating measurable social change.

Winner #1: Citizen Portal
Citizen Portal is a non-partisan, AI-powered platform designed to enhance civic engagement, transparency, and democracy by making government actions more accessible. Citizen Portal raised $1.3 million (Reg CF) on StartEngine and empowers citizens and journalists with direct access to video recordings and AI-transcribed meetings from all levels of government.
(Website: https://citizenportal.ai/)

Winner #2: Edmondson Village by TREND
Through a Reg CF campaign on Small Change, TREND raised $454,000 to enable Black residents and entrepreneurs to co-own and profit from a local shopping center in Baltimore, MD. This effort addresses economic inequities in property ownership and aims to rejuvenate the community's economic fabric. (Website: https://www.smallchange.co/projects/Edmondson-Village)

2: Rocket Launch Award

Winner: ClearingBid.com

This award celebrated an explosive Reg CF debut and an issuer that raised from zero to $4.5 million (or more) in 180 Days or Less

ClearingBid, a groundbreaking platform providing open access to IPO investing, raised $5.0 million from over 4,000 investors in just 39 days. This impressive Reg CF debut allows everyday investors to participate in the IPO process, breaking down traditional barriers.
(Website: https://clearingbid.com/)

3: Trailblazer Award

Winner: Silicon Prairie Funding Portal

This award recognized a pioneer in Regulated Investment Crowdfunding infrastructure development who is paving the way for others (Reg CF or Reg A)

Silicon Prairie’s innovative VOTING feature gives shareholders the ability to influence governance decisions in real-time. This pioneering tool is a game changer in corporate governance, offering investors a new level of engagement and control.
(Website: https://sphi.io )

4: Cool Innovator Award

Winner: EnergyX

This awards honored a groundbreaking First-of-a-Kind (FOAK) or eco-friendly project paving the way for a greener future and a cooler planet (Reg CF or Reg A)

EnergyX’s technology revolutionizes lithium production, crucial for the renewable energy sector. Their eco-friendly process, which uses little to no fresh water and produces significantly lower CO₂ emissions, closed a $75 million Reg A round, positioning the company as a leader in sustainable energy solutions.
(Website: https://energyx.com/)

5: Pay it Forward Award

Winner: Robin Sosnow, Esq.

This award recognized a CfPA member or partner who exemplifies the spirit of “Paying It Forward” within the crowdfunding community. 

Robin Sosnow, the founder of Sosnow & Associates, was celebrated for her generosity and mentorship within the crowdfunding legal community. Her firm provides innovative legal strategies tailored to entrepreneurs in the crowdfunding space, earning her recognition for her contributions. (Website: https://jobsactlawyers.com )

“This year’s award winners represent some of the best of what the regulated investment crowdfunding industry has to offer - innovation, community impact, and leadership. It’s inspiring to see how these trailblazers are not only raising capital but also shaping the future of investing in a more inclusive, transparent, and accessible method for capital formation and wealth building,” said Brian Christie, 2024 President of the CfPA. “We look forward to continuing this tradition of recognizing excellence in our industry for years to come.”

The CfPA Industry Awards followed a dynamic two-day Summit, which began with advocacy visits to Capitol Hill and regulatory bodies on October 22, allowing participants to engage in important discussions around the future of regulated investment crowdfunding. Attendees capped off the day with a cocktail reception at Top of the Town, overlooking stunning views of Washington, D.C. Day two of the Summit, held on October 23, featured a robust agenda that included presentations and panel discussions on key topics such as the role of crowdfunding in leveling the playing field for under-represented founders, the evolving landscape of capital market technologies, tax incentives for wealth creation, and innovations in crowdfunding deal structuring. A highlight of the day was a fireside chat with SEC Commissioner Hester M. Peirce.  

About CfPA: The mission of the Crowdfunding Professional Association (CfPA), as restated in late 2022, is to foster the growth of the Regulated Investment Crowdfunding economy by supporting issuers and investors (and potential issuers and investors) and by working with intermediaries, including portal operators, and other Crowdfunding professionals in the broader Crowdfunding ecosystem. On behalf of these constituents and members, the CfPA advocates with regulators and legislators. The CfPA, a U.S. 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade group, carries out its mission through innovative programs, online publishing, annual gatherings, periodic webinars, and by providing guidance to investors and issuers alike. Learn more at https://CfPA.org, https://www.crowdfundingecosystem.com, or join as a member at https://cfpa.org/joinus

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