StarsUp is a portal, authorized by Consob (the 1st in Italy), for the online collection of risk capital by innovative companies (start-ups and SMEs).
The activity is therefore the so-called “equity crowdfunding”, increasingly popular worldwide, which is characterized, compared to other forms of fundraising (“funding”), by being addressed, online, to a large number of recipients (“crowd”) by offering equity instruments issued by start-ups and SMEs.
StarsUp was created following a recent careful analysis of the entrepreneurial system, on the basis of which it was observed that
- a large number of (unlisted) companies, organisations or entrepreneurs would need capital to be able to start and/or develop valid entrepreneurial projects, also of a social nature, which, however, often remain “on paper”. Even for the “most talented” initiatives, raising capital is the most difficult phase to overcome and, as a result, many “potentially very successful” companies fail to get off the ground;
- many people, professional investors or individuals, have financial liquidity (even in small amounts) that they would gladly invest in entrepreneurial or social initiatives of their liking, to diversify their portfolio of activities, to obtain a (possible) future economic benefit, for entrepreneurial spirit and/or the desire to be part of a successful initiative. However, they often have no knowledge of initiatives that might interest them.
Crowdfunding, and in particular equity crowdfunding, was born precisely to respond to these needs.
