[Event] SEC’s Virtual Small Business Forum

Announcing [Event] SEC’s Virtual Small Business Forum:

June 18, 2020, 12 PM – 5:30 PM Eastern Time

We are glad to inform you that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is hosting a virtual event in an effort to bring the public and private sectors together. The 39th Annual Government-Business Forum on Small Business Capital Formation is a great opportunity to create public policy solutions that provide much-needed support for emerging businesses and their investors. 

One primary focus for this year’s event will be minority-owned, women-owned, and rural business investing, according to the SEC event press release. Both private companies and smaller public companies, along with their investors, will find important information on how they can move forward and grow, despite all the challenges caused by the pandemic. In addition, the event will feature a few captivating startups and small-cap business success stories. Expected attendees include small business leaders, investors, and other market participants, entrepreneurs, and small business capital formation thought leaders.

Please keep in mind that although the event is free, the SEC still requires attendees to register in advance on its Virtual Small Business Forum website. Unlike most webinars and online workshops have been popping up lately, this unique forum will offer multiple opportunities to truly collaborate in drafting SEC policies affecting both the private placement and public markets for smaller companies.

Notably, for Chairman Jay Clayton, the event is an important forum where he can hear the experiences of issuers and investors first-hand. “Every year we take back valuable insights that shape our perspectives on capital formation and investor protection efforts,” Clayton said, as quoted in the press release.

Interestingly, the SEC began holding this special annual forum pursuant to the Small Business Investment Incentive Act of 1980. On June 18, the forum will utilize videoconferencing and will be streamed live. We were hoping to bring you the scoop on speakers, scheduled topics, and other useful tidbits for our readers who might consider attending this online event. Please note that as of June 5, the SEC has not yet posted the event agenda. Please be assured that the SEC will update its Virtual Small Business Forum website with details and breaking news as it happens.

We believe that the SEC’s free virtual forum will be of special interest to accredited investors because the SEC drafts the policies that permit them to engage in a variety of private placement market offerings available only to them. The private placement market presents opportunities for angel investors to jumpstart the growth of a startup or other small business, not yet ready for public markets. On the other hand, it can also complicate the investment process somewhat, due to fewer offering disclosures and specific regulations. For instance, when issuers utilize an SEC registration exemption offered under Rule 506(c) of Regulation D of the Securities Act, they may sell their offering only to accredited investors. As an accredited investor verification service, VerifyInvestor.com facilitates and simplifies the process of becoming an accredited investor. For issuers, VerifyInvestor.com works with experienced attorneys who conduct the appropriate documentation reviews to ensure that all investors in a particular offering pass the requisite income or net worth tests.