Lynn Johannson, Advisor, Sustainability and ESG
January 4th, 2024
Lynn Johannson, President of E2 Management Corporation and Catalyst for THE Collaboration
In a care[...]
Medtech Start-up VoCare Boutique Crowdfunds $1.1 Million on Own Website
Crowdfund Insider | By | March 22, 2019
VoCare is raising capital for the launch of a new Medtech device, the Vitals360; a smartphone-sized diagnostic device for the Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) and Point-of-Care verticals.
Current investors include AGS Capital and SAW Capital and tax credits are available to Indiana investors via the State of Indiana.
The Vitals360 eliminates the need for extra peripherals, hubs, and tablets for managing cardiac care, diabetes and other chronic conditions and offers cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled real-time data transfer to provider, patient and family portals. The Vitals360 device measurements include: (1) Blood Glucose, (2) Blood Pressure, (3) Pulse, (4) Oximetry, (5) Temperature, and (6) Electrocardiography (ECG).
When reviewing their options to raise capital, VoCare researched and consulted with a number of crowdfunding platforms. Their goal was a $2M capital raise via Reg D 506c for trials and sales and marketing so VoCare developed the PPM required for compliance. After several years in R&D for a “doctor’s office in your pocket” vitals device, the Vitals360 was moving through FDA approvals. VoCare’s goals also wanted to build a community and attract partners.
See: Search Finally. Canadian Securities Administrators Announce Intent to Harmonize & Improve Crowdfunding Exemption
The takeaway as VoCare wrapped up their search were four concerns:
- High platform fees
- Limited investor marketing support with the onus on issuer
- Deal clutter on the platforms
- The expectation by platforms that our current investors/prospects be added to their lists
What to do next? The equity crowdfunding platforms had a track record, expertise, systems, marketing tools, and an audience. Did those benefits justify the costs? For VoCare, the client felt the answer was no. So we asked ourselves can we use similar methods to crowdfund our raise directly on the VoCare website?
How did VoCare successfully crowdfund direct?
The strategy was to simulate some of the same tactics as the platforms but to also utilize some traditional processes – hence the “boutique crowdfunding” label, as the intended audience was accredited investors versus a mass crowdfunding.
As the equity crowdfunding industry matures, there are several great options for expert help in the space that issuers can consider.
So what was similar to platform-based equity crowdfunding?
Effective online story-telling
VoCare developed webpages that showcased their story of the Vitals360, the world’s first and only professional grade, hand-held medical device providing a 6-in-1 vitals diagnostic and remote monitoring solution. An easy to navigate pages on desktop and mobile featured a carefully structured pitch video, graphics and similar content structures to those found on platforms.
The investment page also effectively communicated the campaign metrics, massive market, competitive advantage and innovation as the core message. The home page was also utilized for additional traffic and exposure to the Limited Time Investment Opportunity.
Investor and prospect funnels
A content plan was developed to provide regular and timely communications on company progress, industry news, campaign milestones and help educate the sophisticated accredited investor audience on the opportunity.
See: How to Effectively Market an Equity Crowdfunding/Reg A+ Offering
For example, a sample campaign conveyed how Qualcomm Inc., world leader in 3G and next-generation mobile technologies, featured the Vitals360 at their booth at this past January at CES 2019 and that it was so well received that Qualcomm also showcased the device at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February.
Automated emails and campaigns were integrated with the page and a press releases section up as an archive on the corporate website to provide depth. Calendars integration ensured seamless follow-up by VoCare executives to elaborate on the opportunity and address any questions.
Leveraged momentum and timing
Business development and networking created a pool of early adopters so that momentum could be created in the first few weeks of the campaign. As a result over $600k USD was raised within a few weeks, the page updated accordingly and the progress sent to the growing list.
The advent of new government payment codes from The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) was also leveraged in messaging. With these new reimbursement codes, physicians are incentivized to drive more health care to the home, and leverage technology like VoCare’s Vitals360device.
A balance was struck between conservatism and the massive opportunity by only reporting on revenue and earnings projections in the US for device sales despite other market interest and other revenue models including data fees and blood monitoring strips.
How did the direct route differ from platform crowdfunding?
The front end of the investor experience was very similar to a platform but the back-end was largely handled off-line. Follow-up discussions and the actual investment process handling were completed offline. This created a nice mix between technology efficiencies and the personal touch of relationship building and high service levels. Not as seamless as a platform driven campaign but more personalized, more focused, less costly and quite effective.
A by-product of the VoCare campaign has also been considerable interest in distribution building on other partnerships including with industry heavyweights like GEMMS, of Harris Computer Systems, a division of Constellation Software, Inc. (TSX: CSU-T) and Chinese diabetes market leader SinoCare.
An issuer could also choose to add back-end functionality for a direct crowdfund via white-label solutions for contracts, accreditation and payments but VoCare felt they could handle the volume given there were significant minimum investments and that the sophisticated audience warranted a personal touch.
Continue to the full article --> here
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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Financing | April 11, 2025 OneVest Secures $20M in Series B to Build the Future of WealthTech in North America On January 29, 2025, Calgary and Toronto-based fintech firm OneVest announced the close of a $20 million Series B round, led by Salesforce Ventures and joined by Allianz Life Ventures, TIAA Ventures, and returning backers like OMERS Ventures, Deloitte Ventures, Fin Capital, Luge Capital, and Pivot Investment Partners. See: OneVest’s Rapid Expansion Powered by a $17M Funding Round led by OMERS Ventures OneVest estimates that $84 trillion of wealth will be passed down from Baby Boomers to Gen X and Millennials over the coming decades, creating a massive opportunity and challenge for financial institutions. OneVest's platform is positioned to offer financial institutions, such as banks, insurers, asset managers and RIAs, a module tech platform to build or upgrade their wealth management services. Companies ca upgrade outdated infrastructure by plugging in only the components they need, reducing time and cost to market. Amar Ahluwalia, CEO of OneVest: “We are tackling massive challenges in an industry that’s been traditionally slow to adopt new technologies. Having such esteemed investors solidifies our position to reimagine wealth management technology for enterprises across the U.S. and ...
Regulation | April 10, 2025 SEC Says Some Fully Backed, Payment-Only 'Covered Stablecoins' Aren’t Securities On April 4, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a statement that clarified some U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins may not be considered securities. While the statement was welcomed and creates some breathing room for crypto and fintech projects, the announcement ignited an internal debate at the SEC and many are wondering what's next. Covered Stablecoins The SEC said certain U.S. dollar-backed stablecoins (referred to as 'Covered Stablecoins') are not considered securities if they have all of the following characteristics: Stablecoin must maintain a 1:1 fixed value equal to the U.S. dollar, without fluctuations Each stablecoin must be fully backed by an equivalent amount of high quality assets such as U.S. Treasury bills, cash, or cash equivalents that can be redeemed on demand. These assets must be held in custody and verified regularly No expectation of profit - cannot be promoted as an investment or marketed in a way that leads buyers to expect profit from simply holding the token See: U.S. Senate Moves to Regulate Stablecoins No voting rights, control over the issuer, or shares in any profit or management decisions (no governance) ...
Funding | April 10, 2025 Regulation Crowdfunding Markets Show Tariffs Straining Innovation Economy Regulation Crowdfunding (RegCF) has proven to be a resilient market for early stage entrepreneurs and investors alike. When uncertainty strikes, it's often traditional venture capital that pulls back, while the community-driven model continues to offer early stage start-ups access to capital allowing them to innovate. However, just in from Sherwood (Woodie) Neiss, NCFA Advisor and Principal at Crowdfund Capital Advisors, data shows that tariffs are starting to strain RegCF markets - from March 10 to April 9, 2025: RegCF investment volumes declined by 24% (yoy) to just $57.48 million New campaign launches dropped over 40% Number of investor checks also declined by 15% Average capital raise size dropped to $720,000 (from $1.2 million) Sherwood Neiss, Principal at Crowdfund Capital Advisors: “We’re seeing the first real signs of pullback in what has otherwise been a resilient funding ecosystem. The numbers tell a story not of panic, but of pause. Investors and issuers alike are waiting for clarity—on costs, on policy, and on risk.” Tariffs Introduce New Risks for Early-Stage Companies In a volatile environment where U.S. tariffs are levied one day, and then paused the next, founders must now face ...
Economy | April 10, 2025 Trump Temporarily Halts Tariffs for Most Countries But Keeps Pressure on Canada, Mexico, and China On April 10, 2025, President Trump announced a 90-day pause on most of the newly implemented global trade tariffs after market backlash and political pressure. The break was extended to countries in Europe, Asia, and parts of South America, but Canada, Mexico, and China are still under tariff pressure. Strategic Pause, Not for Everyone While Trump paused the most recent tariffs for over 75 countries, U.S. tariffs still apply to Canada and Mexico primarily on cars and auto parts (25%), steel (25%), aluminum (10%), and some agricultural products like dairy, grains, and processed foods, and continue to affect cross border trade in manufacturing and farming sectors. Trump's pause also didn't apply to China In fact, Tariffs on Chinese good were raised to 125%, as China hit back with an 84% tariff on U.S. goods and filed new complaints with the World Trade Organization. See: Klarna Delays IPO As Markets React to Trump’s Tariffs After the tariff pause was announced, markets surged with the S&P 500 exploding 9.5%, the largest one day gain since World War II, according to Business Insider ...
Funding | April 9, 2025 Toronto’s Tailscale Secures $230M and $2B Valuation for Identity-First Networking On April 8 2025, Toronto-based Tailscale announced that they raised $230 million CAD Series C (about $160 million USD), valuing the company at approx $2 billion CAD. The round was made up of U.S. investors, led by Accel, CRV, Insight Partners, Heavybit, and Uncork Capital, along with some prominent individual investors notably George Kurtz CEO of CrowdStrike (returning investor) and Anthony Casalena CEO of Squarespace. New funds will be used to grow product and engineering teams, expand globally, and improved support for fast scaling customers. Tailscale - A Shift from IP Addresses to Identity Tailscale was founded in 2019 by former Google engineers Avery Pennarun, David Crawshaw, David Carney, and Brad Fitzpatrick, and officially launched in April 2020 to help users connect devices and apps securely without relying on traditional VPNs, IP rules, or firewalls. Tailscale uses a technology called WireGuard which is easy to setup and lets devices connect directly to each other, safely and privately. What's unique about Tailscale is its approach to solving networking challenges. Instead of relying on where a device is located (IP address), it focuses on who or what is connecting. This ...
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