Spotlight on Crowdfunding at the European Business Angels Network Event in Istanbul

Jan. 16, 2013 - PRLog -- There are a quite a handful of remarkable things to do in Turkey this winter in January – like haggle your way for the best rug from over 5,000 peddlers in a jam-packed Turkish market or chill by the Bosphorus River while drinking raki and swaying to some fasil folk music. Or perhaps join the 11th Winter University summit held by the European Trade Association for Business Angels, Seed Funds and other Early Stage Market Players (EBAN), to be hosted in İstanbul on Jan. 17-18.

This two-day event will bring together academics, policy-makers, social, business and institutional entrepreneurs, business angels, and other stakeholders to highlight investor models for start-ups that bring together wealth creation and social justice. EBAN holds a summit called Winter University every year. The summit brings hundreds of angel investors (http://thesoholoft.com/2013/01/02/2013-whats-in-store-for-crowdfunding-and-angel-investors/) together to share their expertise with each other. This provides a good venue for aspiring businessmen to find funding opportunities and engage in  networking up close.

Entrepreneurial ecosystem. That’s the buzzword of the 21st century. The world is moving at a frenetic pace and the fickle economic climate calls for entrepreneurs to create jobs that are economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. More entrepreneurs are needed than ever before.

Baybars Altuntas, President of TBAA - Business Angels Association of Turkey - and Links Angel BAN Leader says, ''With the 75% tax break system, Turkey became the top supporter of the angel investment system, not just in Europe but all over the world. EBAN - The European Trade Association based in Brussels decided to hold its 11th Winter Summit in Istanbul in cooperation with TBAA, where entrepreneurs and business angels of Europe and Asia come together. I am sure Turkey will take into its agenda the new financial instruments for entrepreneurs' easy access to finance such as crowdfunding in the near future.''

The Soho Loft founder and Chairman David Drake (http://www.thesoholoft.com/mkdd) speaks to forum participants on crowdfunding during one of the sessions on key learnings in entrepreneurship around the world.  Mr. Drake notes that, “crowdfunding is making some Venture Capitalists nervous as they recognize a financial tool (http://thesoholoft.com/2012/12/03/crowd-funders-erode-vcs...) when they see one.” There will be more to know about crowdfunding and its effectiveness as a financial tool in the summit.

Here’s a sneak peek of some the other subjects to be discussed during the summit: The importance of business angels (http://thesoholoft.com/2013/01/02/2013-whats-in-store-for...) for the world entrepreneurial ecosystem. What are the current trends? What is the European exit market perspective for the next five years? How can business angel networks benefit from a win-win relationship with governments/European institutions? What are the different forms of investing/exiting together? What are the co-investment models with public authorities? What is the relationship of angel investment to youth entrepreneurship? What are the Super Angels' recipes for successful exits? What is the relationship between corporate venture and angel's exits?

This annual business event guarantees to be of great interest to both entrepreneurs and the 150 investors expected to be there. The keynote speaker will be Professor Tuğrul Atamer, co-president of the World Entrepreneurship Forum (http://www.world-entrepreneurship-forum.com). Mr. David Drake, of The Soho Loft, and other acclaimed business people from all over the world will also present during the summit.

For further information, visit www.eban.org.

ABOUT The Soho Loft (www.thesoholoft.com)

The Soho Loft Capital Creation Events (”TSL”) (http://www.thesoholoft.com) is a corporate strategy  and advisory services company specializing in financial innovation and economic sustainability. Through its global events and media platform it advances diligent mainstream and alternative investing for start-up entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises. TSL provides visionary leadership and relevant education in the areas of capital formation, crowdfunding, angel networking, non-conventional funding, eb5 green card programs, micro-finance, venture capital, private equity and hedge funds.

TSL is a subsidiary of LDJ Capital (http://www.ldjcapital.com) based in New York USA. Its founder and Chairman, David Drake (http://www.thesoholoft.com/mkdd), is a founding member of Crowdfund Intermediary Regulatory Advocates (CFIRA) and of Crowdfunding Professional Association (CFPA). He played a key role in the passing of the JOBS Act (Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act) in the United States. His advocacy for financial innovation has taken him to the global stage when he joined the U.S Commerce Department’s delegation to Brussels and Rome at the Transatlantic Economic Forum for SME Policy last July 2012 where he met with European ministers and national legislators. He is an international speaker and prolific writer on these topics.

Overall, TSL’s mission is to bring global awareness and develop infrastructure to facilitate innovative capital formation and access and spur job creation. As such, The Soho Loft operates as the leading global corporate strategy adviser on financial and economic policy.

For Press inquiries, contact donna@LDJCapital.com