Continuing the Work and Fun of SuperCrowd22
Watch the Pitch Session Recording
Last week’s SuperCrowd22 represents a beginning rather than an end. We had 250 people attend the event, bringing together some of the greatest minds in social impact. The event culminated with the live pitch session; I’ll share the recording below.
One SuperCrowd22 moment stood out for me above all the rest. After a breakout discussion session with four different simultaneous groups participating, we reconvened briefly. I asked, not quite rhetorically, if anyone had learned anything of value during the past hour.
The first person to respond was Kevin Doyle Jones, the founder of SoCap, the largest conference for impact investing and social entrepreneurship. He said he’d learned a lot in the session and was grateful for it.
That Kevin could learn something at SuperCrowd22 surprised me a bit. What’s more, Kevin, together with colleague Steven Lawrence, had led the session. In other words, the teacher was saying he’d learned from the students.
That epitomizes what should happen at any conference. Experts should come prepared to learn as much as share. In that spirit, everyone leaves better equipped. I’m committing to applying that principle.
To ensure that SuperCrowd22 is a beginning rather than an end, we’ll continue the discussion in three places.
1. Superpowers for Good
Longtime readers know I have been passionate about investment crowdfunding as a tool for impact since the JOBS Act passed a decade ago. Over that decade, I’ve produced hundreds of podcasts and Youtube videos on the theme and have written hundreds of articles, including many for Forbes and republished here.
Anyone can comment on articles I post here. Everyone is welcome to join the conversation, regardless of their subscription status. Subscribers who joined my list before I moved to Substack may not have an account on this platform and will need to register with Substack for free before commenting.
Still, I recognize that this platform tilts the power. I write posts and share podcasts, and you comment. For some, this won’t feel like a conversation between equals. So, this won’t be the only place we continue the discussion.
2. Linkedin
Years ago, I created a group now called The Super Crowd to discuss crowdfunding and social impact. The group has hundreds of members and provides a natural place for continuing the discussion.
This forum provides some apparent advantages. Virtually everyone has a Linkedin account, and many people routinely spend time on the platform. Little adjustment to routines is required for you to join in the conversation there.
Because you can post there, including sharing links to articles from other platforms—articles you may have written, the platform is somewhat more equalizing. Your posts appear like mine. I comment on yours the same way you comment on mine. This forum flattens the power dynamic.
3. CfPA Ecosystem
The CfPA Ecosystem, hosted by the Crowdfunding Professional Association, where I currently serve as vice president and have been elected to serve in 2023 as president, now includes a group called SuperCrowd.
You can sign up for a free account without joining the CfPA, though we hope you’ll consider joining.
One of the exciting things about this platform is that those who contribute receive compensation. Sponsorship funds on the Brainsy-powered ecosystem are shared with the users. No one is earning a living posting there. Still, it is sure nice to know that unlike platforms like Facebook, where Meta exploits you and your data without compensation or Linkedin, where many of us pay for that privilege, you can earn some pizza money on this platform.
In all three of these places, we’ll continue talking about the work, fun and opportunities before us as a community. Please participate!
NC3 SuperCrowd22 Impact Crowdfunding Live
The point of SuperCrowd22 is to catalyze investments in social enterprises and businesses led by underserved communities, including women and minorities. The National Coalition for Community Capital, NC3, hosted the live pitch session to do just that.
All of the companies that presented had live crowdfunding campaigns on Friday. One has since ended, but you can still invest in the other nine. Check them out! You can watch the four-hour recording below (feel free to skip around or speed up the playback).
The ten companies that pitched were:
Click the links embedded in the names to view their offerings on their respective crowdfunding portals.
The world’s problems weren’t all solved by SuperCrowd22, so we’ll keep plugging away until they are. Join us in the conversation.