Equity Crowdfunding: You Don’t Have To Be A Millionaire To Be A Venture Capitalist Anymore

Up until now, anyone hoping to become the next Mark Zuckerberg has had to pass through the infamous venture-capital gauntlet: high-stakes pitch sessions with moneyed potential investors whose millions could transform a fledgling startup into a billion-dollar unicorn.

But starting Monday, founders won’t need to grovel in front of millionaires to win crucial seed money. Newly enacted rules now allow ordinary Americans to buy equity in young privately held companies. That's right: You no longer need to be a millionaire to invest in a startup.