227 | Mass Appeal: Crowdfunding for hotel development mines new sources of cash

When it launched five years ago, crowdfunding for real estate development was a hot topic, especially among hotel developers seeking new ways to pay for their projects.

Though it’s not creating the same level of buzz as it did when it first became a federally sanctioned option in 2014, crowdfunding remains a viable tool in attracting a wide range of investors and sourcing new streams of cash.

Basically, crowdfunding is a campaign for small amounts of money from a large number of people. It is friends and family financing gone viral.

We talk to hotel developers who are using the alternative financing method to raise cash for their projects.

The projects are vastly different, as are the fundraisers’ goals, and target investors.

One is a boutique property in a resort market, and the developer plans to raise the entire construction cost via crowdfunding. The other is a midscale branded hotel in a technology park, and the firm is selling shares to close a funding gap.

Featured in today’s report is Nathan Kivi, founder of HotelierCo, an online fundraising company targeting hotel development; and Bhavik Dani, founder of EquityRoots, another fintech venture that’s raising capital for one project while about to break ground on another.

We also explain the evolution of crowdfunding, and why the federal government gave the technology its nod of approval as part of a national economic recovery program.

Anyone considering raising money for a project over the internet, or investing money via an online program, should first consult a professional adviser.

Resources and Links

• Nathan Kivi, founder of HotelierCo
• Bhavik Dani, founder of EquityRoots

For more information on crowdfunding visit:

• Investor.gov
• SEC’s Spotlight on Crowdfunding

The SEC study mentioned in this report is titled “Capital Raising in the U.S.: An Analysis of the Market for Unregistered Securities Offerings, 2009‐2017” and can be accessed here.