Austin, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/16/2012 -- As the crowdfunding industry continues to grow, the Crowdfund Texas Conference announced today that according to a Crowfunding research report released yesterday by the Crowdfund Professional Association, the awareness for the blossoming American Crowdfunding industry is booming as the startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses are flocking to Crowdfunding Platforms (CFPs) to build business profiles, upload business plans and video presentations on why investors should invest up to a million dollars in their new business ventures.

Waiting on the edge to their seats, the Crowdfunding industry has been anxiously awaiting the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) new guidelines on Equity-Based Crowdfunding and the Repeal of Regulation D that governs the general solicitation and marketing of capital investment offerings. Current regulations have been severely undermining and inhibiting America’s number one growth segment from raising sufficient investment capital needed to start new businesses that would put millions of Americans back to work. The new SEC guidelines are due around January 5, 2013.

Per the Crowdfunding Professional Association’s research, here three important trends to note that will be covered in breakout sessions and panel discussions at the Crowdfund Texas Event:

1. The first was that investors are ready and willing to begin investing in small businesses:

- Investors want to be a part of something larger than themselves 44%
- Investors have desire to help companies gain access to new capital 41%
- Investors want to make a difference in the life of an entrepreneur 35%

2. The second trend identified what industries were ready to begin utilizing Crowdfunding as a mechanism or platform to raise money for their new startup or existing business:

- Technology 30.0%
- Media & Entertainment 10.3%
- Financial Services 9.87%
- Consumer Products 9.44%
- Other 19.47%

3. The third trend identified what would influence entrepreneur’s decisions the most when picking from the more than 500 available Crowdfunding platforms:

- Will pick the most visible Crowdfunding platform 34.67%
- Will pick a Crowdfunding platform that serves their industry 34.34%
- Will pick a Crowdfunding platform in their regional vicinity 14.74%

The full Crowdfunding research report can be downloaded from www.crowdfundingprofessional.org.