Archive: Articles

Use ICOs to Find the Next Bitcoin(s)

By Adam Sharp on November 24, 2017

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are rocketing to new all-time highs. Today we explain the ICO phenomenon and look where the industry’s headed.
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In this market, you need only one small investment to change your life. There are thousands of crypto millionaires and more are being minted every day.   There are FIVE criteria my picks must pass before I recommend investing in them: leadership, market size, code, tokenomics and, for ICOs, ICO…
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Who Screams the Loudest in the Cryptocurrency Debate?

By Cory Templeman on November 16, 2017

Dear First Stage Investor, On November 1, our fearless Co-Founder Andy Gordon called out the mainstream media in regards to the cryptocurrency debate. Like anything new and revolutionary, cryptocurrency has its believers and its skeptics. Both are making a ruckus. The mainstream press isn’t helping matters. As far as…
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Bitcoin’s Next Fork Canceled

By Andy Gordon on November 9, 2017

Bitcoin’s fork, which was scheduled to take place on November 16, has been canceled. Support for the fork simply faded. Criticisms came mostly from longtime developers. Interestingly, many of them still agreed on the idea of larger blocks, which the new protocol would have provided. But they felt bullied and…
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Last Chance to Invest in Arbit

By Andy Gordon on November 6, 2017

Arbit’s fundraise on MicroVentures ends at midnight on Tuesday, November 7. If you haven’t invested yet, this is a reminder that time is running out. We recommended Arbit in mid-October, and in a short amount of time it has nearly completed its raise goal of $700,000. Combining…

Bitcoin Is Just Doing Its Thing

By Adam Sharp on November 3, 2017

I continue to believe what we’re seeing is the beginning of bitcoin and cryptocurrency going mainstream. So when I hear that bitcoin is a “bubble,” I chuckle.
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Terminology You Need to Know for Bitcoin’s Next Fork

By Andy Gordon on November 2, 2017

Dear First Stage Investor, Bitcoin’s next fork is happening in a couple of weeks. You’ll be hearing plenty from us on it, including what to expect and how it could affect you. There will be plenty of articles in the popular press too. To get you started, I thought it…
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Last Chance to Invest in Scrap Connection and Keen Home

By Andy Gordon on October 26, 2017

Dear First Stage Investor, Scrap Connection’s fundraise on Wefunder ends at 11:59 p.m. next Tuesday, October 31. We recommended Scrap Connection back in February. Not surprisingly, like everything else it does, Scrap Connection has conducted a very successful raise, which is now nearing $900,000. Scrap Connection is…
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Initial coin offerings (ICOs) show no sign of slowing down. According to Bloomberg, this time last month the amount raised from ICOs surpassed $2 billion. It’s now moved north of $3 billion in that short amount of time. In total, investors have contributed more than $3 billion to more than…
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New Recommendation: Arbit

By Andy Gordon on October 18, 2017

Deal Details Minimum investment: $100 Investment type: Crowd SAFE (convertible note) Valuation cap: $5 million Discount: 20% Deadline: November 7, 2017 Investment portal: MicroVentures Conversion provisions: In connection with an equity financing of at least $1 million, the company has the option to convert the Crowd…
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Must-Read Stories of the Week

By Andy Gordon on October 12, 2017

This week, I wanted to share five stories from the world of cryptocurrencies and private equity that caught my eye this week. Scouring the web for good insights is a key component of my research, and I want to pass that information along to you. Let’s get started……
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New Recommendation: Jetpack

By Adam Sharp on October 11, 2017

Deal Details Minimum investment: $50 Investment type: Crowd SAFE (convertible note) Valuation cap: $3 million Deadline: October 27, 2017 Investment portal: Republic Dear First Stage Investor, We are living in an increasingly on-demand world. People want and need things right away. This is especially true on…
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Banks Stepping Up Their Use of Blockchain Technology

By Andy Gordon on October 5, 2017

I still can’t decide what JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon was thinking when he recently dissed cryptocurrencies. He dubbed bitcoin a “fraud.” Was it cluelessness? Self-interest? Fear? If he feels that banks and cryptocurrencies can’t coexist, why is his own bank partnering with privacy-focused cryptocurrecy Zcash? (See my last post here…
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Addressing Missed Opportunities

By Andy Gordon on September 28, 2017

In early September, I recommended a rising startup called Balance. In a nutshell, Balance is capitalizing on the growth of cryptocurrencies and the blockchain by making the platforms easier to use. Here’s my original recommendation that explains Balance in more detail. I was so bullish on Balance that I…
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The Bitcoin Rally Is Back

By Adam Sharp on September 21, 2017

Last week, the price of bitcoin dropped sharply after Chinese officials announced they would be closing most cryptocurrency exchanges. In the update we sent Friday, when bitcoin had dipped to around $3,000, I said this was no reason to panic, and definitely not a reason to sell. In fact, we…
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A Second Chance to Invest in a Now $130 Billion Disruptor

By Andy Gordon on September 14, 2017

The September issue of First Stage Investor hit your inbox last Friday. I hope you’ve already dipped into it. If you haven’t, you’re missing out on seeing me do something I’ve never done before… Double down on a startup recommendation. To tell you the truth, it wasn’t that hard of…