LONDON-BASED SEEDRS NEWEST HARVEST IN AFT HOLDINGS’ TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO

AFT Holdings, Inc. announced today its investment in London-based startup Seedrs, the world’s first fully regulated equity crowdfunding platform open to investors and entrepreneurs throughout Europe.

Since its launch in July 2012, Seedrs has demonstrated notable success in transparently and affordably connecting entrepreneurs seeking early-stages startup capital with enthusiastic investors.

“As an international investment group, we are proud patrons of the vision and commitment of passionate people all over the world,” said J. Douglas Hines, chairman and general partner of AFT Holdings, Inc. “It is a thrill to be a large part of Seedrs’ effort to drive the democratization of the investment process, which opens the door to a far greater cross-section of the population than traditional venture capital or angel investment platforms.”

To date, 58 Seedrs startups have raised more than £5.6 million (9.1 million USD) in capital. In fact, the company recently used its own platform to secure £2.58 million (3.5 million USD) of its own startup capital, setting a new world record for the most equity raised via an equity crowdfunding site.

“Seedrs is pumping new lifeblood into the financial system, helping to boost the local economies and Europe as a whole,” said Seedrs co-founder and CEO Jeff Lynn. “We see this investment by AFT Holdings as a validation of the equity crowdfunding model, as well as the Seedrs mission to improve financial inclusion throughout Europe.”

Hines said AFT Holdings was particularly impressed with the platform’s “social” nature, which produces meaningful business connections in addition to funding.

“Seedrs is one of the only platforms in the world that allows people to invest in, rather than donate to, startup campaigns,” Hines said. “This results in a network of truly engaged investors willing to provide strategic counsel and insight. In our experience, access to knowledgeable human capital is just as fundamental to a successful startup as seed capital.”