CrowdCircus: The coronavirus pandemic turned all our lives upside down in 2020: How did the overall situation affect your team and platform? Where were the big challenges & opportunities of the COVID environment?

Paul G. Putz, MBA: As we are used to working in a decentralised way, the restrictions have not had a strong impact on our work. The push towards more digital has rather positively shown that investing via a platform like ours is easy and convenient. Our otherwise popular presentations in Vienna, Prague, Bratislava and other cities had to be switched to online. Personal contact with our investors was of course more difficult, but we can still look back on a successful year.

CrowdCircus: Which milestones achieved in 2020 will you and your team look back on with pride for a longer time?

Paul G. Putz, MBA: First and foremost, to the successful transaction for www.reprotex.com, for which we were able to raise almost € 500.000 from our investors in 2 rounds. More than 40 new customers participated in the equity financing and invested with Danube Angels for the first time. Internally, we have worked on our processes and have now created structures that are even more comfortable for investors and companies seeking capital. Thirdly, in no other year since our founding, we have met so many interesting founding teams and examined their business models.

CrowdCircus: How do you assess the progress on the regulatory side? Can the plans for the EU crowdfunding passport be classified as a “big hit”? Where do you still see room for optimisation?

Paul G. Putz, MBA: Any legal measure to enable more efficient cross-border investments in our asset class is to be welcomed. It remains to be seen in which form the EU regulation will be specifically implemented in Austria, especially which financial instruments and investments will be subject. Apart from that, there is a lack of tax incentive models for private investors – in all countries where such models exist, the market is growing significantly faster than in Austria. Considering the positive economic effects of the transfer of bank deposits into fresh equity capital of growth companies, it is incomprehensible that nothing is happening.

CrowdCircus: What are your expectations for the new year? What initiatives and developments can we expect from your platform in 2021?

Paul G. Putz, MBA: We are very positive about the new year. The quality of the companies seeking capital in our markets is increasing significantly and we plan to support some teams again with the capital of our investors. The expanded cooperation with domestic and foreign platforms and networks will in total enable a higher volume and growth for us.

CrowdCircus: Thank you very much for the interview & continued success, Mr. Putz!