Private Placement Memorandum

A private placement memorandum (PPM) is a legal document provided to prospective investors when selling stock or another security in a business. It is sometimes referred to as an offering memorandum or offering document. A PPM is used in “private” transactions when the securities are not registered under applicable federal or state law, but rather sold using one of the exemptions from registration. The PPM describes the company selling the securities, the terms of the offering, and the risks of the investment, amongst other things. The disclosures included in the PPM vary depending on which exemption from registration is being used, the target investors, and the complexity of the terms of the offering.

Regulation Crowdfunding enables eligible companies to offer and sell securities through crowdfunding. The rules:

• require all transactions under Regulation Crowdfunding to take place online through an SEC-registered intermediary, either a broker-dealer or a funding portal
• permit a company to raise a maximum aggregate amount of $5 million through crowdfunding offerings in a 12-month period
• limit the amount individual non-accredited investors can invest across all crowdfunding offerings in a 12-month period and
• require disclosure of information in filings with the Commission and to investors and the intermediary facilitating the offering

Securities purchased in a crowdfunding transaction generally cannot be resold for one year. Regulation Crowdfunding offerings are subject to “bad actor” disqualification provisions.