EquityEats Tries to Apply Crowdfunding to Restaurants in D.C.

Crowdfunding meets equity. For years now, there’s been chatter about crowdfunding taking a leap further, offering not just donations, but investments. Like a design on Kickstarter? You can invest in the company -- not just offer a one-time contribution for a freebie. That’s yet to happen, largely because of regulations prohibiting everyday folks (with salaries less than $200,000) to invest in companies. To be an investor, one must be an “accredited investor” according to the Securities and Exchange Commission. DC-based EquityEats tried to pilot this concept last year. Johann Moonesinghe and his co-founders, Jason Pinto, Andrew Harris, and Steve Lucas, launched a crowdfunding site devoted to helping food entrepreneurs.