Equity Crowdfunding Explained -- Jargon Free A co-founder of crowdfunding platform RocketHub, Alon Hillel-Tuch, explains the difference between equity crowdfunding and more tradition donation-based crowdfunding.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

May 16 will be an important day for entrepreneurs. That's when rules for equity crowdfunding go into effect.

In this first episode of Crowdfund with Cat, Alon Hillel-Tuch, a co-founder of the crowdfunding platform RocketHub, walks us through what equity crowdfunding is and how it's different from the more traditional donation-based crowdfunding. RocketHub was acquired by entrepreneurship resource center EFactor a year ago. Since then, Hillel-Tuch has left and is now a partner at the venture building group, Stacked VB.

For a deeper dive into what those May 16 rule changes are and what they mean, check out our series of written stories on equity crowdfunding (linked below). These stories get into the nitty-gritty, down-and-dirty, what you need to know for both sides of the finance relationship: entrepreneur and investor.

Starting May 16, Entrepreneurs Can Raise Money in a Whole New Way. Here's What You Need to Know.

An Entrepreneur's Essential Guide to the New Wild West of Funding Opening on May 16

Your Guide to the High-Risk, High-Reward World of Investing in Startups When Fundamental Finance Law Changes Go Into Effect May 16

Which Entrepreneurs Will Benefit Most From the New Era of Crowdfunding?

Next Generation Crowdfunding Starts May 16. Expect Opportunity and Growing Pains.

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

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