????按照互聯(lián)網(wǎng)標(biāo)準(zhǔn),，眾籌已存在很長(zhǎng)一段時(shí)間了,。利用網(wǎng)絡(luò)社區(qū)進(jìn)行籌資的理念1997年開(kāi)始流行起來(lái)，當(dāng)時(shí)英國(guó)搖滾樂(lè)隊(duì)Marillion的粉絲們籌集了60,000美元,，資助該樂(lè)隊(duì)進(jìn)行了一次美國(guó)巡演,。此后， Kickstarter這類(lèi)眾籌網(wǎng)站可以為各種各樣的事情籌資,，從開(kāi)設(shè)博客到服裝設(shè)計(jì)公司,，再到拍攝獨(dú)立影片，幾乎無(wú)所不包,。如今，投資公司也加入到了這個(gè)行列,。

????就在周一,，奧克蘭的一家初創(chuàng)公司Mosaic宣布，將面向全美在線(xiàn)籌集資金,，為屋頂太陽(yáng)能系統(tǒng)項(xiàng)目提供資金,。在某種意義上，這是第一家眾籌綠色投資公司,。聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人比利?帕瑞詩(shī)稱(chēng)：“我們正在打造一個(gè)全新的平臺(tái),，讓普通人可以從清潔能源革命中獲益?！北壤惹霸鴦?chuàng)立讓年輕人參與清潔能源和氣候解決方案的非營(yíng)利組織能源行動(dòng)聯(lián)盟（Energy Action Coalition）,。

????Mosaic承諾每位投資者獲得投資回報(bào)，通常情況下,，5年回報(bào)率為4%至6%,。迄今為止,，Mosaic已從400名個(gè)人投資者手中籌集了110萬(wàn)美元，用于12個(gè)項(xiàng)目的太陽(yáng)能系統(tǒng)安裝,。其中包括一個(gè)4萬(wàn)美元系統(tǒng),，安裝在一家?jiàn)W克蘭非營(yíng)利組織青年就業(yè)伙伴（Youth Employment Partnership）的建筑物上。Mosaic抽取籌集資金的1%作為管理費(fèi),，投資者獲得固定回報(bào),。

????除了通過(guò)網(wǎng)絡(luò)籌集的資金，這家成立兩年的公司已從舊金山風(fēng)投Spring Venture的蘇尼爾?保羅和其他投資者處獲得了340萬(wàn)美元的資金,。2012年6月,，Mosaic還從美國(guó)能源部（Department of Energy）獲得了200萬(wàn)美元的撥款。現(xiàn)在,，這家公司希望擴(kuò)展規(guī)模,。但有一個(gè)問(wèn)題：美國(guó)證券交易委員會(huì)（Securities and Exchange Commission，簡(jiǎn)稱(chēng)SEC）,。Mosaic向認(rèn)識(shí)的個(gè)人和團(tuán)體募集少量資金是一碼事,，通過(guò)互聯(lián)網(wǎng)向公眾兜售數(shù)億股權(quán)則是另一碼事。

????為了幫助企業(yè)創(chuàng)造就業(yè),，美國(guó)國(guó)會(huì)在《創(chuàng)業(yè)企業(yè)融資法案》（JOBS ACT）中專(zhuān)門(mén)對(duì)“云融資網(wǎng)站”做出規(guī)定,。2012年4月，美國(guó)總統(tǒng)奧巴馬簽署了《創(chuàng)業(yè)企業(yè)融資法案》,，并要求SEC在最后期限前制定出相關(guān)條例和指引,，以保護(hù)那些希望投資Mosaic這類(lèi)在線(xiàn)融資項(xiàng)目的投資者。然而,，到目前為止,，SEC尚未發(fā)布相關(guān)條例。

????而Mosaic已利用美國(guó)各州的證券法規(guī),，繞過(guò)了SEC?，F(xiàn)在，該公司可以將投資賣(mài)給加州和紐約州的任何人,。在其他州,，投資者須“擁有良好資質(zhì)”，意味著投資者必須擁有高資產(chǎn)凈值和收入要求,。（除個(gè)人房產(chǎn)外,，資產(chǎn)凈值超過(guò)100萬(wàn)美元，而且年收入超過(guò)20萬(wàn)美元,。）如果SEC最終批準(zhǔn)云融資門(mén)戶(hù)網(wǎng)站,，像Mosaic這樣的投資公司將無(wú)需在每個(gè)州分別注冊(cè)就能夠獲準(zhǔn)在全美籌集資金。

????如果云融資能夠獲得批準(zhǔn)，它最終可能顛覆至今一直為大銀行所掌控的融資模式,?！拔覀兿矚g分散投資，”帕瑞詩(shī)說(shuō),?！皞€(gè)人可以直接投資清潔能源項(xiàng)目，并獲得好的回報(bào),?！币虼耍瑢?lái)投資者不用再把錢(qián)投資股市,，可以投資像Mosaic這樣的公司,。而且，幫助這個(gè)世界變得更清潔還能讓人自我感覺(jué)良好,。

????By Internet standards, crowdfunding has been around forever. The idea to tap into online communities to raise money first became popular in 1997, when fans of the British rock groupMarillion raised $60,000 to fund a U.S. tour for the band. Since then crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarterhave been used to raise money for everything from blogs to clothing design companies and independent films. Now investment firms are getting into the act.

????Today Mosaic, an Oakland startup, announced that it is going national in its effort to raise money from online investors to fund rooftop solar systems. It is, in a sense, the first crowdfunded green investment firm. Says Co-founder Billy Parish, who previously had launched the Energy Action Coalition, a non-profit that gets youth involved in clean energy and climate solutions, "We're creating a new platform where people can profit from the clean energy revolution."

????Each investor in Mosaic is promised a return on his or her investment, typically around 4% to 6% a year over 5 years. So far Mosaic has raised $1.1 million from 400 individuals to fund the installation of solar systems on twelve projects including a $40,000 system on a building housing an Oakland non-profit called the Youth Employment Partnership. Mosaic keeps a fee of 1% of the money raised, and its investors get a fixed return.

????The two year-old company, which in addition to the money it has raised online, has received $3.4 million in seed money from San Francisco-based venture capitalist Sunil Paul of Spring Venture as well as others. Mosaic also got a $2 million Department of Energy grant in June 2012. Now it wants to scale. But there's a problem: the Securities and Exchange Commission. It's one thing to solicit small amounts of money from individuals and groups Mosaic knew. It's another to start peddling hundreds of millions in equity to the general public over the Internet.

????Wanting to help entrepreneurs create jobs, Congress as part of the JOBS ACT created a provision for "cloud funding portals." President Obama signed it into law in April of 2012 and gave the SEC a deadline to create rules and guidelines to protect investors who want to invest in online outfits like Mosaic. The SEC has yet to issue their regulations.

????In the meantime Mosaic has done an end run around the SEC by working with state securities laws. It can now offer its investment to anyone in California or New York. In the other states, investors have to be "accredited" which means hefty net worth and income requirements. (A net worth of over $1 million excluding one's house and an annual income of over $200,000.) If the SEC eventually approves cloud funding portals, investment companies like Mosaic could go national without registering in each state.

????If cloud funding gets the green light, it could eventually disrupt a financing model that so far has been the purview of big banks. "We like decentralized investing, says Parish, "Individuals can directly invest in clean energy projects and get a great return." So instead of putting money in the stock market, you'll be able to invest in companies like Mosaic and maybe even feel good about making the world a bit cleaner.