On October 30, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted “Regulation Crowdfunding,” which consists of final rules that will enable eligible companies to raise up to $1 million in capital in any 12-month period by offering securities through SEC registered intermediaries in crowdfunding transactions on the Internet. The long-awaited crowdfunding rules implement the exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) provided by Section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act, which was adopted pursuant to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. The exemption will be available to US issuers, other than reporting companies under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act), certain investment companies, blank check companies or companies that have indicated that their business plan is to engage in a merger or acquisition with an unidentified company, companies that have failed to comply with annual reporting requirements under Regulation Crowdfunding within two years prior to a proposed offering, and issuers that are disqualified under “bad actor” provisions.

Entrepreneurship is more about building a business than inventing a product. It’s more about the quality of the execution, rather than the quality of the idea. Most importantly, it’s more about being a proactive leader who connects to customers and the team deeply, rather than a bright light that struggles to be seen amidst the glare of a million other bright lights.

When building a business you need financial backers. At the outset you might want an angel investment, then to keep growing, tap the venture capital industry, and in later stages use private equity.

The funding options are varied for entrepreneurs, so Business Insider decided to contact a bunch of investors, from venture capitalists through private equity, to find out what they look for when they invest in a company.

In the US, if venture capital investors or tech company founders need to find each other, they go to one of two places: Silicon Valley or New York. Companies that need tech workers, and the media that follow them, eventually relocate or open offices in one of those two areas.

The scene — and the money that funds it — is highly geographically concentrated.

Governor Terry McAuliffe announced Friday updates to the Commonwealth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Measurement System (IEMS), a web-based portal that uses key metrics and outcomes to track the performance of Virginia’s innovation economy. “As we continue to build the new Virginia economy, we know that innovation is the premier path to economic expansion both domestically and globally,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Here in Virginia, the drivers of this innovation are entrepreneurs of emerging, high-growth technology companies.”

“Who the hell are you?” It’s a question we often heard when calling New York City landlords upon first arriving here. Then, landlords were trying to understand how three guys from Texas had any business in New York’s commercial real estate market. Who we are has since changed, but as we expand our products, refine our goals, and hire new key team members, the question persists. The answer—for us and many other startups—is bound to change, especially in the early stages of a startup’s lifecycle. We’ve learned to handle this identity crisis so we can better understand our audience and what they want from us. Here are four ways you can take hold of your startup identity so you too can better serve your customers.

Multimillionaire and "Shark Tank" cohost Robert Herjavec shares his thoughts on American business opportunities.

Isn’t it annoying when you often hear people say ‘I am a little bit of a perfectionist, really’ (usually accompanied by a smug, self-satisfied, self-congratulatory, knowing, conspiratorial smile) as if it’s a declaration of some kind of key to a super-human power that they hold. Every time I hear this I want to comment something like ‘if you tried hard every day you might be able to get over it’ or  ‘well I hope it doesn’t hold you back in life’. Perfection for me should be viewed as a fault not an attribute especially in the entrepreneurial world.

Liezel Kennedy, a farmer from Saskatchewan, Canada frequently loses her sheep. That's not because her sheep run away, but because they're masters of disguise.

The farmer shared a few images of her sheep in a snowy field on Wednesday, and if you glance at them quickly, you'd never guess that there are actually about 550 sheep grazing in the photos.

IT’S easy to make fun of people in big cities for their obsession with gluten, or chia seeds, or cleanses.

But urbanites are not the only ones turning away from the products created by big food companies. Eating habits are changing across the country and food companies are struggling to keep up.

Talk about a jetpack joyride. Soaring solo above the Hudson River, boldly gliding like Iron Man past the Statue of Liberty, twin mini jet turbines strapped to your back.

Australian entrepreneur-adventurer David Mayman realized that sweet moonage dream this week, in a spectacular stunt that showed off Jetpack Aviation’s lightweight JB-9 jetpack in all its blazing glory. Mayman, who learned to fly before he could drive, successfully piloted the futuristic machine impressively near Lady Liberty before safely landing on a boat to the cheers of onlookers.

Image: credit: Jetpack Aviation

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an exciting concept, a future where "billions of things are talking to each other," as technology consulting company SAP describes it. We’ve seen gadgets and domestic appliances connect to the Internet and ping your smartphone with info, but it’s becoming more clear that these toys are a prelude to a vastly connected world. And yet, we spend most of our day at work. Here’s how technologists think the world of IoT will change the workplace—and how it’s already changing how we do business today.

Most major workplace trends don’t evolve overnight, and if you know where to look, you can already witness their approach.

Many of the trends that will come into focus in 2016 already exist today, but their significance is expected to grow and become mainstream in the year to come.

While such trends used to be set by the world’s largest companies, today many are championed by the smallest. Freelancers and independent employees need to stay ahead of future needs to ensure they are up to date with the most in-demand skills. Therefore, activity in the freelance market often serves as an early indication of the growing needs of traditional businesses.

Surviving as an entrepreneur requires unbridled passion, enthusiasm and a certain naiveté in the face of many unknowns. Young people are more accustomed to facing a new world each day, so they don’t worry about it, and usually actually relish the new adventure. Once the rest of us reach a certain age, we know too many things that can go wrong, so we avoid the path entirely.

Over the past 30 years, venture capital has become a dominant force in the financing of innovative American companies. From Google to Intel to FedEx, companies supported by venture capital have profoundly changed the U.S. economy. Despite the young age of the venture capital industry, public companies with venture capital backing employ four million people and account for one-fifth of the market capitalization and 44% of the research and development spending of U.S. public companies. From research and development to employment to simple revenue, the companies funded by venture capital are a major part of the U.S. economy.

RICHMOND, VA (NEWSPLEX) -- A web-based portal that measures the performance of Virginia's innovation economy has gotten some updates.

"As we continue to build the new Virginia economy, we know that innovation is the premier path to economic expansion both domestically and globally," Governor Terry McAuliffe. "Here in Virginia, the drivers of this innovation are entrepreneurs of emerging, high-growth technology companies."

The Sworkit app has been downloaded 10 million times. Founder Greg Coleman WG’09 explains how to create an app that stands out in the crowded marketplace:

“What gets measured gets done.” This old chestnut has been kicking around management theory for decades, and is the heart of “management by objective” (MBO)—if you set a target and measure progress, your organization will move heaven and earth to achieve it. It’s an old chestnut because it’s largely true.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s new rules for equity investing in crowdfunding sites are chock full o’ good and bad news for you.

In short, this could be a very good thing for investors—just know what you’re doing.

Here’s what you need to know…

PRO: You can now invest in your favorite little startup much easier.

CON: You’ll be dealing with a company that’s not nearly as sophisticated, generally, as a firm that actually trades on a stock exchange.

Local Motors, the world's most prominent maker of 3D-printed cars, announced this week that it plans to offer pre-sales of its series of 3D printed models starting in spring 2016. It estimates the sticker price for the LM3D series, including the new Swim model seen above, to be around the $53,000 mark.

Image: LOCAL MOTORS