Form Registration for S Registration for S Registration for SBF 2025

44th SEC Annual Small Business Forum
Registration Questions (WORKING DRAFT)

Proposed Registration Questions
Small Business Forum April 10, 2025

Registration Questions
(for Qualtrics Registration)
First Name
Last Name
Email
Where are you located?
(City + State)
5. Attending (Select one)
o In person
o Via Webcast
6. What role do you play with respect to raising capital from investors?
(Select all that apply)
o Founder/Entrepreneur/Business Leader
o Investor
o Attorney/Accountant/Professional Advisor
o Government
o Community/Nonprofit Leader
o Academia/Researcher
o Advocacy/Trade Association
o Other: _____
7. Do you identify as any of the following?
(Select all that apply)
1.
2.
3.
4.

o Woman-owned business or its investor
o Minority-owned business or its investor
o Located in or investing in a rural community
o Located in or investing in an area recently affected by natural disasters
8. Which stage of raising capital from investors is your primary interest?
o Small and emerging (e.g., Angel, Pre-Seed, Seed)
o Mature and later-stage (e.g., Series A-C+)
o Smaller public company (pre- or post-IPO)
o I am still focused on non-dilutive capital (e.g., grants, loans, etc.)
9. What kind of educational or informational resources on raising capital from investors do you find
most helpful?
o Question & Answer Format
o Glossary
o Infographic
o Brief Overviews
o Videos
o Other [with blank field to include additional input]
10. We want to hear from you! Please share questions or suggested topics of discussion for the
panelists or for future events.

44th SEC Annual Small Business Forum
Registration Questions (WORKING DRAFT)
11. As part of your capital-raising journey, have you raised capital using any of the following methods?
[Select all that apply]:
o Grants, Loans, or Other Non-Dilutive Funding
o Friends and Family Investors
o Investment Crowdfunding
o Angel Investors or other Accredited Investors
o Venture Capital Investors or other Private Funds
o Regulation A (or “Mini IPO”)
o Public Offering
12. Which of the following do you believe are the biggest barriers to accessing capital?
(Rank the following from most to least difficult: 1 for most difficult, 7 for least difficult)
o Networks and connections to investors
o Information, education, and knowledge
o Laws, policies, and regulations
o Personal wealth or assets
o Investor bias
o Valuations or offering terms
o Macroeconomic factors or market trends (e.g., inflation, interest rates, etc.)
13.
Where do you find information about accessing capital and the requirements to raise capital?
(Select all that apply)
o Government agency websites (e.g., SEC, SBA, state agency, etc.)
o Professional networks
o Paid advisors (attorneys, accountants, consultants, etc.)
o Local resources (e.g., Small Business Development Centers, Economic Development Centers,
incubator, etc.)
o Library
o Internet search, news, or social media
o In-person meetings or conferences
o Virtual meetings or conferences
o Other: __________
14.
Which of the following do you believe are the greatest challenges facing smaller public
companies seeking to access capital?
(Rank from greatest to least: 1 for greatest, 5 for least)
o Research coverage
o Liquidity
o Burden of reporting requirements
o Cost of compliance
o Volatility
15. Which of the following do you believe is a top priority for smaller public companies when it comes
to their investors?
(Rank from most to least important: 1 for most important, 5 least important)
o Attracting more institutional investors
o Engaging with investors
o Understanding the shareholder base
o Building analyst relationships
o Effectively telling the company’s story