Have loyal customers? Get them to invest in your startup

FORT COLLINS — A major challenge to Colorado startups — although one that the local community is looking to improve — is access to capital and investment.

It’s one reason why entrepreneurs might want to look to equity crowdfunding.

Rob Burnett, who heads business development for crowdfunding platform Netcapital, held a panel at Fort Collins Startup Week about why access to capital has been made easier through this relatively new equity option.

Equity crowdfunding is different from reward-based crowdfunding like Kickstarter, Burnett said, because rather than clients giving money by pre-ordering a product — which…