For example, during a test period from December 2012 through April 2013, 18 start-ups raised $6.7 million in funding commitments from 620 investors via AngelList’s AngelList Invest service. Niche companies are also springing up. For instance, SeedInvest is a company that caters to investors who may have privacy concerns about crowdfunding. Sometimes, when a new startup company attracts big name backers, inexperienced investors join in and cause the start-up’s valuation to balloon beyond a reasonable level.