China's leading online direct sales company JD.com, has launched JD Equity Crowdfunding platform, to help finance the creation of start-up companies in China.

The platform will give China's entrepreneurs access to a broad set of potential early-stage investors.

Under the model, each investment project will be led by a professional investment manager, who will be responsible for working directly with the investee companies.

The platform is expected to be China's largest equity crowdfunding platform.

CRI's Paul James earlier spoke with Doug Young, associate professor at Fudan University and former China company news chief at Reuters.