After witnessing the disaster that is
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=400356 (as an observer, of course) (and all the other IPO schemes that I won't name), I strongly recommend that you handle initial funding with a trusted escrow. That is all.
Skycoin was announced Dec 21, 2013 and they haven't asked for an IPO yet. Visacoin modeled their scam after this (Visa came after this)
I'm 99% they will be showing investors a lot their work and proof to go with it.
Skycoin seems like the last, safe investment the bitcointalk community will ever see.
I'll be investing in this project, even if it could be a scam. Skycoin has my trust. That's a lot coming from my attitude on all IPO threads.