CROWDFUNDER SMASHES THROUGH £500,000+ FUNDING TARGET IN JUST OVER 3 HOURS IN EQUITY CROWDFUND CAMPAIGN - Top Stories news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review
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CROWDFUNDER SMASHES THROUGH £500,000+ FUNDING TARGET IN JUST OVER 3 HOURS IN EQUITY CROWDFUND CAMPAIGN

Published by Gbaf News

Posted on April 25, 2014

3 min read
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Crowdfunder Hits £500,000 Target in Record Time

The UK’s No 1 rewards-based platform* has hit it’s fundraise target in 24 hours – with over 200 investors pledging £500,000 in the first 3 hours alone.

Crowdfunder launched its equity fundraise at 9am, April 23 2014, on equity crowdfunding platform, Crowdcube.com, and were blown away when £230k was pledged within 15 mins.

Phil Geraghty, Managing Director of Crowdfunder said: “It’s been an awesome day – a massive endorsement of what we’ve been doing at Crowdfunder – and the sheer power of crowdfunding as a way to raise investment. I’d like to thank all of those who have backed our great idea – and our desire to turn more ideas into reality.

ConsumerPressCREDIT- Emily Whitfield Wicks

ConsumerPressCREDIT- Emily Whitfield Wicks

“Crowdfunder makes a great investment because we are a digital high-growth business in a fast growing market, but also we are really proud of the social and economic impact that we are having across the whole of the UK. We welcome the support we have received in helping us crowdfund the future.”

Nesta Leads with Significant Early Pledge

Innovation charity Nesta were the first to pledge towards the Crowdfunder equity fundraise on Crowdcube with £150k provided to support the tech start-up.

Background: Crowdfunder’s Track Record and Impact

Crowdfunder is the number one rewards-based crowdfunding platform in the UK*. It has to date raised over £1.5 million for over 4,000 projects, ranging from businesses, charities, communities and social enterprises and grown by a factor of 15 in the last 12 months. A report from The Crowdfunding Centre this month revealed that Crowdfunder has more projects than all other UK platforms – challenging global giants Kickstarter and Indiegogo on UK soil.

Luke Lang, co-founder, Crowdcube said: “It is a tribute to Crowdfunder and its team that it secured it £500k target in just over 3 hours, which sets a new record for the fastest equity crowdfunding raise ever. With investment form NESTA and more than 200 investors Crowdfunder is now well placed to take advantage of the growing crowdfunding market.”

Enterprise Accelerator Partnership with Plymouth University

Crowdfunder also has an Enterprise Accelerator Partnership with the enterprise university, Plymouth University.

Professor Wendy Purcell, Vice-Chancellor of Plymouth University, said: “This is an absolute triumph for Crowdfunder. The University would like to congratulate Crowdfunder on hitting its target in less than a day. This truly is enterprise in action, and as a founding partner, we’re thrilled to see their progress in becoming the UK’s leading crowdfunding platform. As a University with unparalleled involvement in the economic development work that is taking place across the region through GAIN and City Deal, we recognise the value of the funding stream they provide to help turn ideas into start-ups.”

Crowdfunder Enters Over-Funding Stage on Crowdcube

The crowdfunding campaign was launched on Crowdcube.com, the world’s leading equity crowdfunding platform and Crowdfunder is now in the “over-funding” stage which you can see and join here: http://www.crowdcube.com/investment/crowdfunder-15172

*Source:thecrowdfundingcentre.comhttp://www.crowdfundinsider.com/2014/04/35243-crowdfunder-claims-top-spot-rewards-based-crowdfunding-uk/

**** Research from Nesta shows that rewards-based crowdfunding grew by 388% in the UK in 2013.

Key Takeaways

  • Crowdfunder, a UK rewards‑based platform, raised £500,000 for 10% equity via Crowdcube in just over three hours.
  • Nesta led the equity round with a £150,000 pledge alongside support from over 200 investors.
  • Prior to the raise, Crowdfunder had raised over £1.5 million for 4,000+ projects and grown 15× in 12 months.
  • The campaign set a record for the fastest equity crowdfunding raise at the time on Crowdcube.
  • Crowdfunder partnered with Plymouth University and received institutional backing, underscoring its social and economic impact.

References

Frequently Asked Questions

Who led the equity investment into Crowdfunder’s campaign?
Innovation charity Nesta was the first to pledge, contributing £150,000 to the equity roundup.
How fast did Crowdfunder hit its £500,000 target?
The equity campaign reached the £500,000 mark in just over three hours after launch on 23 April 2014.
What did Crowdfunder offer in return for the investment?
Investors received approximately 10% equity in Crowdfunder for the £500,000 raised.
What milestones had Crowdfunder achieved before this equity campaign?
Prior to the equity campaign, Crowdfunder had raised over £1.5 million for more than 4,000 projects and grown 15‑fold in the preceding year.
Which academic partner supported Crowdfunder during this raise?
Plymouth University, via its enterprise accelerator partnership, publicly congratulated Crowdfunder on its fundraising success.

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