Is crowdfunding the future? Certainly, it’s changed the way we underwrite new businesses and causes. Chance Barnett, the CEO of Crowdfunder.com, says, “Collaboration on the web is an area of exponential growth. Crowdfunding, or collaborative funding via the web, is one of the standouts for growth in this evolving collaborative economy.” With the rise of crowdfunding sites, there’s also a rise in uncertainty about, well, which crowdfunding sites to use? Here’s a primer to keep in mind when you want to solicit help from the people in your network (and beyond), or if you want to exercise your inner venture capitalist to shell out dollars for a worthy enterprise.

1. CROWDFUNDING
BYELIZABETHWESTON
SITES WE LOVE

2. IS CROWDFUNDING THE FUTURE? CERTAINLY, IT’S CHANGED
THE WAY WE UNDERWRITE NEW BUSINESSES AND CAUSES.
CHANCE BARNETT, THE CEO OF CROWDFUNDER.COM, SAYS,
“COLLABORATION ON THE WEB IS AN AREA OF EXPONENTIAL
GROWTH. CROWDFUNDING, OR COLLABORATIVE FUNDING VIA
THE WEB, IS ONE OF THE STANDOUTS FOR GROWTH IN THIS
EVOLVING COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY.”
WITH THE RISE OF CROWDFUNDING SITES, THERE’S ALSO A
RISE IN UNCERTAINTY ABOUT, WELL, WHICH CROWDFUNDING
SITES TO USE? HERE’S A PRIMER TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN YOU
WANT TO SOLICIT HELP FROM THE PEOPLE IN YOUR NETWORK
(AND BEYOND), OR IF YOU WANT TO EXERCISE YOUR INNER
VENTURE CAPITALIST TO SHELL OUT DOLLARS FOR A WORTHY
ENTERPRISE.

3. KICKSTARTER
Founded in 2009, Kickstarter has been the
birthplace of new and exciting projects in
various fields—from movies, books and
magazines to board games, technology and
fashion. Some of most popular Kickstarter
campaigns include The Veronica Mars
Movie Project and “Bring Reading Rainbow
Back for Every Child, Everywhere!”

4. This site calls itself the
# 1 do- it- yourself
fundraising website to
raise money online. And
the site itself sometimes
gets in on the act, too.
For Teacher’ s
Appreciation Week 20016,
GoFundMe announced that
it would match the first
$ 100 to any campaign
that is dedicated to any
educator or classrooms.
GOFUNDME

5. CROWDCUBE
Crowdcube enables anyone to invest
alongside professional investors in start-up,
early stage and growth businesses through
equity, debt and investment fund options.
The site boasts a “200,000-strong
community” that is always looking for more
interesting investments.

6. This is an international platform that
calls itself “a launchpad for creative
and entrepreneurial ideas of every
shape and size.” A bonus: You can
purchase products from the
marketplace for projects that were
funded through the site.
INDIEGOGO

7. CROWDRISE
This is a fundraising site for charitable and
personal causes. You can also search causes
by celebrity, say if you want to help Sean
Penn raise money for the Haitian Relief
Organization timed to the New York City
Marathon.

8. Launched in 2010, RocketHub hasn’t
reached the same capital-raising
levels as many of the other sites, but
the site itself was just purchased for
$15 million so it’s still one to watch.
ROCKETHUB

9. Through AngelList you can raise
money for your startup, invest in a
startup and/ or apply for a job at a
startup. The collaborative
community here definitely nows
its niche. If you’ re a fan of
startups or thinking about
creating one, this is the site for
you.
ANGELLIST

10. DID YOU KNOW?
C R O W D F U N D B E A T
CROWDFUNDING HAS ITS OWN
TRADE PUBLICATIONS? IF YOU
WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT
THIS INCREASING POPULAR
PHILANTHROPIC AND
ECONOMIC HUB.
C R O W D F U N D I N S I D E R

11. @GlobalWeston
/elizabeth.weston.587
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/
elizaweston