Crowdsourcing donations: it's tough getting invested in in the first place, so startups have to look at more than just the usual options of getting an investor, getting a bank loan or getting help from family and friends. Crowdsourcing (or crowdfunding), if done right, can be a great, budget-friendly way of accessing capital. This slideshare tells you what it is, where to get it in Europe and how to do a successful campaign (with some awesome examples).
4. Press release (Oct. 2013): Crowdfunding in the
EU - exploring the added value of potential EU
action
Commissioner for Internal Market and Services
Michel Barnier said: "Crowdfunding – this
alternative form of fundraising that is
collective, participatory and interactive – is
becoming increasingly important. It has the
potential to bridge the financing gap many
start-ups face and to stimulate
entrepreneurship.
5. US >vs< EU
“While the U.S. currently leads the world in volume of
crowdfunding transactions (estimated by the 2013
Crowdfunding Industry Report for this year to be at
72%), a sizable chunk will come from Europe, at 26%,
and 2% from the rest of the world.”
“Crowdfunders generally fall into different categories:
equity, donation, reward, and debt. The last is also
known as microfinancing — and commonly referred to
in Europe as “peer-to-peer lending.”
– David Drake, Forbes, 2013
7. Is crowdsourcing a good choice?
• Bypass banks, venture capital firms and angel
investors (and save asking more from your family
and friends)
• Have control over the rules of investment
(depending on which website you choose)
• Market your startup on popular crowdsourcing
platforms
• Fast setup
i.e. It’s the path with the least strings attached
8. Crowd sauce
– if you are
successful,
it’s also an
awesome
way of
validating
your idea
12. •
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Here’s a list of the most budget-friendly
options in Europe!
CroFun
RocketHub
IndieGogo
KissKissBankBank
Ulule
Zequs
Booomerang
100-days
Start Next
Verkami
Goteo
Eppela
MassiveMov
*note*
There may be many
more – a lot of
crowdsourcing sites are
specific to an industry,
charity, or country.
Check out
www.crowdsunite.com
for more options
16. Pick the right time of the year – avoid
major holidays and when people are
generally broke
17. Create a compelling theme/message
Seth Godin’s “The Icarus Deception” campaign
18. Create a short video and supporting images
reflecting the core message of your idea
TechJect’s Dragonfly Robot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9lM-vM2dk8
23. Mention it on forums full of people who
you identify as the right contributors
24. Top 5 mistakes when doing
crowdsourcing (from the owners of
IndieGoGo)
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“Crowdfunding is not a lottery”
“Setting a goal that is too damn high”
“Jumping the gun with marketing”
“Dry, business-like pitch”
“Perks that don’t work”
25. The article that inspired this
Slideshare is available on Pitch.rs