Looks like my charity app idea might be a starter.
So was thinking - how do I get it funded? As happy to give some money and time but cannot fund it all.
So what about Crowdfunding.
Something I hadn't thought about at all.
Well after looking into it - there are pros and cons. But not many cons for the me. Especially as the charity app idea I was going to give away anyway ;)
(If you haven't heard about the idea - click here to have your say on it...)
Anyhoo, there are lots and lots of these crowddfunding sites out there for ideas. Be they a new mobile phone game, a new app, a ecommerce site or actually pretty much anything.
Each has its good and bad points. A little like business inncubators. Each should have a niche but not all do. Each has a different culture and a different USP.
So here is My Top 12 List of Crowdfunding Sites for Entrepreneurs' like US:
1. WeFunder (I have already signed up to this one.... for MassMob - the new ecosystem for mobile game developers...)
A crowdfunding site for startups.
We’re all waiting to see which crowdfunding site is going to pull in the most investors since the law has passed. With more than $12,000,000 already committed in their beta, WeFunder might just take the lead and win hands down.
2. Startup Addict
Crowdfunding for….well…startup addicts.
The Startup Addict crowdfunding website still appears to be fairly new, but unlike the others we’ve seen…it doesn’t have a particular niche focus other than helping Entrepreneurs get their business launched. Which I think is a bit pants.
3. Believers Fund
Crowdfunding Website for New Mobile Apps (LOVE IT and signed up for charity app)
Now I don't know the Believers Fund’s lot, but they are a favorite of mine. They’ve narrowed down into the niche of crowdfunding new mobile apps, and have strong partners behind them like Microsoft BizSpark. Believer’s Fund also seems to have a much healthier following of “believers” (ie: funders) compared to other crowdfunding websites. All of this is good. But I do wonder whether other ideas I have would be save on it. (Will get back to you on this....)
4. Rockethub
A leading Crowdfunding Website for Creative Projects. (Has the best marketing...)
Rockethub has definitely gotten a large following from a lot of media exposure. Because of that, there’s a lot of activity happening over there…and hey, there’s actually funders! Probably down to it's greatmarketing...
5. Quirky
A Crowdfunding Website for Inventors (Which DOES THINGS DIFFERENTLY...)
Quirky really fits it’s name, it’s a new crowdfunding website for the quirky types: inventors (ie: engineer types). Back in August, the three-year-old product development network raised $16 million in Series B and today is adding more coin to its coffers with a sizable $68 million series C round, led by Andreessen Horowitz. Kleiner Perkins is also a “significant participant” in the round and is joined by previous investors Norwest Venture Partners and RRE Ventures.
So why all the excitement from VCs? Quirky is building a platform that intends to redefine product development by pairing inventors and creatives to its growing in-house team of product designers, engineers and manufacturing and retail professionals. The startup’s team focuses on two ideas each week and helps their founders bring the ideas to market. Which I think is the clever bit.
And it works as since 2009, according to tech crunch, the team has developed over 200 products that have made it into stores like Target, Staples, OfficeMax and Bad, Bath & Beyond and its community has grown to over 250K-strong. The average product has 800 contributors. Nice.
6. New Jelly
A Crowdfunding website for Artists.
New Jelly’s crowdfunding website focuses on helping artists and films get up off the ground. An industry that’s suffering more and more everyday, I’m glad to see someone like New Jelly reach out to them. Perhaps they could link with Etsy?
7. CoFolio
A Crowdfunding Website to Help Fund Local Small Businesses.
This one seems to be new, so it may be a little while before we see it really take off. None the less, I love what they’re doing. It’s all about keeping things local here, and helping the small businesses. It doesn't make any sense to me at all - unless they were doing it to help new bars open or local resturants... which is a great idea.... which I should write down... :)
8. Kick Starter
A Crowdfunding Website for Creative Projects (THE BIG MAMMA....of them all.)
Kickstarter holds the lead as the world’s largest crowdfunding website for creative projects…including: artists, journalists, inventors, and film makers. A quick review of the front page explores crowdfunding projects for a comic film, a museum, and a documentary. It is quite simply the coolest of them all - and these year it's all been about the gaming industry and especially mobile games in particular which has spurred some of my interest in Massmob :)
The only gutting thing is that often you have a new cool idea. Go on Kickstarter and find it's been in prototype for a year and just got $10,000 funding...
i.e. Last month, we were chatting about choose your own adventure books.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1181171727/defender-of-the-realm-0?ref=live
9. Start Some Good
A Crowdfunding Website for Social Entrepreneurs (I LOVE IT)
Start Some Good is a new crowdfunding website for social good initiatives to raise funds through a community of supporters. There are many non-profit Entrepreneurs here, but also for-profit socially responsible Entrepreneurs.
10. Peerbackers
A Crowdfunding Website for Entrepreneurs and their Dreams.
Peerbackers seems to be doing pretty well, and has a lot of ideas close to their funding goal. It also leverages social media to help you fund raise through peers, as well as strangers. Nice, clean interface. Not used it all yet. So no idea.
11. Eppela
Eppela is a new crowdfunding website out of Italy. This crowdfunding website supports social projects, art & entertainment, as well as lifestyle & technology businesses. So it's niche is the place - which is odd - why doesn't Britain have one then?
12. Indie Go Go
Last but not least, Indie Go Go…the world’s largest and earliest (founded in 2008) crowdfunding website. They have helped to raise millions of dollars for over 30,000 campaigns, across 194 countries. Personally, I don't like their marketing and think that other sites will simply run over them in being more professional and looking more web 3.0. But I would say that I am a mobile marketing geek...
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