The crowd can be there for you to help you innovate, solve challenges and get ahead of current thinking in your genre. And it can dip into its pockets to help fund your next big enterprise, something that’s being made easier with a plethora of crowdfunding platforms to be found on the Internet.
Crowdfunding is becoming an increasingly popular way for startups to secure finances to help them get off the ground.
The following ten sites are amongst the best resources on the web for crowdfunding. Here they are in no particular order:
Kickstarter – the biggest and most popular crowdfunding beast in the jungle for creative projects
Grow VC – connecting entrepreneurs with funders, experts, customers and partners to help realise their ideas
Quirky – aims to make life easier for inventors and claims to bring two brand new consumer products to market every week
Crowdtilt – pooling together a group’s funds for anything, from social causes to new products
Start Some Good – connects social entrepreneurs with capital to enable them to put their transformative ideas into practice
Indie Go Go – the earliest crowdfunding website (launched in 2008) allowing anybody to raise money for any idea
InvestedIn – social fundraising solutions for individuals, businesses and charities. As with many other crowdfunding sites the platform is based on gift/reward
FundersClub – raising funds through social networks. It was launched in 2010 and investments typically range from $1K to $250K.
Petridish – funding for science research projects
BelieversFund/AppsFunder – a crowdfunding website for new mobile apps.