We’re up to No.10 in our series of posts about how to simplify your lifestyle, and reach out to your neighbours and local community, so it’s time for a posting on the ‘big society’ in action: crowd-funding.
First up is peoplefund.it [update: now Crowdfunder], linked with one of our TEDxExeter speakers, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. This brings “good ideas that might just change the world (for the better)” together with people who want to make them happen with their money (from just £1), or by their time and skills, or by telling their friends. Projects might be “the latest tech gadgets, ground-breaking energy initiatives, or nifty ideas to make good, affordable, local food fun – not worthy.”
Then there is PleaseFund.Us [update: now known as Zequs.com], which is very similar, with a slightly different emphasis on the projects. “The ideas that we showcase come from all sorts of people and varying fields such as music, film, fashion, technology, publishing, and more. The motives vary, the budgets vary, the nature of the projects vary, but the one thing that remains constant is the creativity behind them.
And finally, there’s the new Exeter-based outfit, Crowdcube, targeting businesses wanting to raise equity finance.
In the next post, I’ll look at crowd-funding more targeted at community energy.
