“From the world by thread” - this is how crowdfunding can be characterized. Literally, this is a fundraising system that is equally suitable for investing in any business project and for releasing a music album or book.

What it is

In order to better understand the meaning of the definition, let’s turn to the English language, because it is where the word “crowdfunding” comes from. Crowd is a “crowd”, and funding is financing.

Fundraising goals may vary. Thus, some companies raise money for some kind of development or innovation, while others raise money for the release of a book that will undoubtedly find its application among the masses.

It is generally accepted that crowdfunding appeared simultaneously with crowdsourcing, which began in the early 2000s. Of course, the idea of ​​crowdfunding is much older than its official publication. For example, the same Statue of Liberty was built with public money.

Video - what is crowdfunding:

Crowdfunding can only be considered a new method in the field of business and innovation. Raising money to finance projects via the Internet has recently begun to gain popularity. Today, crowdfunding platforms are used to finance startups and some promising forms of business.

In the above figure you can see in what areas people invested their money a couple of years ago. As of today, nothing has changed. So, social projects and business projects are needed - these are the two most common areas of investing using the crowdfunding method.

Financial and legal scheme

The role of intermediaries in this method of financing is minimized. With the help of crowdfunding, you can get financing without involving banks or exchanges. The entire process of attracting investment is transparent and simple, so it inspires confidence in people who decide to invest money in the project.

Options for investors

Conventionally, crowdfunding can be divided into three large categories:

• without remuneration;
• non-financial reward;
• financial reward.

In the absence of remuneration for investors, we can talk about a donation scheme. Donations are most often used in socially significant as well as medical projects. For example, raising funds for the treatment of a child is crowdfunding through a donation scheme. People who donate money for treatment most often receive gratitude in the form of a mention of their name on a social page or campaign website.

Non-financial rewards are often referred to as the Kickstarter model. The Kickstarter model is the most common type of crowdfunding today. It has shown its effectiveness in practice: using it, funds were successfully raised for all kinds of projects, ranging from creative to complex products.

Remuneration from the sponsor can be either a mention in the list of people who took part in the project, or, for example, an invitation to a concert or production. Pre-ordering something is also a subtype of non-financial reward. For example, to release a book, donations are collected from interested parties, and then they receive the first copies of the book signed by the author.

The third option, which involves financial reward, can be called a full-fledged investment. In this case, all currently known investment models work (for example, royalties or equity crowdfunding).

Speaking about the legal component of crowdfunding, it is worth noting that so far this method of attracting investments is regulated only by the general norms of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation.

Even in developed countries such as the United States and France, regulations governing public investment were established only in 2014.

How to use it for business

For business, crowdfunding is not only possible, but also necessary. However, before submitting documents to one of the platforms mentioned below, it is necessary to take a number of preparatory measures:

1. Determine your target market, and first understand for yourself who will benefit from your entry into the market.
2. Prepare a short plan that includes a description of your idea. Try to make the idea and the story of its creation beautiful: people love true and beautiful stories.
3. Prepare answers to possible questions that people who are going to donate their money may have during the process.
4. Disclosure of information on your project is also quite a significant point.
5. Choose a platform to host your campaign: take a closer look at long-existing and well-executed projects.

Video - how to correctly describe a crowdfunding project:

Popular crowdfunding platforms

We will begin our review of platforms with which you can raise money for the implementation of a business project with Russian crowdfunding platforms.

In Russia

• Planet (planeta.ru). It has been in existence for more than 2 years and is a popular and easy-to-learn platform. Of the minuses: the system retains up to 28% of the commission from the collected amount of money. With the help of this platform, creative projects are promoted primarily.
• Boomstarter.ru. Just like Planeta.ru, it has existed on the crowdfunding market for more than 2 years. System commission up to 23%. Along with creativity, business projects are also promoted using this platform.
• Rusini (rusini.org). The site is specifically designed for business projects. The system does not charge a commission. The platform promotes startups and other business developments. Unfortunately, at the time of writing this article, this site was not working.

Abroad

Foreign platforms are more advanced and more popular, however, working with them is somewhat more difficult.

The most popular foreign platform is kickstarter.com. She helps with financing, first of all, creative and artistic projects.

Another popular platform is indiegogo.com. This resource is already more focused on financing business projects. The advantage of the resource is a small commission, which ranges from 4 to 9%.

rockethub.com is also an excellent platform for investing in business projects. This is a platform that is aimed at beginners. The service features competent technical support.

So, crowdfunding is a way to attract investment in your project. Investments can be raised in almost any area, for example, in startups or charity. Crowdfunding is an excellent method of finding not only funding for a project, but also like-minded people.

Video - is it possible for an inventor to raise money in Russia through crowdfunding:

OFD, digital signature, online cash registers, accounting and other useful services for entrepreneurs -

Optimal conditions for opening and maintaining a current account for entrepreneurs

) is a great way to get financial help to start your business or realize your creative ideas, and it is a great alternative to a bank loan.

Crowdfunding is a modern alternative to a bank loan and is typically used by startups, entrepreneurs or creative people who need money to finance their ideas.

In simple terms, crowdfunding is getting money from many people who are interested in financing your project.

Crowdfunding can work well if you have the time and patience to convince others that your idea is worth investing in.

Types of crowdfunding

1. Reward crowdfunding is the most popular type of crowdfunding. . It involves receiving gifts, bonuses and rewards from those who agree to finance your idea.
2. Equity crowdfunding – This type involves selling a small percentage of your business or offering a stake in your company as part of a long-term investment.
3. Debt crowdfunding is a new type of crowdfunding. You are asking for money in exchange for a share in a future venture or promises of a return on investment.

In most cases, investors pursue their own benefit (share in an existing business, financial reward, etc.) by investing money in a startup idea. But there are also charitable projects that operate on the basis of a free contribution to the implementation of an idea.

Financing methods

"All or nothing"

When a project is placed on a crowdfunding site, a certain deadline is set. If within a given period of time you were unable to raise the entire amount to implement your idea, then you receive nothing, and all the money goes back to the investors.

"Leave everything"

Even if you have not collected the entire amount, the collected funds minus the site commission are transferred towards the implementation of the project.

"Eternal financing"

You are given an unlimited amount of time to raise funds. This means that investors can invest in your project until the goal is achieved.

"Crucial moment"

You receive money after reaching a “checkpoint”. For example, if the collection is closed by 50%, then the funds are transferred to you.

"Deal with free price"

You exhibit some product of your creative activity, and investors offer a price for it. With the help of such “auctions” you can raise money for the implementation of a new project.

Who can use crowdfunding

Anyone can use crowdfunding, and most crowdfunding sites don't charge extra to host projects.

However, many sites will charge you approximately 5-7% commission if you have raised money for your project.

If you were unable to reach the required amount, they will not charge you anything - so try your best, in the end you will not lose anything.

As mentioned above, most sites will ask you to provide rewards for people who will invest in your idea.

Crowdfunding can be used to finance a variety of creative or business ideas. Here are some of the most popular uses of crowdfunding:

• Business startups
• Film projects
• Book publishing
• Entrepreneurs
• Charity
• Scientific research
• Information Technology
• Games and gadgets
• Community projects
• Volunteer activities
• Support for athletes, politicians, musicians

In general, everything that needs financial support.

Not all crowdfunding sites are the same, so before you post your project, it's worth doing some research on the most popular crowdfunding platforms and choosing the one that's best for you.

Crowdfunding platforms

Russian crowdfunding sites

Unlike the foreign crowdfunding market, there are not many specialized platforms in RuNet for raising money to support start-up businesses, social and creative projects.

The most popular Russian crowdfunding platforms are Planeta.ru, Boomstarter.ru and Kroogi.

Previously, such platforms as Smipon.ru (from around the world) and Together were popular, but for various reasons these resources are no longer functioning.

There are other crowdfunding platforms in Russia that were created quite recently and have not yet managed to establish themselves as reliable public funding services. Therefore, I will only talk about popular and proven domestic platforms.

On this resource you can raise funds to support creative, social, technological projects, as well as to help small businesses, civic initiatives and charity.

The platform operates according to the “Turning Point” system, that is, you can withdraw the collected funds if you overcome the 50% milestone on the way to achieving your goal.

At the end of 2018, the total amount of funds raised within the Planeta.ru platform was almost 930 million rubles, and the number of successful projects exceeded 4,000.

According to statistics, every third project is successful. The average funding bill per investor is 1,500 rubles, and the average fee for one project is close to 300 thousand rubles.

The main advantages of the Planeta.ru platform include the following aspects:

• High traffic . The monthly number of visits to the site is more than 700 thousand (while the number of unique visitors in 1 month exceeded 500 thousand users).
• Loyal conditions. Unlike most crowdfunding platforms (including foreign ones), on Planeta.ru you can withdraw the money collected if you have not reached the goal by 100%, but the project has collected more than 50% of the required amount.
• Possibility of extending the fundraising period. The fee can be extended once for a period not exceeding the initially designated period.
• No additional fees for payment systems (bank cards, Yandex.Money, Qiwi, etc.). All commissions are already included in the total service commission.
• Opportunity to promote your project. If the idea is successful, you can promote it through news publications on the platform’s website and social media pages.
• Loyal conditions for opening your own project. Anyone who has reached the age of 18 and has their own bank account can open a project.

The only downside to the project is the large commissions that are charged upon successful implementation of the project.

If you managed to collect 100 percent or more of the declared amount, then the commission is 10%. But if you were not able to fully achieve your financial goal, then the commission increases to 15%.

To summarize, we can safely say that the Planeta.ru platform is a win-win option for those who plan to launch their own project and need financing.

Even if you fail to collect the required amount, you have nothing to lose, which means it’s definitely worth a try!

Boomstarter.ru is a universal platform that is suitable for implementing projects in areas such as food, design, games, art, publishing, fashion, events, society, music, technology, theater, sports, choreography, photography, films and video.

The platform operates on the “All or nothing” principle.

As of 2018, almost 2 thousand projects were successfully implemented through the Boomstarter.ru platform with the support of 200 thousand sponsors.

The total amount of funds collected was almost 370 million rubles.

The average donation bill per investor fluctuates around 1,500 rubles.

The advantages of the Boomstarter.ru crowdfunding platform include:

• Versatility. According to the rules of Boomstarter.ru, you can launch almost any project, from a social program to a business idea.
• Loyal conditions for a startuper. The author of the project can be any citizen of the Russian Federation who has a passport and his own bank account.
• A small fee charged when a financial goal is achieved. If you manage to achieve your goal, the service commission is only 3.5%.
• Soft requirements for remuneration. Any project product worth 50 rubles or more can serve as a reward to investors. This could be a book, CD, etc. Financial rewards (money) are not allowed on the platform.

Despite the fact that Boomstarter.ru has not yet reached the same scale as the similar platform Planeta.ru, there is still the prospect of financing one’s own ideas through this service.

This is evidenced by the many successfully implemented projects and the rapid development of the platform in the Russian crowdfunding market.

The platform is designed for writers, musicians, artists and photographers who want to raise money for creative projects.

Almost any product can serve as rewards for investors, from a book to a ticket to your concert.

The platform works on the “All or nothing” principle. When a financial goal is achieved, a fixed commission of 15% of the amount of funds collected is withheld from the project author.

Moreover, the platform rules state that Kroogi has the right to change the commission amount, provided that the startuper is warned about this before the withdrawal of money.

Foreign crowdfunding sites

The most popular foreign sites include:

The platform is aimed at developing and supporting initiatives related to creativity.

Artists, musicians, designers and other people whose activities are related to art can post their projects here. The basic principles of the resource are that projects are aimed at creating something for exchange with the outside world (music, cinema, etc.).

Kickstarter works on the principle of "all or nothing."

The resource is aimed at innovative programs, namely, achievements in the field of design and technology.

Indiegogo operates on both an “All or Nothing” and a “Keep It All” system.

The platform is designed for creative, social and innovative projects.

This could be video games, music albums, high-tech products, support for solo rowers crossing the Atlantic Ocean, etc.

Ulule's operating model is “All or Nothing”.

The resource is aimed at entrepreneurs, creatives and inventors. Here you can bring almost any idea to life.

If your project does not achieve the stated goal, then you can take the investors’ money (the “Keep everything” model).

Description of the process and operation diagram

All crowdfunding sites are different, but their work scheme is approximately the same:

• Create a new account
• We write a brief description of your project
• We indicate how much money we need and set a time limit for fundraising
• We calculate the costs of gifts to investors

Most sites have an all or nothing policy. This means that if you do not collect the required amount of money, you will not receive anything. However, if you collect more than what you ask for, you will receive all the money.

If your project has raised the required amount of money, then you need (you MUST) fulfill your obligations under the project, since this is a business contract. If you fail to do this, you will have to return the money to the investors.

Pros and cons of crowdfunding

The main advantages of crowdfunding include the following aspects:

• Simplicity of design. To create a project, you simply need to confirm your identity without going into legal details.
• There is no risk of being under pressure from a single investor. Financial leverage is in the hands of all investors who contribute to your project. This state of affairs is beneficial for a startup, since it does not risk being under the pressure of one person.
• The word of mouth effect. It is beneficial for investors to advertise you and your project, which means they will share information with their friends, increasing your personal recognition and recognition of your program.
• No legal liability to investors. Investments in startup projects involve a serious risk of losing the invested funds. But if the idea is not successful, then you are not obligated to return people's money.

There are practically no downsides to crowdfunding, except for the risk of loss of authorship (if your project is not protected by copyright, it may become an object for plagiarism).

Everything else concerns the correct placement of your program on a crowdfunding platform - so that your project is not “wrapped up”, you should carefully read the rules and conditions of a particular site.

To show that you are serious and attract potential investors, take note of the following tips:

Make a detailed plan. You must clearly outline the stages of work and outline the algorithm of your actions on the way to implementing the project.
Choose a platform. Compare several resources, read the terms and conditions, choose the option that best suits the implementation of a specific idea.
Offer to help. Get investors interested. You can offer both financial assistance (a share in a business, a percentage of income) subject to achieving the goal, and a gift in the form of a product of creative activity (a souvenir, free access to books you have written, etc.).
Attract promoters. The most difficult thing is to make your campaign recognizable and notify a large number of people about it. To do this, you can use the help of relatives and friends who will tell their acquaintances about your project. Investors who have invested in your campaign can also participate.
Take cues from successful startups. Study information on the Internet, communicate with people and adopt the techniques of those who have already managed to achieve success.
Be convincing and show your professionalism. Remember that you are asking complete strangers for financial support. To get help, you will have to give your all - show your expertise in this area and provide convincing arguments why your project is worthy of funding.

Success stories

Many people have already created successful projects and business startups through crowdfunding sites. Here are some success stories:

Yana Borscheva raised $8,000 to release her illustrated collection of recipes for Ukrainian and Russian cuisine. Yana promised everyone who donated money to her project a copy of her book and additional prizes, the number of which depends on the amount of the donation – kickstarter.com

Dmitry Lazarev collected donations amounting to more than 200,000 rubles for the Russian edition of Gerald Weinberg’s book “The Law of Raspberry Jam and 103 More Secrets of Consulting” – boomstarter.ru

Designer Netta Shalgi wanted to raise $35,000 to produce a toy in the shape of a wooden horse. Fundraising is not over yet, but he has already raised over $100,000 – kickstarter.com

One of the most successful fundraising projects on kickstarter.com. The money was collected to organize an enterprise for the production of “smart” electronic watches. The organizers planned to raise $100,000, but the idea was so successful that they raised 10 times more than $10,266,845.

Hello, dear readers of the portal site! Today we'll talk about crowdfunding And crowdinvesting , what it is, what types of crowdfunding there are, what Russian sites operate in our country and the CIS countries.

Crowdfunding is a fairly popular word that has been used especially often lately. This is far from just a word, it is a term denoting a new and serious phenomenon in the world business and finance, which has already made it possible to create a large amount of material wealth and implement hundreds of social and investment projects, and also became source of start-up capital for many talented businessmen.

Nowadays, crowdfunding and crowdinvesting are becoming increasingly popular, as this is a wonderful tool that allows you to find out and produce exactly those material values ​​that the consumer really needs.

From this article you will learn:

• What is crowdfunding and its features;
• Types of crowdfunding and its rules;
• What is crowdinvesting and its types;
• Popular Russian sites (platforms).

You will also be able to get acquainted with the current state of crowdfunding in the world, Russia and the CIS countries, and perhaps gain knowledge that can push you to implement your own project using such a powerful tool as crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding and crowdinvesting - what is it, what is it for, how to create and place a project on a crowdfunding site, what kind of Russian sites there are, and so on, read the article

If we literally translate the term “ crowdfunding " From english ( crowdfunding), then it turns out to be “crowd financing”. It would be more correct to slightly adapt this translation to the Russian language, and translate this term as “ Popular (collective) financing" In this translation lies the main essence of this phenomenon, in its essence

Crowdfunding(from the English crowdfunding) - This popular Internet financing of ideas (raising funds from everyone) in order to bring any project to life.

The project could be like commercial, so non-profit. Those people who try to collect finances in this way have a name "recipients", and those who rent (invest) funds are called " donors" .

Nowadays, such fundraising has become very widespread on the Internet and social networks, as it is very convenient fundraising platform, which has a colossal audience.

A large number of Internet resources have been created specifically for these purposes; one of the most famous in the world at the moment is famous crowdfunding platform Kickstarter , which has made it possible to implement more than one project and raised billions of dollars.

The goals of crowdfunding can be very different; they resort to it very often young businessmen who thus wish to raise the necessary amount for the implementation of any project or startup. We already wrote about who startupers are in a previous publication.

As practice shows, if the idea is really interesting and the “donors” liked it, then money can be raised very quickly.

The main goals for raising funds using crowdfunding are most often:

• Operations and treatment;
• Attracting and financing certain commercial projects;
• Landscaping;
• Financing of political activities;
• Charity;
• Funding for cultural figures, athletes, musicians, etc. ;

When crowdfunding is used to raise funds for the implementation of a startup or any business project, in most cases this is not a free investment.

People who want to invest in a particular commercial project do so with the aim of making a profit in the future. This method is described later in the article, it is often also called crowdinvesting.

Crowdinvesting should be considered as a separate subtype of crowdfunding. It differs in that the collection of funds necessary for the creation and development of a startup project is carried out in exchange for material remuneration from the financing party in the future.

Distinctive features of Crowdfunding and its types

2. Types of crowdfunding - 3 main types 📌

There are 3 (three) main types:

View No. 1. Debt crowdfunding

Debt crowdfunding involves investing money in exchange for a certain share in a future project, or in exchange for a return on investment.

View No. 2. Equity crowdfunding

Equity crowdfunding This is a type of crowdfunding in which the recipient sells a certain part of his business to a donor (investor), or simply offers a share in his company on the terms of long-term investment.

View No. 3. Reward crowdfunding

Reward crowdfunding The most popular type of crowdfunding, in exchange for investments, donors receive gifts and valuable prizes.

3. Distinctive features of crowdfunding 📑

One of the distinctive features of this method of funds is strict compliance with all rules and agreements.

The following distinctive features of crowdfunding can be distinguished:

Factor 1. A clear idea

Money should not be collected for some obscure extraneous purpose. To attract the required amount of funds, the person collecting them must really offer a clear and understandable idea, in which there will be a desire to invest in order to receive further profit (if the idea is commercial).

For example, you decided to create your own - sew leather shoes. You need to clearly and clearly describe in your project what materials the shoes will be made from, how much money is needed to purchase equipment, and so on.

Factor 2. Limitation

The process of collecting money should be limited in time. This approach allows you to better understand which of the projects is really interesting to the audience, and which did not suit their taste.

Factor 3. Venture

If a donor invests his funds in any project, he does not receive 100% guarantees return on investment, because always during the implementation of a project, there is a possibility that something will go wrong.

In addition, when it comes to social initiatives, return on investment is not at all implied.

Factor 4. Focus

Modern crowdfunding platforms are engaged in raising funds for the implementation of a wide variety of projects, these can be both commercial and non-commercial projects in different fields.

Factor 5. Results-oriented

A person or organization raising money through crowdfunding is obliged to report on the work done and the use of funds.

If she does not fulfill this, she must return the money invested in her.

Why and who needs Crowdfunding, who can use it

4. Who can use crowdfunding 💳 - who needs it and why

One of the features of crowdfunding is that absolutely anyone can do it. In addition, in some cases, the site on which you place your project will not even take any interest from you.

However, most often you will still have to pay = the platform on which you post your (business) project approximately 5-7% commission, but only if you managed to raise funds for the implementation of my project.

If for one reason or another you failed get the necessary investment, you do nothing don't pay site (platform), which makes crowdfunding an almost win-win and very profitable option, both for businessmen and for those who want to implement certain social projects.

Also, in case of successful fundraising, the platform on which the user (recipient) posted his project will ask to provide certain reward for those who invested in his idea. If the investments are large (serious) amounts, then it would be correct to offer investors a certain part in the future business company.

It is important to consider that all crowdfunding platforms are different and some may have your terms.

That is why, before posting your project, you should carefully study the site rules so as not to get into an unpleasant situation in the future due to your own ignorance.

Foreign Crowdfunding platforms + Russian crowdfunding sites

5. Foreign crowdfunding sites 💵

With the development of the Internet, a huge number of crowdfunding sites, which offer their users very comfortable And effective tools to attract investment.

One of the very first and one of the most successful platforms is the popular site kickstarter.com.

Kickstarter (kickstarter.com)

The Kickstarter platform has an official website kickstarter.com, the site is not yet presented in Russian in Russia (that is, in the Russian version), but in the future all large platforms, as a rule, will come to Russian markets.

If a project on the Kickstarter site does not raise the required amount of funds by the specified deadline, then all the money is returned to the sponsors. Funds are collected through Amazon Payments.

Kickstarter takes over 5 % commissions from raised funds + additional commission charged by Amazon.

Crowdfunding platform kickstarter.com - Kickstarter in Russian is not currently represented in Russia

There are also a large number of other similar Internet sites on which interesting projects appear almost every day, collecting a lot of money.

Among such platforms are:

• indiegogo.com ,
• gofundme.com ,
• 99designs.com ,
• crowdflower.com
• crowdfundinginternational.eu (crowdfunding international).

All these sites are very convenient, as they allow you to select one or another project based on certain criteria, for example, such as subject matter, amount of funds required, implementation period And a lot others.

Such a convenient sorting of projects greatly simplifies life for both donors and recipients, and also helps to invest their funds as wisely as possible. find donors as efficiently as possible.

It is important to remember that any posted project goes through serious verification by the crowdfunding platform on which it is located. This state of affairs allows these sites to act as some kind of guarantor between those who collect funds and those who invest them.

For these services, the site usually collects a certain commission. It varies from site to site, but in most cases it is within 5-10% .

6. Crowdfunding in Russia - the largest Russian platforms 💸

Recently, crowdfunding has become increasingly popular in Russia, which has led to the emergence of quite a large number of platforms that act as reliable guarantors between donors And recipients .

Crowdfunding sites in Russia currently have little popularity, but we can already say that this is a promising area of ​​financing both in the CIS countries and in the Russian Federation.

The most popular platforms are the following:

6.1. Crowdfunding platform "Planeta.ru"

Crowdfunding Russian platform "Planeta.ru" (Planeta.ru)

Official site of the site - planeta.ru

This site has certain rules, the creator of the project must be over 18 years old and also have own bank account. On the website planeta.ru you can raise money for the implementation of a variety of projects, ranging from creative ones like recording music and filming a film to social projects.

Exception for the crowdfunding platform are political and commercial projects.

Among the features of this site, we can note the presence of a personal curator for each project, with whom an agreement is signed allowing the launch of fundraising. There are moderators on the site who carefully study each project.

6.2. Crowdfunding platform “From the World by Thread”

Russian crowdfunding platform “From the World to a Thread” (smipon.ru)

smipon.ru

The site specializes in social And commercial projects. Funding can be denied only to those projects that did not pass moderation or were not approved individually for any reason.

The recipient collecting funds through this site must have Russian citizenship and also have clear idea And deadlines for collecting funds.

Before the start of the project, an agreement is concluded between the recipient and the site itself. The agreement implies the transfer of part of the funds to the site if they are successfully collected.

6.3. Crowdfunding platform "Boomstarter" (Boomstarter.ru)

Russian crowdfunding platform “Boomstarter” (boomstarter.ru)

Official website of the crowdfunding platform - Boomstarter.ru. The Boomstarter platform is an analogue of the Kickstarter project.

To create a project on Boomstarter you must be citizen of the Russian Federation over 18 years of age. In addition, you should provide place of permanent registration And identity document, as well as create your own bank account and provide this data to the site.

The site is more focused on financing of creative projects, such as recording albums, releasing books, filming films and more. While commercial and charitable projects (targeted financing, various information and propaganda campaigns, etc.) are prohibited from being posted.

A feature of the site is the limited time frame for fundraising. Money can be collected no more than 60 days, thus the site is suitable for collecting small amounts.

Comparative table of Russian crowdfunding sites:

Name	Address	Fundraising method*	Commission (including personal income tax)	Main directions of projects	Approximately how much money was raised?	Lifespan
"Planet"	planeta.ru	ViN, OS	23 – 28 %	Creative projects	More than 100 million rubles	More than 2 years
"A thread from the world"	Smipon.ru	ViN	23%	Social projects, sports, joint purchases	Data hidden	More than 3 years
"Boomstarter"	boomstarter.ru	ViN	23%	Creative projects and technologies	More than 57 million rubles	Approximately 2 years

*ViN– all or nothing (projects can only be fully funded, or not funded at all)

OB– Leave everything (there is an opportunity to receive a certain part of the funds that were collected)

What is crowdinvesting - the meaning of the term + forms (models) of making a profit in crowdinvesting

7. What is crowdinvesting: main types + platforms for crowdinvesting in Russia 💰

Crowdinvesting - This, kind, collective investment. From English words: 1) Crowd- crowd, 2) Investing- investing. This means that crowdinvesting is “investing in crowds.”

The principle of this type of crowdfunding is as follows:

An entrepreneur comes up with a startup project, then investors chip in to implement the project and the profits from the business are divided among everyone in pre-agreed proportions (according to the agreement)

Let us remind you! Crowdinvesting is one of the types of crowdfunding (“people’s finance”).

7.1. Types of crowdinvesting - description and meaning

Crowdinvesting is divided into 3 type:

1. Royalty;
2. Public lending (crowdlending);
3. Equity crowdfunding.

View 1. Royalty

In this case, the investor expects to receive a share or part of the profit of the financed business project. This financing approach is used in the creation of many films, projects and games. We wrote about (how and where to look for investors for a business) in a previous publication.

With this form of crowdinvesting, the investor has the right to count on a share of the profit of the financed project. This approach is often used when financing music projects ( SonicAngel), films ( Slated) and games ( LookAtMyGame).

Type 2. Public lending (crowdlending)

Crowdlending – a new way of online lending to individuals, other individuals or companies through special Internet resources.

Here the lender has a higher interest rate compared to deposits in banks, and the borrower has a lower interest rate on his loan than banks offer. Plus, getting a loan this way is much easier.

Also found in public lending - social lending. The rates on these loans are very low (symbolic) or non-existent. The result is something between charity and lending.

There are 2 (two) main types of crowdlending:

1. P2P lending– when individuals lend to other individuals;
2. P2B lending– when individuals lend to organizations, companies (usually medium and small businesses).

Type 3. Equity crowdfunding

The newest and most advanced form of crowdinvesting, where the investor becomes a “shareholder” (owner of a share of the financed project), with all the rights of a shareholder (receiving dividends, managing the company, etc.).

This form of crowdinvesting violates the laws of many countries. But laws are being adopted that legalize this activity and allow the form of crowdinvesting to be regulated, which has a beneficial effect on the development of developing and developed countries.

7.2. The most popular platforms for crowdinvesting in Russia

There are a large number of Russian crowdinvesting platforms.

Let's look at the most famous of them:

1. StartTrack – the site was created in 2013 with the support of the IIDF (Fund for the Development of Internet Initiatives), the minimum amount for investing in this site is 10,000 rubles, the profitability is promised - up to 35%. StartTrack is one of the most famous and reliable crowdinvesting platforms;
2. Flow – This is a project from Alfa-Bank. To invest, a minimum amount of 10,000 rubles is required. You need to invest for a period of at least 6 months. Crowdinvesting platform promises higher returns 25 % ;
3. Aktivo – a platform from the creators of the CarPrice and KupiVip platforms. This platform allows you to invest money in commercial real estate, which is rented out to large and well-known companies (supermarkets Pyaterochka, Victoria and others). To invest, you will need an amount of at least 500 thousand rubles. Platform profitability over 11 % per annum.

7. How crowdfunding platforms make money 📈

Earnings crowdfunding platforms mainly based on receiving commission from projects. The commission on different sites may be different, for some it is 5% some 15% .

Also, platforms may have additional income, for example, some platforms that raise funds for creative projects, in the future sell albums, books and other similar products.

The same applies to some sites focused on commercial projects, which subsequently sell various products.

Commissions are not taken at all from charitable and very often social projects.

For example, the Russian crowdfunding platform Rusini does not take a commission at all, since it is intended to solve social problems.

8. How to create your own crowdfunding project on the site 📋

Each crowdfunding platform has its own characteristics, which can vary greatly from site to site. However, the process of creating a project is quite similar for most sites.

How to create a project on a crowdfunding platform

To create a project on a crowdfunding platform, you need to go through the following steps:

1. Creating a new account on the website;
2. Description of your project;
3. Indication of the required amount of funds for collection, as well as the deadline for collection;
4. Calculation of expenses that will have to be incurred on presents (gifts) to donors.

Creating the project itself (business project, commercial or social project, etc.) implies:

1. Domain creation and registration;
2. Creation of a logo (brand);
3. Installation of social network buttons;
4. Create site();
5. Confirmation of registration by E-Mail and the possibility of sending by E-Mail;
6. and promotion of the project throughout the world, country, region;
7. Recording a video presentation of the project;
8. Determining the amount of the fee.

If you fail to collect the required amount of money within the time period specified by you, you receive nothing. If, for one reason or another, you managed to collect more than the specified amount of money, you you receive ALL funds.

Important to remember that this is not just a collection of money, but a business contract, so if the collection of funds is successful, you must comply with all terms of the contract.

If you are unable to do this, you are obliged to return the money invested in your project.

9. Achieving project success on a crowdfunding platform 💡

Of course, every person who creates a project on one or another crowdfunding site wants to collect the required amount of money within the time frame specified by them. But we must admit that it is far not everyone can really do it.

What are the criteria for project success?, compliance with which can increase the likelihood of fundraising success to the maximum?

For each project everything is individual, however, if we generalize, we can highlight the following criteria:

Criterion 1. Realism

You should not set goals for yourself that you cannot achieve, especially if you do not yet have much experience in this direction. You need to move towards your goal in small steps.

That's why It's better to collect a small amount of money, which will allow you to implement your small project, rather than aiming for something global and getting nothing.

Criterion 2. Timeliness

As practice and success stories of some projects show, seasonality has a significant impact.

Projects are best started in autumn, since it is during this period of time that most people return from vacation and are ready for active financial activity.

Before uploading (uploading) your project, it is very important to study the features of the site where you are going to do this. It will also be useful to familiarize yourself with the projects that already exist on them and the stories of past successful projects.

Criterion 3. Originality

Originality is a very subtle criterion that should be approached accordingly. Of course, it is very important that the project is different from other projects, since this way it can attract attention.

However, one must be very careful with this, despite all the originality of the project must remain realistic. It is unlikely that anyone will want to finance “freak, fantasy” projects that are characterized by unjustified excesses.

Criterion 4. Openness

Try to provide as much as possible more information about yourself, your experience and approaches to project implementation .

Important to remember that people want to invest money only in worthwhile, promising and realistic projects.

If someone thinks that there are rich people who will finance all sorts of stupid things, then he is very mistaken, rich people know how to count their money, perhaps that is why they are rich.

Therefore, you should provide your potential investor with as much information as possible about yourself so that he knows where and what he is investing his money in.

Criterion 5. Availability of a business plan

Having a business plan can be a very big plus for any commercial project.

Real calculations and figures will help the investor better understand the prospects of your project, and will also indicate that you are serious about this matter.

We wrote in our last issue where to download it, as well as how to compile it and what to pay attention to.

10. Successful examples of crowdfunding 💎

Using this method of money, a lot of different projects are implemented almost every day. focus And scale. But, as in any other matter, there are several well-known examples of crowdfunding use, which are a reference point for many businessmen.

• Pebble - device (wristwatch)

A device from Pebble Technology in the form of a watch. The project was collected in 2012 $10,266,845, 68,928 donors made a donation.

• Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign

One of the most famous examples of crowdfunding is Barack Obama's presidential campaign in 2008. It received a very big resonance and response among his supporters, and in the end it was possible to collect $272 million, approximately 2 million Americans took part in donations.

• Recording an album by the group Bi-2

The famous Russian rock band Bi-2 collected through crowdfunding 1.25 million rubles to record the album Spirit.

• Stephen King book

The famous American writer Stephen King, who specializes in writing horror, posted one of the first chapters of his new book online, and in exchange offered everyone $1 for reading it. This proposal of King found a very big response among his fans and those who were not indifferent to his work, thus, in a short period of time it was possible to collect entire 2 million dollars.

• Film Age of Fools

The problem of global warming is of interest to many people nowadays, and the British film company Spanner Films was no exception, which managed to collect about £1 million for 5 years (during the period 2004 – 2009). This money went towards the filming of the film The Age of Fools, dedicated to the problem of global warming.

• Games Wasterland 2 and Adventure

To develop the games Wasterland 2 and Adventure, which became very popular, about $3 million for each of the video games. About 87 thousand people took part in this.

11. How to create and advertise a campaign on a Crowdfunding platform - basic concepts, rules and expert advice 🛠

Raising money through crowdfunding platforms - the process is not easy, because in order to raise the necessary amount, it is important to provide potential investors and donors with a really good and clear idea.

In addition, there are a large number of requirements for the approach itself and for the personal qualities of the fundraiser.

So, let's look at the basic tips, factors and rules, the observance and consideration of which will help to achieve success in this direction.

11.1. Basic Concepts

Before posting your project on crowdfunding sites, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the following concepts:

1) Crowdfunding is not a handout

It is very important to understand that no one just will not invest money to your project.

If this is a commercial project, then it should bring profit in the future.

If this is a social or charitable project, then it should be really useful and interesting.

Thus, in order to receive the required amount of money, you must offer something to those who invested in return.

2) Ask yourself why people will give money to me?

Put yourself in the shoes of your potential donor or investor and tell me, would you invest in such a project?

3) Be prepared to work hard and seriously

It is impossible to raise money on a crowdfunding site without difficulty. It’s not enough to just post a project, even if it’s ideal and properly designed, people need to see your openness and understand that you are the one who can bring this project to its logical conclusion.

That's why, do not be shy, communicate with your potential investors, tell me as much as possible about themselves and their approaches, they should see an open person who is ready to work long and hard to achieve their goal.

4) Crowdfunding is not for everyone

Despite the fact that crowdfunding is a very convenient method of raising funds, which is popular all over the world, it is not suitable for everyone.

Some people simply cannot work in this format and they are looking for other ways for themselves, which, by the way, are also in abundance.

Therefore, it is important to be prepared for the fact that crowdfunding may not be your thing, and you will be able to implement your project using other methods.

5) The project must be useful

It is quite obvious that in most cases only those projects that offer some useful product, service or anything else that can interest people manage to raise money.

11.2. How to create a campaign on the platform - 6 important tips

In Russia, there are several very popular crowdfunding platforms that can become a very good tool for raising funds to implement your idea.

In order for the project to collect as much funding as possible, it is important to consider the following tips when creating a campaign on the site:

Lying in general is always bad, but when it comes to real money it is especially bad. You should not overestimate your real capabilities and write in the project description something that you simply cannot implement. Realism - this is your main rule.

It is very important to clearly define the deadline for collecting money for your project; it should not be too short, but you should also avoid deadlines that are too long.

The ideal fundraising timeline may vary for each project, but in most cases It is best to allocate 2-3 weeks to raise money, and constantly update your project, approximately 2-3 times a week.

Calculate the minimum amount of money you need to implement your project.

In no case should you greatly overestimate this figure, since if you immediately ask for a large amount of money, this can greatly scare potential donors (investors) away from you.

Offer people who invest money in your project some tangible rewards. It's best to have these rewards tied to your project in some way, this will give investors a stronger sense of personal involvement in your project.

Tip 5: Make investing accessible to everyone

You must set up your campaign as competently as possible so that you want to invest in it like those who want to invest 100 rubles, and those who want to invest 10,000 rubles.

Be as open as possible, tell potential investors and yourself as much as possible about your achievements, awards and plans.

11.3. Advertising and marketing of the project on the site

The right marketing approach is very important for the ultimate success of your project. That is why this issue should be approached especially responsibly and seriously.

The following marketing tactics can help you:

1. Involve your relatives, friends and acquaintances in your project. The more people you attract to it, the better. Be sure to advertise it on social networks, post links to your project on forums, in social network communities, on your personal page;
2. Ask your acquaintances, friends and relatives to tell you about your project to as many people as possible, both in real life and through the Internet and social networks;
3. Be sure to create a newsletter, which concerns the latest events and news concerning your project, use it to notify all your investors and subscribers;
4. Find local online media sites, and try to tell them about yourself, since crowdfunding is still something new for Russia, perhaps some media will want to tell their readers about you, which will attract even more people to your project;
5. Talk to bloggers who work in a direction close to you and ask them to tell you about your project;
6. Create a video and post it, For example, on YouTube, in this video, tell us about how the fundraising process is going and what is the latest news regarding your project; (We recommend reading - where you will also find out how much and how YouTube bloggers earn)
7. Look for influential and famous people on social networks, get in touch with them and ask them to tell them about your project, if it is really interesting, many of them will talk about it on their page, which will increase the likelihood of collecting the required amount of finance and further implementation of the project;
8. Always be willing to make contact with those who are interested in your project. If people start commenting on information about your project posted on a page on a social network, be sure to respond to them, tell them about your future plans and ask them to talk about it;
9. Use all possible tools to advertise your project on the site: Vkontakte, Facebook, LiveJournal, Twitter, YouTube, personal connections, friends, acquaintances, relatives, etc.

12. Latest news of the Crowdfunding market

1) In 2014, the Yandex.Money company announced the launch of its Crowdfunding platform “ Together: for good deeds", which is designed to simplify the collection of money via the Internet for various charitable needs and social projects.

2) The WebMoney payment system has launched a new service “ Group purchases", which allows users of the service to unite in groups to collect funds for the purpose of purchasing goods from wholesale suppliers at low prices or for other large orders in foreign stores;

3) WebMoney Transfer has created a new service “ Funding", which has 4 directions for raising funds. Thanks to this service, you can raise money not only through classic crowdfunding, but also finance charitable projects, make collective purchases, organize various events, and so on.

13. Frequently asked questions ❔

Let's consider the questions that come to the editors of the portal "site"

Question 1. Boomstarter does not give away money, what should I do?

Try contacting the project manager, email, support service, etc. Both negative and positive reviews about the company were found online.

Some negative reviews contain information that the project is moderated and published on the site in the 3rd week, some that they do not pay (don’t give) money.

Aspiring businessmen and startups without capital have to look for money to launch a project. Searching for an investor takes time and effort, and the result may be zero. But we still hear about the great successes of newcomers in business. It turns out that ordinary people who are ready to take our word for it and give money can help. And this phenomenon is called crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding is a modern model of finding funding among individuals who are ready to support their favorite project with money. Information is found on special websites – crowdfunding platforms. Unlike crowdsourcing, crowdfunding involves only raising funds, and not searching for volunteer help.

You want to publish a book or magazine, host a festival, or launch a new product, such as an inflatable sofa without a pump. It is unknown how long it will take to find funding. Crowdfunding allows you to receive money in just a few months. To do this, the authors of the projects describe in detail the idea, the costs of its implementation and set a goal - how much money they want to raise.

Whether you succeed depends on whether people trust you and see the value in the project. Crowdfunding has helped and continues to help small businesses and startups. Using “collective” funds, they conduct charity events, develop free programs, record music and make films.

The interactive course of the online university Netology “Crowdfunding: how to get funding for your project” will help you decide on the choice of a site, properly design the project and develop a reward system.

Who's who in crowdfunding

The main characters of crowdfunding are the founder (the author of the project) and the sponsor (backer, or donor). Sponsors finance the project through the system, and the author receives funds for its implementation.

Before launching a fundraising campaign, the author calculates the costs in detail to determine the amount required. An important condition for crowdfunding is openness. People need to see how much money you need, how much you managed to raise and how much is still missing. The collected amount can only be spent on the purpose - there will be a demand from the author.

Crowdfunding fundraising models

• All or nothing: if the project does not reach the required amount by the appointed date, it receives nothing
• Leave everything: the author receives exactly the amount minus the commission that he managed to raise
• Remuneration: first the amount is collected, then a team is created to implement the project; she gets paid for her work
• Free-price deal: the author creates a product (for example, a book, an audio recording), and the sponsors themselves decide how much to pay for it
• Charity: free transfer of money

Global crowdfunding giants

The most famous crowdfunding platform is Kickstarter. It has been operating since 2009, and during this time it has attracted the attention of large American corporations, government agencies and venture capital funds. Here they select the most suitable projects for investment. This platform operates on an “all or nothing” model.

Kickstarter's main competitor is Indiegogo. This platform allows for a more flexible financing model, unlike the first one. It doesn’t matter what part of the declared amount was collected, all the money will go to the author. However, he may choose an “all or nothing” model instead of a flexible model. It will cost him less: the commission will be lower.

In 2015, Kickstarter raised $71.5 million, a global leader. And although there are no sites with similar turnover in Russia, two of the largest can be identified: Boomstarter and Planeta.

Crowdfunding platform "Boomstarter"

It is called the Russian analogue of Kickstrater. The site opened in 2012, and at first it offered fundraising only according to the “All or Nothing” model - before the deadline. In 2016, it became possible to collect money indefinitely - until the goal.

Each fundraising campaign is assigned a manager. It warns and corrects errors. The system commission is 10%, another 13% is income tax.

Boomstarter attracts creative, technical and other projects with a purpose. This site raises money for the creation of films, music, video games, books, software and more. There are 13 categories in total: society, games, food, design, fashion, art, publishing, music, technology, theater, video, photography and choreography.

"Boomstarter" does not support charity or anything related to it. Authors raise money for clear goals - record a music album, publish a book, create a finished product or work of art.

• In 2013, Boomstarter managed to raise over 3 million rubles for the filming of the film “Panfilov’s 28,” although the authors asked for 300,000 rubles
• In November 2016, sponsors raised 1,429,220 rubles to reissue classic comics about the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in book format (800,000 rubles were needed)
• In May 2016, 998 sponsors raised 3,890,140 rubles for a pocket sofa that can be inflated without a pump. The authors of the project asked for “only” 1 million

Since the opening of the site, 1,458 projects have managed to raise 309 million rubles. Projects in the categories of music, films, books, and computer games receive the greatest response.

Features of "Boomstarter"

— Fundraising

If we compare “Boomstarter” with another service - “Planet”, then it differs primarily in its fundraising model - “All or nothing”. The author had to collect the amount by a specific deadline. If less was collected, the site returned the money to sponsors. Later, the platform softened, and it became possible to raise funds indefinitely - until the desired goal is achieved. “Planet” gives away the money if the amount is collected at least half (50%).

Author contribution. If the author of the project found part of the money outside the crowdfunding platform, then “Boomstarter” allows him to make an “author’s contribution” with this amount. These funds are counted towards the general fund, but are not paid upon successful completion of the campaign. There is no such opportunity on Planet. You can withdraw the amount if it reaches 50% of the target.

Personal manager. “Boomstarter” assigns a manager to each project. You can keep in touch with him by phone. In Planet, communication is only via email, which is slower.

Online training. “Boomstarter” quickly teaches you how to launch projects in an online school at any time. “Planet” conducts classes only once every 3 months, and you must attend them in person.

Refund. Boomstarter charges a commission from sponsors when returning money from unsuccessful projects. "Planet" returns the funds in full.

Crowdfunding platform "Planet"

“Planet” appeared on the RuNet among the first crowdfunding platforms in 2012. Initially, the creators of the site had the idea to create a service that would help fight piracy in music - by pre-ordering albums.

In 2011, the service opened in test mode. The first project was to raise funds for the recording of a studio album by the group “BI-2” (the co-founder of the platform, Max Lakmus, serves as its bass player). We managed to collect 1,250,000 rubles for the recording. This successful project was followed by others, also from the field of music. Later other categories joined and the service expanded.

Gradually, Planet grew into an online broadcasting service and an online store and began producing content itself.

Money is collected according to the “All or nothing” model, but there is an advantageous condition - you need to collect at least 50%. The system will take a commission of 10% of half of the amount set as a goal, and will return the remaining money with a commission of 15%.

When the fundraising deadline expires and 50% of the desired amount has been accumulated, the platform offers the choice of either withdrawing the money (with different commissions) or extending the campaign for the same period as initially (180 days).

Main directions of projects

The first project of “Planet” was to raise funds for recording music, so the creative categories receive the maximum response. Here they help find money to release an album, make a film, organize a festival.

Successful fundraising cases

• The “Planet” record holder for fundraising was the “Three Melodies” cartoon project. The author set a goal of collecting 2,200,000 rubles and exceeded it by another 50 thousand rubles
• The BI-2 group collected 1,262,250 rubles for the recording of the Spirit album, 1,023,100 rubles for the recording of another album - “16+”, as well as 1,073,460 for the concert edition (DVD + CD)
• In the events sector, a project to stage a musical based on the songs of the Aquarium group stood out. 1 million rubles were required, but we managed to collect 1,147,997 rubles

The official website of Planeta states that as of May 2017, 638,550,369 rubles were collected through 2,790 projects (according to statistics, every third project managed to achieve its goal).

Features of "Planet"

“Boomstarter” attracted an audience more interested in business ideas and technology, while “Planet” attracted an audience more interested in creativity and charity.

Famous people raise funds on Planet, they are loved and known, so they are more willing to give money. In the shadow of the stars, it can be difficult for average creators to engage an audience. Boomstarter has a reputation as a platform for beginners, so there is a greater chance of success without such strong competition from celebrities

How to choose a crowdfunding platform for your project

Comparison table between Boomstarter and Planeta.ru

	"Boomstarter"	"Planet"
year of foundation	2012	2011
fundraising method	All or nothing	All or nothing, Leave everything (if collected over 50%)
popular destinations	Business, technology	Music, cinema, creativity, society
commission	10%	10-15%
payment deadline	The next day	In 7 days
opportunity to withdraw money	From 100% of the amount	From 50% of the amount
placement on other sites	Allowed	Forbidden
online store of goods from projects	No	Eat
placement period	Any (Up to target)	180 days (+180 days when collecting from 50%)
collection for personal purposes	Prohibited	Allowed
personal manager	Eat	No
learning resources	Eat	Eat
average project fee	211,934 rubles	228,871 rubles
number of completed projects	1 458	2 790
amount of funds collected	309 000 000	638 550 369

When choosing a crowdfunding platform, focus on its “specialization”. Business projects, development of new technologies and products can find a greater response on Boomstarter. “Planet” attracts more creative and social projects.

If you have never raised funds on such platforms, then at Boomstarter you will be trained online and assigned a manager-curator to the project. At Planet you will have to study “live” - attend classes in person. If you don’t live in Moscow, then this is inconvenient.

Pay attention to the amount of funds raised. Both “Boomstarter” and “Planet” show good results. This means they are working to improve the service and make the collection process more efficient.

Video: how to describe a project on a crowdfunding site

Crowdfunding can help you

If the idea for a startup or creative project can really be useful, it will be easier to get money. People will be interested and will collect them for you. The task of the author and aspiring businessman is to convince them of success. Crowdfunding platforms will help with this.

Good afternoon friends! None of us are surprised by the fact that the Internet has long become a tool for realizing a huge number of various needs. On the Internet we communicate, have fun, and even work. Tell me, how many of you have thought about using the Internet to promote your own ideas, develop projects and create a real social “boom”? If you are still looking for where to get money to implement your endeavors, you have been saving money for years, but still can’t get closer to your goal, then you just need to get acquainted with the phenomenon of crowdfunding. This movement arose relatively recently, but has already gained considerable momentum. What operating principle crowdfunding, what it actually is, and how to use it to organize fundraising for personal needs, I propose to find out right now.

Crowdfunding: what is it?

I want to say right away that crowdfunding is young and innovative phenomenon, which literally took over the business world. With its help, many entrepreneurs were able to launch their projects and thereby earn a lot of money from them. In turn, all kinds of charitable organizations and media personalities can use crowdfunding to obtain funds to finance their endeavors. But let's talk about all this in order.

So that crowdfunding ceases to be something distant and unknown for you and me, I think it would be appropriate to delve into history its occurrence. The origins of this phenomenon date back to the mid-20th century, in the US securities market. It was at this time that the development of the market began to follow a rather unusual scenario - almost half of the shares of small but actively developing companies were sold through an unregulated market. If we describe this phenomenon in simple words, it turns out that a small laundry could buy securities anyone who wants right in the garage of the owner of this newly created business.

This led to the fact that huge amounts of savings flowed into business, and the majority of ordinary people, who wisely invested in shares of little-known companies, after a certain period of time became owners of considerable fortunes. For example, one American family managed to earn almost $3 million in just 5 years from shares in a company that produced plastic cups. The amazing thing about this story is that the papers that were purchased in the early 80s cost only a couple hundred bucks at that time. Moreover, there are quite a lot of stories like this. Company Apple, as you remember, also began its journey in the garage.

Impact on large companies

This phenomenon, which is so atypical for the securities market, has led to small companies having difficulty registering the issue of shares. In addition, the market, which is completely there was no regulation, became fertile ground for speculation and making money on investors who were sold low-quality papers. However, at the same time, such public investment contributed to the development of small and medium-sized businesses. This method of investment has led to the fact that the sale of shares, interests and interests has allowed more than one company start confidently and receive the necessary financial support at an early stage of business development.

American small businesses and actively developing startups have created a need for a huge number of small investment. Agree that 10-50 thousand dollars is not the money for which it is worth bothering with issuing shares, registering them and selling them through secondary market intermediaries. It is for this reason that the need for public financing of projects arose. The massive emergence of crowdfunding platforms led to the fact that in 2012, in America and European countries, the state officially lifted the obligation to register crowdfunding projects.

Theory and translation of the term

Since we have more or less figured out history, it’s time to find out what dry theory says about public financing. It is obvious that crowdfunding is borrowed word in our language. To adapt this definition to the Russian language as much as possible, it makes sense to turn to the English-Russian dictionary. We break the term into two components: crowd- crowd and funding– financing, and we get “crowd financing”. To make the expression more euphonious, let’s change it to “ collective financing" In general, the name of the phenomenon speaks for itself.

It turns out that crowdfunding is mass fundraising to implement a specific project or idea. With the help of such funding, charitable events are actively developing today, free software is being created, books are being printed, songs are being written and videos are being filmed. Crowdfunding is a wonderful and, unfortunately, one of the few opportunities to help financially realize ideas for those who need it.

Why is collective financing needed?

By and large, the main idea of ​​crowdfunding is implementation of human ideas. The right to choose which project will get a ticket to life and which will be left without means of subsistence remains with society. Crowdfunding perfectly conveys the mood and needs of the crowd. With its help, you can find out exactly what worries ordinary people at the current moment in time.

I think none of you will argue with the fact that fulfillment of human needs is the cornerstone of any business. Unfortunately, not all entrepreneurs understand the needs of consumers. In turn, crowdfunding is a real reflection of what the crowd wants. If a person is interested in something, it means he has a need for it, and therefore he is ready to invest his own money in it.

Imagine that your favorite writer has completed work on his next book, but publishing houses for some reason refuse to publish it. For a masterpiece to be seen by the world, the author needs money. You want to read the book and are ready to help the writer financially. As a result, there are a hundred or even a thousand fans who sincerely want to support their idol and do not refuse to help him in self-realization.

Perhaps the most humane purpose of public funding is charity. A considerable number of organizations actively involved in the fate of the homeless and disabled people affected by natural disasters do not have their own funds to implement their programs. For them, crowdfinding is not only a way to attract public attention to a problem, but also an opportunity to receive financial support from caring people.

Who is crowdfunding suitable for?

The main condition that crowdfunding must meet is openness of fees. Recipients - those who are involved in collecting funds, must, at the very beginning of the creation of the project, voice the amount that they need to collect in the process of public financing. The amount of funds that are raised within a specific period of time must be open to every visitor to the crowdfunding platform. The same rule must be followed for expenses and rewards, if any.

Obviously, such financing can be more or less successful, depending on what kind of project is put forward to the public. In general, crowdfunding is suitable for those who:

• Represents interests charitable organizations
• Engaged in development small business or implements startups
• Is a representative creative environment– writer, musician, etc.
• Actively promotes the interests of his own hobbies - fans, fans

Types of crowdfunding

If we consider crowdfunding from a business point of view, we can distinguish 3 main types:

1. crowdfunding
2. Debt crowdfunding
3. crowdfunding

Each of them has its own approach to donor and recipient investments, and therefore I propose to talk about each of them in more detail.

Reward crowdfunding

Let's start with the most popular method of crowd funding, reward crowdfunding. The main feature of this type of fee is that the donors of the project receive certain rewards for your investment. I’ll say right away that these rewards are extremely rarely financial in nature. The essence of the incentive is that the investor gets the result he needs from his investment. So that you understand how this type of public financing works, I propose to consider it using a live example.

Example

Let's imagine that you and I are fans of some musical group that needs to shoot a video that costs 100,000 rubles. Performers don’t have that kind of money, and therefore they turn to their fans, that is, to us, for help. For assistance in implementing the project, the musicians promise each donor a certain reward. Eg:

• for financial assistance in the amount of 100-500 rubles, donors will have access to watch the video immediately after its filming is completed
• a contribution of 500-1000 rubles guarantees donors access to the video and an autograph of the group’s lead singer
• investments in the amount of 1000-2000 rubles - this is the same access to the video and a poster with the image of idols, decorated with the autographs of each member of the group

Today, reward crowdfunding is the most popular type of public investment in Russia, within which many successful projects have been implemented.

Equity crowdfunding

In second place in popularity is equity crowdfunding. This method of financing is more reminiscent of serious investment, since it involves acquisition of company securities. This investment option will certainly be of interest to those who are looking for money and those who need additional funds to develop their business. I would like to immediately warn all newcomers who still have little understanding of it against rash actions. The fact is that this type of crowdfunding does not guarantee donors a profit. All risks fall solely on the shoulders of investors.

Equity crowdfunding is a real find for small and medium-sized businesses. Such investment allows you to quickly find funds to implement ambitious tasks, the implementation of which is necessary for the active development of the business.

Debt crowdfunding

Those who are fluent in English have probably already realized that we are now talking about debt crowdfunding. In general, this financing option is largely similar to the previous one. The only difference is that the donor, who acted as an investor, receives for his investments either a share in the project, and, consequently, part of the profit, or a 100% return on the invested funds. I must admit that this the model is quite risky, since it is not completely clear what can be received in return.

However, this method of attracting investment is actively used by startups. Despite the riskiness, it can safely be considered as a good alternative to investing in securities.

Identifying a crowdfunding project

Well, now I present to your attention 6 distinctive features present crowdfunding project:

Clearly defined goal

Before creating a project, each recipient must voice the purpose for which he plans to spend the funds received as a result of the collection. Sites that promote public investment projects do not allow the use of borrowed funds for third-party needs that were not mentioned in the project.

Clear time frames

A strict time limit allows you to understand whether the idea for which you are raising funds is relevant at the current moment in time. If the project does not manage to receive the required amount within a predetermined time frame, it is closed without receiving any money from the collection. not a penny.

Risks

Donors who participate in crowdfunding must understand that they have there are no guarantees regarding the fact that the invested funds will be returned to them. And when we are talking about social and charitable projects, we are not talking about returning funds and making a profit at all.

Publicity

Anyone visiting the project page should have free access to information about the progress of fundraising, the goals of the event, and the rewards that can be received for making a contribution.

Broad specialization

On global fundraising platforms, there may be musical and literary projects nearby, as well as projects related to the world of innovation.

Efficiency

Every project should report regularly to donors about how successfully the set goals are being achieved. Here you need to grasp a fine line - if the project turns out to be unprofitable, for example, the book was not in demand by the reader, then the money that was invested in the startup remains in the project. If the writer, in principle, did not start work, refused to write a book, then he will have to return the money that donors gave him.

Most popular sites

I am sure that many of you, while reading this article, have already googled services on the Internet that provide public funding. If you are seriously thinking about how to make money on crowdfunding, such platforms will come in handy.

Russian

• . Perhaps the most advanced and well-known platform in Russia that attracts donors to charitable and creative projects.
  If any of you are looking for funds to promote an innovative startup, then you better refuse to post your project on this service
• 
  Another good option for attracting public funds. During the existence of this platform, about 10 million rubles were attracted to projects hosted on it.
• Thankyou – a platform designed for writers and musicians.
  Here, fans of their favorite performers and authors can directly thank their idols for their creativity with a coin. This site is suitable for those who are at the start of their career and are just planning to earn their first salary
• Crowd-directory.kroogi.com . A service similar to the previous one, where anyone can support their idol by paying a purely symbolic amount for downloading his work
  

American and European

• - the world's most popular crowdfunding platform. It was on the basis of this site that many other services for collecting public funds were created.
  The main specialization of the site is creative projects. Almost every creative idea can find support on this platform. For raising funds for the project, kickstarter takes a commission of 5%
• specializes in the promotion of innovative and creative projects. In addition, there is a place for charity.
  Depending on whether enough funds were collected to implement the project or not, the size of the site’s commission also depends. If the entire amount was raised into the project, the commission will be 4%, if not - 9%
• - an excellent base for beginners. Fundraisers for charity, innovation and art are actively held here.
  If you found out about crowdfunding just 5 minutes ago, and therefore have absolutely no idea where to start collecting, then RocketHub is the place for you
• boomerang.dk . In my opinion, this is one of the most significant platforms.
  Despite the fact that the service was originally created to raise funds for creative projects, today the main focus of the site is charity

A few words about great successes

If you remember, in 2008, when he ran for President of the United States Barack Obama, the money for his election campaign was raised precisely through public funding. In just a few weeks, crowdfunding was used to raise over 280 million dollars. It was thanks to the support of 2 million Americans, who were not stingy in their support of Obama, that the future President of the United States of America managed to carry out his campaign and subsequently win the election.

In Russia, a successful example of a crowdfunding project can be considered fundraising for the recording of the album of the group "Alice". In just 4 months, the musicians managed to attract colossal investments in their work - as much as 11 million rubles.

Why is crowdfunding profitable?

To finally convince you that crowdfunding is full of benefits, I propose to study its strengths:

1. On average, it takes from 10 days to two months
2. Investors who invest their funds in order to obtain additional income are freed from the need to constantly be present in the project
3. Successful projects find their audience, receive attention from already well-known companies and can safely count on the support of business sharks
4. Investors can choose in advance the option of paying dividends (if any)

We must admit that success in crowdfunding is not an easy task. Your project should be highlighted by donors among hundreds, or even thousands of others like it.

To ensure that money flows to you and not to your competitors, follow these simple rules.

Set realistic goals

Ambition is, of course, wonderful, but to attract public funds, you need to be realistic and set yourself only those goals that can be achieved.

Seasonality

Statistics are a stubborn lady with whom it is extremely difficult to argue. So, she says that summer is the most unfavorable period for beginnings. Investments work best in mid-autumn, when most donors have already returned from vacation and earned money to invest.

Originality of the idea

In crowdfunding it is important to find golden mean between the desire to stand out among the mass of other projects, and maintaining the reality of the goal. Don't try to stand out by sliding into the abyss of the unattainable.

Be generous with information

The more you tell donors about yourself, your business, plans for its implementation, past experience and achievements, the more trust you will build in yourself.

Business plan

Set clear goals and deadlines for their implementation. You must understand who your target audience is, who will be interested in your project, and who will give you money for its implementation.

Conclusion

In general, crowdfunding is great start for those who do not have their own means for development, but are confident in their strengths, skills and talent. If you know what to interest the crowd, you can offer them something that they want to “swallow” and what they are willing to pay for - go for it! Your success depends only on yourself. Well, with this I say goodbye to you. See you soon, friends!

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