home > Business processes > Russian crowdfunding platforms are the largest. What is crowdfunding and how does it work. Crowdfunding - Russian sites


Russian crowdfunding platforms are the largest. What is crowdfunding and how does it work. Crowdfunding - Russian sites




Any entrepreneur has to solve the question: where to get the amount needed to implement the project? Of course, you don’t always need money to start a business. Many people start a business “on their knees”: they create websites, organize sales via the Internet. There are plenty of opportunities now.

But without investment, it will still be difficult to get to the top and implement a project that is useful for people (see). Often we spend more than we can handle: rent (for a website - hosting), production costs, taxes, interest to distributors, and so on. Now you don’t need loans or long negotiations with different people to collect the required amount, because there is crowdfunding (Russian sites are still gaining popularity). What it is? Now let's look at it in detail.

Crowdfunding - what is it?

In simple words, crowdfunding- a word of English origin, and consists of two parts: crowd (which means “crowd”) and funding (translated as “financing”). Therefore, crowdfunding means funding by a crowd. Actually, even a literal translation reflects the essence of this process.

Crowdfunding is raising money for a social project by raising money from strangers. The word “crowd” is perfect here because social group is a collection of people in which people know each other. The difference between the crowd is that there are no social connections here.

Key words on this topic: donor (the one who pours in the funds) and recipient (the author). The main condition for the collection is that all funds must be used to achieve the described goal. Crowdfunding for personal needs is also possible, although not as popular as in the case of business. There is a website for this purpose: https://www.gofundme.com/.

Features of crowdfunding

  1. To attract finance using crowdfunding, you need to decide on a clear goal that will need to be voiced. Moreover, it is necessary to indicate not only the project itself, but also in what time frame it should be implemented.
  2. Limited. You cannot attract more money than initially indicated. The same applies to the period during which money is invested by random “passers-by”. The administration of the sites does this specifically in order to separate interesting ideas from bad ones.
  3. The category can be any, although some sites impose restrictions. Thus, some sites for raising money are created for creative projects, and businesses cannot get here. Others are intended for both entrepreneurs and ordinary people creating social projects. On some platforms you can collect funds for politicians.
  4. Venture. This means that there are no guarantees of return on investment, an entrepreneur must understand this.
  5. The one who collects the money is fully responsible for the result.

History of crowdfunding development

Crowdfunding began in 1997. Then Marillion's fans decided to finance its tour throughout the United States. We managed to collect 60 thousand dollars. Although the band itself was not directly involved at first, it used this model to record several albums that were released later. So crowdfunding appeared first in the music industry, and only then went into business, politics, and so on.

The first crowdfunding site for music was called. ArtistShare, and was created in 2000. In 2002, the scope of crowd fundraising extended to the film industry. But then this area was just developing, unlike now. Young entrepreneurs actively use platforms like KickStarter (it was created in 2009) to create their products and implement their ideas. Thus, the video game project Wasterland 2 collected more than three million dollars in 2012.

Why is crowdfunding needed?

Crowdfunding is a convenient tool for turning a person’s interesting idea into reality. Also, by raising funds, it becomes clear how interesting this or that idea is to the masses. Therefore, crowdfunding can be used for marketing and sociological research.

The question is, why find out people's needs? And all because their implementation is the main task of business. Those novice entrepreneurs who believe that the goal of their own business are mistaken. Of course this is an important factor. But more and more often they say that the product should not correspond to costs, but recoup them. Simply put, a phone that you sell for a thousand dollars should bring joy to at least 1500. This is called the WOW effect. You should always do more than is expected of you. At least try.

So crowdfunding, in addition to practical assistance in realizing goals, also helps determine whether people need your product. Here are two main reasons why people need to collect money. From the world one by one - a naked shirt!

Benefits of Crowdfunding

  1. There is no need to work hard to earn starting capital. If the idea is worthwhile and you can promote it, then people will help you. Yes, you become obligated to them, but the ability to take responsibility is the main quality of an entrepreneur. And if you want to earn money at the same time, the terms are reduced many times over.
  2. Market analysis. Something that marketers should definitely do. If they don’t give you money or write negative comments, it means there is something to improve in the wrapper or the “candy” itself. Thus, you will significantly save the time that was previously required on . Profitable, isn't it?
  3. PR opportunities. After all, every person who invested money in your idea is already waiting for its implementation. There is such a marketing technique as pre-ordering.
  4. Opportunities to receive large funding. Not every investor is ready to allocate several million for an idea. But if you raise money through crowdfunding, this becomes possible. And all because we often underestimate the little things. But they play a huge role.

In what areas can you collect the most?

Here are some popular destinations. But just because they raise a lot of money doesn't mean your idea can't be implemented. But here are some popular destinations:

  1. Startups. This is a project that has only recently been created. However, it is not entirely clear what “very recently” means. Typically, the maximum duration of a startup is several months. Then the idea receives support and the necessary investments and therefore can already be called a young enterprise. And if this is not the case, then it closes. Crowdfunding (it is just developing in Russia) is one of the types of support.
  2. Creative projects. It could be films, music, books.
  3. Ready-made enterprises. Successful and established companies can also implement new ideas, right? Why not get outside support.
  4. Charity.
  5. The science.

Crowdfunding for business is quite young, but experience has already accumulated. If you take it into account, you can collect a lot more money than without knowing anything. Here are some simple recommendations:

  1. Create a group in in social networks. Many people do not pay due attention to this point. But in vain. After all, the presence of a well-promoted group on social networks (or at least an informative one) is an additional signal “you can trust us, we keep our word.” In addition, activity on VK or Facebook will allow you to attract additional people who do not even know about the existence of the platforms.
  2. Make your request specific. Many startups are afraid to directly say that they want money, despite the purpose of crowdfunding platforms. So they write something vague like “support the project.” Man by nature tends to do the minimum. Therefore, he will support the project with a like. If he reposts it, that will be really cool. Therefore, say something like “support the idea with a ruble.”
  3. Avoid overly generous rewards. Crowdfunding platforms provide an opportunity to thank people for contributing funds to support an idea. Moreover, the more they gave, the more valuable the gift provided. But this is a mistake. People will still give a little money if they can. And you will only be wasting gifts in vain, because if a person has invested, it is already assumed that he likes your project.
  4. No launching projects on Saturday, Sunday or holidays. The fact is that these days rarely will anyone enter the venues. Some may go to the cinema with their family, others will play on the computer or phone or surf social networks.
  5. The launch needs to be carefully planned. One way to find out the necessary information before starting a project is to conduct a survey on social networks about how much people are willing to give. Then it will be easier to decide on the deadlines that are set. But it is better not to set the period too long. This may look suspicious.

Crowdfunding: the largest Russian platforms

All Russian projects are not of the same scale as foreign ones. Some appear, while others die without ever finding popularity. The largest service, naturally, is BoomStarter. He was able to attract 23 and a half million rubles. Of course, American platforms are much more successful, but you should understand: entrepreneurship is not developed in our country, and the idea of ​​​​giving your hard-earned money for something is also alien to the Russian average person. In this context, the amount is decent.

Platforms for creative projects, Planeta.ru, and one of the oldest services, opened back in 2008, Kroogi, are also popular. They are constantly gaining popularity among artists, singers and photographers.

Publishing technical literature

In the context of the global crisis, finding funding for the publication of technical literature is becoming increasingly difficult. In addition, in recent years there has been a tendency to reduce the circulation of published books, not only industry literature, but also fiction. It is difficult to estimate future demand for the book.

With the help of crowdfunding, you can gauge interest in published literature, sell part of the circulation of a future book, find advertising sponsors, and ultimately find funds to publish your work.

Fundraising for the publication of literature is quite common abroad. In Russia, on existing crowdfunding platforms, it is also possible to raise money to realize your creativity. This is mainly fiction and popular science literature.

A portal has recently opened that specializes in publishing industry-specific scientific, technical and educational literature. The “Publish Together” portal, founded by two publishing houses, allows you not only to find investors, but also to receive high-quality advice on publishing a book, estimating the cost of preparation and printing.

Crowdfunding: the best sites of foreign origin

Obviously, the most popular platform in the world is KickStarter. All media outlets write about this site. It was originally created for US citizens. One of the problems (or advantages, depending on how you look at it) of this resource is strict pre-moderation. Thus, an unsuccessful project simply does not make it onto the list. That is, if your idea is accepted, it will potentially already raise the required amount.

At the same time, citizens of Russia and other countries cannot use Kickstarter. You must be a US resident. Another thing is Indiegogo. This platform was created before Kickstarter, and here you can use a regular bank card or the PayPal electronic payment system. A huge advantage of this platform compared to kickstarter is that money is given out even if the entire amount has not been collected in full within the allotted time.

If you have a scientific or creative project, then the RocketHub system is for you. Publicize your campaign through social media.

What are the prospects?

This topic is quite complex, since even scientific papers are written about the prospects and debated in scientific circles. In general, the potential is great, and the projects can correct many social problems. This is also beneficial for an entrepreneur because there is often no need to turn to banks and investors, getting into large debts. Simply put, there is demand from entrepreneurs.

What about ordinary people? Of course, our mentality is far from charity. But every year this situation is improving. As a last resort, if crowdfunding doesn’t work (although there are no prerequisites), then crowdinvesting is a pretty good thing. This is a related topic, but here remuneration is paid in a mandatory manner.

conclusions

We analyzed the most popular crowdfunding sites and understood the mechanics of their work. Fundraising is a fairly effective strategy if used wisely. Don’t forget about proper PR for your idea. Without it, you won’t be able to convince people that it’s worth investing their hard earned money into your idea. In general, the mechanics of crowdfunding are simple. Each site provides instructions on how to use its functionality to its fullest. It's a small matter.

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 " With in 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 – new way online lending 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 in 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.


“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 financing is kept to a minimum. 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 general rules Civil Code RF.

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 small plan, which 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 sites.

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 creative 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

Where can I get money to start a business? A bank will not give a loan to a beginning entrepreneur; taking money from moneylenders at crazy interest rates is also not an option; before you have time to get started, you’ll already be broke. All that remains is to either look for an investor or save on your own. But the Moneymaker Factory offers another option: to find investments using crowdfunding. Has civilization reached Russia in the form of crowdfunding platforms that will help turn a businessman’s dream into reality? Let's talk about “popular financing”, its pitfalls and other important aspects.

 

Businessman's story

45-year-old designer Alexey, whose average annual income for the last 5 years barely exceeded 500 thousand rubles, decided to slightly change the direction of his activity and start selling decorative plaster. Moreover: to change people’s consciousness and make this material more in demand and popular than wallpaper, since the raw materials are environmentally friendly and there is no need to destroy forests for its production. His project is based on 3 pillars:

According to the most conservative estimates, he needs 2 million rubles to start, and only a million of his own money. Not wanting to work with banks and microfinance organizations, Alexey turns to us for help in choosing a modern crowdfunding platform.

Is it even possible to raise money for such a project? We analyzed several popular resources and decided to help our hero. Only those sites that have been on the market for 2 years or more were taken as a “sample”.

What is the essence of the idea?

Non-refundable money can also be received from the state in the form of a business development grant. This is real, people on the street get it without any bribes.

Crowd funding (CF) - collective financing of projects, thanks to which the required amount of money is collected to launch a social initiative, store, development software, publishing a book, recording an album. This list can be continued endlessly - theoretically, CF is suitable for implementing any task, be it launching a spaceship to Mars or lunch for the homeless. The only difference is whether the founder can raise the required amount or not.

Distinctive features of CF:

  1. A clear idea. You cannot collect money “for the future” or “for yourself”: all of it must be directed to achieve a specific goal and within a set time period.
  2. Limited. Both the final amount of money and the collection period are limited to the project. This is necessary in order to understand which project is of interest to the audience and which is not.
  3. Any direction. Around the world, CF sites help raise money not only for artists, musicians and painters, but also for politicians and businessmen.
  4. Venture. By making a contribution to a particular project, the user does not receive a guarantee of return on investment. If we are talking about social initiatives, then there is no need to count on compensation for your contribution.
  5. Gratuitous. In most cases, CF venues do not require return of investment from the organizers. If we are talking about the development of a product or program, or the release of intellectual property, then the backer can only count on a bonus (all this is stipulated by the crowdfunder).
  6. Productivity. The organizer is obliged to fulfill its obligations and report on them. If he does not do this, then he is obliged to return the money received for the implementation of the project.

Summary analysis of CF services in Russia:

NamePlanetBoomStarterCirclesThankYouRusiniFrom the world by thread

Internet address

Fundraising method*

Work period

Over 2 years

About 2 years

Over 3.5 years

About 2 years

Over 3 years

System commission (including personal income tax)

15% + payment systems commission

0% + payment system commission

Popular destinations

Creativity, music, literature

Art, dance, comics, food, movies, technology, etc.

Creativity in all its manifestations

All types of creativity

Creativity, social initiatives, business startups, business development

Social projects, joint purchases, sports and tourism

Approximate amount of funds raised

Over 100 million rubles

Over 57 million rubles

No data

No data

Less than a million rubles

Statistics are not disclosed

* VIN - all or nothing (the project is either 100 percent financed or not financed at all), OB - leave everything (it is possible to receive part of the funds collected as part of the project investment), SP - free price (the contribution is determined by shareholders - backers and is used only to encourage creative projects).

"Planet" site

  • The organizer is over 18 years old;
  • Have a bank account;
  • The project complies with the Service Rules.

Funded by: any creative, social, public benefit projects, be it publishing books, releasing photographs, recording albums, making films.

Not funded: any political activity, commercial projects.

Site Features: Before publication, the proposed idea is studied by a moderator, and to launch it, a separate agreement is signed with a personal curator.

Summary: Alexey can try to raise money on Planet to open a “School of Decorative Plastering,” but not to launch his own store selling materials and tools.

Boomstarter platform

Requirements to start a project:

  • The organizer is a citizen of Russia over 18 years of age;
  • Availability of an identity document, as well as the permanent registration address of the organizer;
  • Availability of a debit or credit card or a bank account in the name of the fundraiser.

Funded by: any interesting projects related to creativity - publishing a book, making a film, music album, series of photographs, etc.

Not funded: all applications for starting a business, charity, projects tied to the needs of a specific person (purchase of things, travel, training),

Site Features: The organizer gets all or nothing, and the time frame for fundraising is limited (up to 60 days). Therefore, it is more realistic to collect small amounts of money, including in several stages (by dividing the project into podcasts).

Summary: Alexey will not be able to get money either to start a business or for related needs, or he will have to deliberately deceive both the site and patrons. The presented platform provides an opportunity for high commercialization for creative groups (musicians, theaters, artists).

"Circles" area

Requirements to start a project: ready-made material that needs to be published, and then receive money from fans for using it (listening, viewing, etc.).

Funded by: creativity in all its manifestations (money is transferred from caring users of the project, who can also comment and criticize other people’s works).

Not funded: objects that may be considered non-compliant with legal norms, non-unique (duplicate) content.

Site Features: The site is suitable for those who promote their own creativity and want to receive money for copyright materials.

Summary: Alexey will not be able to find on this site the resources he needs to launch his projects. At the same time, “Circles” is the oldest RuNet project for raising funds for artists, painters and other creative people, and with its help many groups have been able to achieve success and popularity.

"Thank you" platform

Requirements to start a project: the presence of ready-made unique content that may interest the audience (music, books, videos, works of art, etc.).

Funded by: users of the project can reward the creator they like with the required amount of money (determined at the request of the patron) for any project presented by him on the site.

Not funded: duplicate content; objects for which the copyright does not belong to the person who published them; objects that may violate Russian legislation.

Summary: the platform, like its analogue “Circles”, is not suitable for Alexey, since it does not offer a unique creative product.

Site "Rusini"

Requirements to start a project:

  • Availability of a business plan;
  • Market overview of the area of ​​interest;
  • Starting information feed (groups on social networks, etc.);
  • Publication of information about the implementation of the project.

Funded by: NGO activities, creative projects, startups, social business.

Not funded: the list of projects that will not be published on the site is determined by the Rusini administration individually.

Site Features: When raising funds, the “all or nothing” system operates, however, many interesting initiatives were heard and the necessary amounts of money were collected during the existence of the crowdfunding platform. “Rusini” does not take a commission from its users, so using the service’s services is very profitable.

Summary: the presented site is ideal for Alexey, and his project fully meets the requirements of the site. To raise the necessary money, he needs to work hard and interest potential investors: the analytical materials that are already on the site will help with this. The system for monitoring the expenditure of funds allows us to guarantee their intended use. However, at the time of writing, there were problems with the site: it was not possible to send a letter for feedback, it was not possible to publish the project.

Refund. Invested resources do not require compensation from the organizer. However, he needs to complete the task at hand. This is confirmed by checks and other documents, photographs, and videos.

Platform “A thread from the world”

Requirements to start a project:

  • The author has Russian citizenship;
  • The idea and name of the project, the amount and deadline for fundraising.

Funded by: social projects, interesting startups (the website has a successful example of raising funds to open a gym), joint purchases with a social focus.

Not funded: projects that will not be published on the site are determined individually.

Site Features: An agency agreement is concluded between the “From the World” platform and the author of the project. In accordance with this agreement, part of the collected funds is transferred to the site free of charge.

Summary: So, “One Thread at a Time” also suits Alexey, but in order to realize his business goals, he needs to create a beautiful “legend.” At the very least, he should definitely try to raise money to open a decorative plaster school. You can interest users by offering your services, materials, tools - all this is a topic for a separate conversation.

Refund. At the end of the promotion, in case of successful collection of the required amount of money, the organizer must provide all participants with the designated bonuses. Thus, Alexey can offer all investors tools, materials or free training at his school.

Conclusion: Crowdfunding in Russia is better than nothing

Thus, a quick analysis of popular projects demonstrates the low development of the idea of ​​crowdfunding for promoting business initiatives. Existing sites, without a doubt, have excellent functionality, are hosted on good CMS (administrative platforms), and the requirements for ideas are formulated very clearly. However, it is too early to draw conclusions about their overall success (failure), since crowdfunding has only recently been known in Russia.

It is also impossible not to note the superficial elaboration of many proposed projects on most sites. There is often no cost calculation or detailed information about what specific purposes funds are required for. At the same time, in Western countries, CF was initially used specifically for social projects, and its history goes back less than two decades. Therefore, in the near future we can hope that the platforms will be used to launch successful business startups.

Project Success Criteria

  1. Developed business plan. If we are talking about a commercial idea, then it must be based on real calculations (rent of premises, cost of manufacturing materials, etc.). The numbers must be real, otherwise investors will begin to doubt.
  2. Timeliness. It is best to start CF projects in the fall, when people return from vacation. It is worth studying the work of the sites and starting your work when the chances of success are maximum.
  3. Realism. You shouldn’t set too ambitious goals for yourself: you need to move towards your dream in small but confident steps. It is better to collect a small amount than not to receive a giant jackpot.
  4. Openness. It is much easier to promote and improve an existing project than to try to create something large-scale from scratch. The more information there is about the organizer, the better: people will trust you.