50 Top Crowdfunding Platforms for Startup Fundraising

As a small business owner, you may be searching for ways to raise funds to expand your company. It’s time to raise some real funding once you’ve created a business plan, spent your personal savings and ran your business as a side job for a few months. Fortunately, the bank is not your only option to get funding. People can invest in your initiative, concept, or business on several websites. These days, crowdfunding sites may be found all over the internet. We’ve compiled a list of the finest crowdfunding sites for you, whether you’re looking to support a company, a creative project, or raise money for a cause or project.

Crowdfunding platforms and startup fundraising

Crowdfunding is the technique of soliciting money from a large number of individuals using permitted internet platforms to sponsor a project. The platform is used to raise funds from the general population. It is a monetary investment in a business for the purposes of product creation, production, expansion, sales & marketing, office space, and inventory. Many firms prefer not to seek outside investment and instead rely solely on their founders for funding (to avoid debt and equity dilution).

What is startup fundraising?

The money required to establish a new firm is known as startup finance or startup capital. It can originate from a number of places and be utilized for any reason that aids the startup’s transition from concept to reality. The act of raising funds to assist a company initiative is known as startup funding. Funding takes numerous forms and varies depending on the maturity of the firm, but the vast majority of businesses need some type of fundraising to increase their development potential.

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is the use of small amounts of money from a large number of individuals to finance a new business venture. Crowdfunding connects investors and entrepreneurs through social media and crowdfunding platforms, potentially stimulating entrepreneurship by expanding the pool of investors beyond the traditional circle of owners, families, and venture capitalists.

Types of crowdfunding

There are a variety of crowdsourcing alternatives available. For businesses and investors, each kind has its own set of advantages. You’ll have to decide which one is best for your company, project, or enterprise.

• Reward-based – Reward crowdfunding allows investors to invest in your business in exchange for non-monetary rewards. This form of funding is frequently employed for artistic endeavors. It’s generally a tiered system: the more money an investor puts into your fund, the bigger the profit they’ll get (eg credits on a record cover, tickets to an event, free gifts, etc). The fact that the incentive is generally inexpensive to send is a plus for the company.
• Equity – An equity crowdfunding will put money into your business, project, or endeavor in exchange for shares or a tiny interest. This form of crowdfunding may be most effective for organizations that are looking to expand in regions where they can earn a profit.
• Digital security – Another type of crowdfunding is the initial coin offering, which is used to collect cash for a project in which digital security is issued as a reward to backers (abbreviated to ICO). Value tokens are produced endogenously by certain open, decentralized networks and are used to motivate network client computers to devote limited computing resources to sustaining the protocol network. These value tokens may or may not exist at the time of the crowd sale, and they may require a significant amount of development time and ultimate software release before they become life and gain market value. Although money received on blockchain-based crowdfunding can merely reflect the value token itself, it can also represent stock, bonds, or even “market-maker seats of governance”.
• Debt-based – Debt crowdfunding allows investors to support your project in exchange for a return on their investment in the form of interest. This financing option may allow you to borrow at a lesser cost than if you applied for a loan through a bank. The benefit of this strategy is that it may be simpler to gain support for a campaign since backers are motivated by the prospect of a return on their investment. This form of crowdsourcing may be most effective for companies that have a proven track record of profitability.
• Litigation – Litigation crowdfunding allows plaintiffs and defendants to reach out to hundreds of their peers in a semi-private and confidential manner in order to raise funds, either through donations or by offering an incentive in exchange for financing. It also allows investors to own a piece of a claim they’ve backed, potentially allowing them to get more money back if the lawsuit is successful (the reward is based on the compensation received by the litigant at the conclusion of his or her case, known as a contingent fee in the US, a success fee in the UK, or a pactum de quota litis in many civil law systems).
• Donation-based – This sort of crowdfunding allows charities or those raising funds for social or charity causes to build an online community and allow people to give to a project. While most established nonprofits handle this on their own website, crowdfunding sites may help smaller groups and individuals raise funds for personal or philanthropic reasons.

How does crowdfunding work?

The utilization of modest sums of funds from a large number of people to support a new business initiative is known as crowdfunding. Investors either contribute money altruistically or receive benefits such as stock in the firm that collected the money, depending on the form of crowdsourcing. Crowdfunding initiatives have a specific aim in mind and provide rewards to those who contribute. Backers generally gain from supporting a campaign if the objective is accomplished. Backers can gain cash or equity if the firm has an exit event in the future, such as an acquisition or an initial public offering.

Pros and cons of crowdfunding

Every coin has two sides similarly there are advantages and disadvantages of crowdfunding which are as follows :

Pros

• The most obvious benefit of crowdfunding for a start-up company or individual is the opportunity to get access to a larger and more diverse pool of investors/supporters.
• Because of the extensive usage of social media, crowdfunding platforms are a great way for businesses and individuals to grow their audience while also getting the funds they need.
• Furthermore, many crowdfunding initiatives offer incentives to investors; for example, investors may be able to participate in the introduction of a new product or receive a gift in exchange for their contribution. For example, the manufacturer of a new bacon fat soap may send a complimentary bar to every one of its investors. Video games are a popular crowdfunding investment among gamers, who are frequently rewarded with early access to the game.
• Obtaining finance is tough for most new firms. For a variety of reasons, venture funders reject many early-stage businesses, and borrowing money from banks or affluent families is rarely a viable choice.
• Crowdfunding offers a level playing field by eliminating reliance on traditional, and sometimes exclusive fundraising tactics.
• Crowdfunding campaigns are also notable for their ability to pique the attention of new users and encourage participation.

Cons

• The potential harm to your or your company’s reputation caused by “resorting” to crowdsourcing, the costs connected with the crowdfunding site, and, at least on certain platforms, if you don’t meet your funding target, all funds promised will be returned to your investors and you will receive nothing.
• Crowdfunding may be a great method for a company to get money quickly. While a successful crowdfunding campaign requires a significant amount of time, work, and attention, it is never assured.
• For one thing, investors may lose their whole investment. Just because a company meets its crowdfunding campaign goal doesn’t mean it will be successful. In actuality, the majority of firms fail, and an investor will almost likely lose all of his or her money if a company fails. Even if a company thrives, earnings may not show for years.
• Attempts to raise funds using crowdsourcing are frequently loaded with pitfalls. Investors should properly research any fundraising endeavor to ensure that their money is put to good use and goes to a respectable company or cause.

Crowdfunding Platforms

Crowdfunding is a means of raising cash from a large number of people. Large groups of people pool their small individual deposits to raise the capital needed to launch a business or endeavor. Individuals and charitable organizations, and businesses may start a campaign to raise money for a certain cause, and anybody can donate.

How does the crowdfunding platform work for different businesses?

In 2015, it was expected that in 2016, there will be over 2,000 crowdfunding platforms to select from. There are 1,478 crowdfunding groups in the United States as of 2021 (Crunchbase, 2021). Kickstarter, Indiegogo, and Crowd Supply are the three most popular crowdfunding sites at the moment. Kickstarter had funded more than $5.6 billion over 197,425 projects as of January 2021. The services offered by crowdfunding platforms vary in the types of projects they support.  By selecting the offerings that are allowed on the site, curated crowdfunding platforms act as “network orchestrators”. They set up the required organizational mechanisms and circumstances for other parties to integrate their resources. Relational mediators serve as a go-between for supply and demand. They take the place of conventional intermediaries (such as record companies).

In 1997, Marillion began crowdfunding. On the internet, fans of the British rock band contributed $60,000 (£39,000) to help fund a North American tour. In 1999, the Professional Contractors Group, a trade organization representing freelancers in the UK, gathered £100,000 in a two-week period from around 2000 freelancers who were threatened by the government’s IR35 policy. Maria Schneider (musician) organized the first ArtistShare crowdfunding campaign for a new recording in 2003. The album was self-funded by her fans, and it was the first in history to win a Grammy Award while not being sold in stores.

How has crowdfunding emerged in the past few years?

Crowdfunding has a long and illustrious history, dating back to the 17th century. Here, we look at how the last ten years have molded modern-day crowdfunding and led to the recent boom in inactivity.

• The Year 1997 Marked the Beginning of Modern-Day Crowdfunding – The first successful case of crowdfunding was in 1997 when a British rock band used internet donations from fans to support their reunion tour. ArtistShare, inspired by this novel technique of funding, launched the first specialized crowdfunding portal in 2000. More crowdfunding sites appeared shortly after, and the crowdfunding business has continued to develop year after year.
• Crowdfunding became a major financing source in 2009 – The crowdfunding business has fast grown in popularity as a way for entrepreneurs to test their ideas, obtain publicity, and raise money. Crowdfunding revenue tripled from $530 million in 2009 to $1.5 billion in 2011, and it is likely to keep growing at a rapid pace over the next four years. Crowdfunding has a compound annual growth rate of 74 percent. Other funding options (such as Small Business Association loans) have become much less available in recent years, making this an extremely crucial funding source.
• Crowdfunding Gains Support in Washington, D.C. in 2011 – President Barack Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act into law in April of 2012. The JOBS Act, sometimes known as “the crowdfunding law” proposes to reduce regulatory costs on small firms by legalizing equity crowdfunding. This includes lifting the general solicitation rule, which stops businesses from publicly announcing their fundraising efforts. Despite the JOBS Act being signed into law in April of 2012, the Securities Exchange Commission is currently working on regulations to safeguard both investors and entrepreneurs. Early in 2013, regulations are expected to be completed.
• The First Business Crowdfunding Platform was Launched in 2012 by Fundable – The Fundable platform was founded in 2012 with the goal of assisting entrepreneurs in raising funds and expanding their businesses through reward and equity crowdfunding. Wil Schroter and Eric Corl, serial entrepreneurs, launched Fundable.

50 top crowdfunding platforms 

There are so many crowdfunding platforms available for people to contribute, invest, and even raise funds for their issues. Here are the top 50 crowdfunding platforms that one can consider. You can find the table below :

Need expert help for your startup fundraising with Eqvista? 

Are you looking for some funds for your startup? Do you feel stuck and don’t know the way where you can get them and how you can start your fundraising journey of the startup.  Choosing how to obtain your initial finance is usually a difficult task since making the incorrect decision might negatively influence your fledgling business. Startup fundraising is tough, but we can make it easier for you. We have an expert team who can help raise funds for your startup. Just fill-up the sign-up form and get a free consultation today.