As it develops, the Internet becomes a tool for more and more tasks. Let's put it this way: if earlier on the Internet it was possible mainly to work or have fun, today with the help of the same social resources you can organize some kind of movement, develop an idea or create a real social "boom", whatever it may be.
One of the best examples of how the Internet can become a powerful platform for the social organization of people is crowdfunding. This is a relatively new movement that originated in the West just a few years ago. At first it was, of course, just an idea, which gradually grew into an entire industry, the volume of which, according to the results of 2014, is estimated at 5.1 billion dollars worldwide. This money finances a huge number of interesting projects, start-ups, charity events and more.
Crowdfunding in Russia, of course, is a relatively small share of these funds. However, even in our country, platforms are being created that allow centralized collection of money and directing it to certain needs. About what this movement is, what are its advantages and how you can participate - read this article.
What is this?
Start withdefinition of the term "crowdfunding". This, as you probably already understood, is a word that comes from the English language, formed by the merger of the other two - crowd (in translation - "crowd") and funding ("investment"). Thus, in itself, this word means "massive fundraising from a large number of people."
The phenomenon by which we mean crowdfunding is not something that people have come up with in recent years. Mankind has long known that by gathering efforts (funds) together, it is possible to realize some more global, large-scale goal. In fact, it has been used for centuries.
And the thing is that crowdfunding platforms have recently appeared on the network, which have greatly facilitated this task. Now, in order to announce a fundraiser, just post a message on a social network. And the people who are interested will catch up. So, in principle, fundraising takes place on modern sites. Anyone can donate for anything. There are several models by which crowdfunding sites work.
For example, it can be fundraising as a charitable contribution (for example, for the treatment of a child); as an investment with a subsequent reward (when the person giving money receives a product sample or a souvenir from the company in return). The third model by which money is raised is investment - when people donate funds, receiving in return shares in a startup.
Why is this needed?
The answer to the question of why the project is neededcrowdfunding is very simple. The fundraising model puts the main goal, first of all, to accumulate a certain amount. The purpose of such a collection can be anything - to undergo a course of treatment, to assemble a new gadget, to hold an event, to release a music album, and so on. It all depends on who is raising money and what this person (group of people) is doing.
Further on, the funds are channeled in the way it was originally stipulated: for example, money from investors goes to a single account of a crowdfunding company (there are several of them in Russia), after which they are used as a single payment to purchase equipment, rent a studio and etc. In some cases, money may also be given to the initiators of their collection in order for them to carry out their original task. True, in this case, of course, these finances are carefully monitored.
How and who can use it?
People who could apply for fundraising are usually not selected in any way. The owners of resources that carry out crowdfunding (including Russian sites) accept all applications from anyone who would like to try to raise money and realize their goal. Then they are filtered and carefully selected in order to determine the most worthy project. Of course, each of the platforms has its own set of criteria by which they separate potentially interesting applications from unpromising ones. Then the fundraising process begins. Most often, the initiators of the collection are required to disclose information aboutyourself and your idea, provide some evidence and facts - all that will convince everyone to make their investment.
Working model
So, to make it a little clearer how everything works, let's show how the crowdfunding project model functions visually. As you may have guessed, everything starts with an idea. It is she who should come to the developer, who immediately lights up with her, thinks over her implementation and applies for a fundraising site.
He does it in accordance with the conditions (rules) of submission. Most often, you need to carefully describe what the essence and novelty of your idea is, to whom it can be useful, how you are going to implement it, and, of course, where and how much money you will spend in order to implement your idea. You publish all this data on the project, after which everyone can familiarize themselves with them and make their contribution.
Next, your campaign begins. The site gives you a certain period during which you must collect a certain amount of money. Let's say that in 30 days your project should collect 100 thousand dollars. In the event that you collect 109 thousand, the organizers give you this amount to achieve your goals. If, for example, your project collects only 73 thousand dollars (does not reach the previously determined amount), it is considered not to have taken place. The money that people have allocated is being returned to them.
Good examples in the world
In order to understand how Russian crowdfunding should work in the future, we cantake a look at the best examples in the world - the most successful platforms operating in the US in particular. Of course, this is KickStarter. The platform has collected billions of dollars for the implementation of certain products throughout its existence. This is a huge number of startups, some of which have already reached unprecedented heights.
What's great about this venue is the perspective for each individual participant. Imagine: any inventor, having created a good enough campaign, is able to bring his idea to real life and present his product. Firstly, it encourages people to develop, come up with something new and amazing; secondly, projects like KickStarter allow you to create those things that will ultimately change people's lives for the better. These include: innovative gadgets, programs, content and more - anything that will benefit other people.
Projects in Russia
We have several crowdfunding platforms. Of the most famous, these are: “From the World by a Thread”, “Tugeza”, Planeta.ru, Indiegogo, Kroogi and others. All of them work with projects of different directions, some of them relatively recently (about a year or two). Nevertheless, these sites even managed to show certain results (volumes of funds raised). For example, BoomStarter - 5 million rubles, Planeta.ru - 10 million, and so on. In the coming years, as experts predict, we should expect the market to grow by 7-9 times annually. Thus, we expect a real "boom" in the fieldsuch a phenomenon as crowdfunding. Russian sites, apparently, are already preparing for this.
How to get the right amount?
This question worries everyone who raises funds in this way. There are two main factors here - a description of the idea and its PR. To have a really strong, worthwhile project, you need to carefully consider its purpose, form of implementation and technical features of the presentation. As for PR, it depends on how many people will transfer their funds to you. Therefore, it would not hurt you to involve local (and not only) media in advertising your campaign.
Prospects
The possibilities that crowdfunding opens up (this is actually the way to life for your project) for each of us are simply endless. The main thing is to be aware of this and work on your idea, not despairing if nothing works right away. Work - and you will succeed! The experience of a large number of other people proves this.
