Crowdrooster, launched earlier this month as the latest crowdfunding platform to help businesses raise money, has announced the first six start-ups to feature on its exclusive platform.
Unlike other crowdfunding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo, Crowdrooster plans to vet all fundraising campaings to ensure they are from registered companies, with proven prototypes, a clear business plan and established supply chains.
The company, based at technology incubator Level39 in London's Canary Wharf, says it is doing this to boost the number of start-ups that raise their target figure.
Crowdrooster's launch projects include new concepts and designs from bespoke Italian skateboard brand Atypical and eclectic handcrafted furniture company Experience de Vita. Other brands aiming to raise money through Crowdrooster include Feeligold, Cloudsensor, Officegym and Luca Boffi.
The six start-ups are aiming to raise £135,000 in crowdfunding between them.
Michele Barbara, VP of finance at JPMorgan and member of the advisory board at Level39, said: "As an alternative to traditional finance options, crowdfunding has huge potential. However, for hardware projects seeking large sums of investment, featuring alongside a mix of unvetted personal projects has a limiting effect. By carefully vetting projects to ensure the highest possible completion rates, Crowdrooster is tackling this obstacle head-on creating a more professional environment in which to seek investment."
Crowdrooster co-founder Alessandro Rovati said: "In a few years' time we want Crowdrooster to be a robust and trusted source of social capital for brands, as well as playing a vital role in delivering trend-setting and best-selling products of the future."
Crowdfunding is an alternative funding model for securing investment into a company and it helped businesses raise £1.7 billion in 2012 alone. The financing model is a collective effort of individuals and organisations who network and pool their money, via the internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organisations.
Earlier this year, Canonical's Ubuntu Edge crowdfunding campaign broke records, raising over $12 million (£7.5 million), more money than any other venture of its kind.
