The Smarta 100 is a celebration of the most resourceful, original, exciting and disruptive small businesses in the UK.

2011
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Founder name(s):
Darren Westlake and Luke Lang
Company:
Crowdcube
Proposition:
Crowdfunding website for UK-based small businesses

Crowdcube

Crowdcube

Crowdcube is a crowdfunding venture that lets ordinary people invest in small businesses in exchange for shares and equity. Founder Luke Lang is aiming to 'democratise' access to finance for small companies. New ventures no longer have to depend on bank finance or angel investment: they can appeal to a growing pool of 'armchair Dragons' that will put up small sums over the web. Investments can be as little as £10; Bubble & Balm, the first small business to raise finance on Crowdcube, pulled in an impressive £75,000 in exchange for 15% of her company. Crowdcube is a true trailblazer, developing a brand new legal framework to make this crowdfunding model possible. The website itself is a triumph of technology, marrying usability with robust security for managing large payments. With Crowdcube, the UK is leading the way in crowdfunding regulation; business leaders in the US are currently petitioning to be able to run a similar model across the pond.

  • Disruptive, transformative funding model
  • Improving access to finance for small businesses in the UK
  • Punching above its weight on an international scale
Learn more about Crowdcube

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