British crowdfunding platform Crowdcube has just secured an €11.8 million investment led by Circle Internet Financial, a leading startup fundraising platform in the US.
This exciting boost will accelerate Crowdcube’s expansion across Europe. The company has also recently announced they are the first crowdfunding platform with pan-European and UK regulatory approval.
With 1.2 million members and over €1.4 billion invested on the platform, Crowdcube is the largest equity crowdfunding platform in Europe. Today’s strategic partnership will help pave the way to a global marketplace at every level of private fundraising, from seed stage to public offering.
Historically, the UK and US have been the most developed markets for equity crowdfunding, but with the change in European-wide regulation announced earlier this month, Crowdcube, with this new investment, are in prime position to expand across the continent.
The investment, in which existing backers Molten Ventures (formerly Draper Esprit) and Balderton Capital also participated, supports Crowdcube’s goals to enable entrepreneurs to raise capital from their dedicated communities wherever they are in the UK or Europe and is Circle’s largest strategic investment to date in the European market.
Darren Westlake, CEO and Co-Founder of Crowdcube, said: “Combining Circle’s strategic investment with our decade of knowledge and experience of capital raising in Europe, Crowdcube is extremely well-positioned to capitalise on our first-mover advantage into Europe’s high growth investment market. Capital raising and private company investing have never been so exciting.”
Feit will join Crowdcube’s Board and Jeremy Allaire, CEO and Co-Founder of Circle, will be an Observer. Circle joins existing backers Molten Ventures and Balderton Capital who have invested in Crowdcube. Crowdcube is considering opening this investment opportunity to users on their platform who are passionate about supporting the company’s growth.
The funding comes as Crowdcube achieved a record year of growth with over €237 million invested (+21% year-on-year) and over 208k investments made, and a growing community with 174k new members this year bringing the total to 1.2 million.