Symbid’s First Completed Project Sends Crowdsourcing Around the World
Symbid, a Dutch crowdfunding site that allows web-based investors to help propel new ventures (and earn returns) with “as little as 20 Euros… or much more,” is gaining traction. In its first successfully completed venture, the site helped one author raise funds for publication and achieve a global presence.
Now that his crowdfunding project is complete, author Martijn Arets and a group of investors will now pursue both the English translation and international distribution of “Brand Expedition: A five-month journey visiting Europe’s Most inspiring Brands.” In the book, Arets lets readers catch a glimpse of his journey across Europe and his discussions with the people behind some of the continent’s most popular brands in the marketplace today.
Needing the capital to get his book translated and re-published, Arets turned to Symbid. Just two months and 171 investors later, Arets reached his 20,000 Euro goal, and, as he explains, “an additional chapter to the story,” in the form of “overwhelming media attention and 171 [investor] ambassadors.”
But the “crowd” aspect of his project didn’t stop after Arets met his funding goals. After the Dutch version of his book received a warm reception, the innovative author decided to introduce his work on a more global level: he enlisted the help of 1,000 fans from 15 countries to read the book’s chapters on a webcam to make a fully-read audiobook.
How does Symbid feel about not only the success of Arets’ project on its platform, but also the growing potential of crowdsourcing? “We proved that the platform works,” said Symbid CEO Korstiaan Zandvliet.