Rebooting Britain with Financial Technology
15th October 2020
UPDATE: Crowd2Fund decided not to take Future Fund capital in the end as we do not believe it’s necessary and are in discussions with a number of private institutions to provide match funding on similar terms to help the investment round achieve its £10m target later in the year. Investors who have pledged will receive the same terms. If you have any questions about the investment round then please do not hesitate to contact us on info@crowd2Fund.com.
Over the past few months, the Crowd2Fund team has been focused on developing and upgrading our platform in preparation for the economic recovery effort ahead. We’re proud to announce the improved platform is now live — launched alongside our spearhead investment campaign, called “Reboot Britain”.
Reboot Britain at a glance
The Reboot Britain campaign will be 100% match-funded by HM Government’s Future Fund initiative,
which aims to support new, innovative businesses.
Based on our historical model, we aim to scale the platform to:
fund 3,467 innovative and high-growth businesses
with £277m of private investment capital per year
This will be achieved with a £10m convertible loan investment into the platform,
£5m of which will be funded by the British Business Banks Future Fund scheme.
An 8% APR return is being offered to investors who choose to take part,
with 4% APR paid monthly and 4% APR paid on maturity of the investment.
Investing at this stage means investing in the growth of all the great British businesses
the Crowd2Fund platform supports, both now and in the future.
We are eager to reignite the growth of forward-thinking UK businesses, and we’re inviting you to take part in helping us rebuild stronger than ever before. As the platform continues to grow, we also plan to offer full banking services, payments, and sophisticated auto-investing — allowing investors to earn better returns at a lower risk.
We believe that FinTech holds the key to successful recovery from the economic challenges we’ve faced. Our campaign is a very practical way to support growing businesses and passionate entrepreneurs; who we will continue to rely on to revive our economy whilst giving UK businesses an international platform to scale.
Crucially, the Reboot Britain plan also defines an element of international expansion. The goal is to give UK SMEs a global platform and the opportunity to scale across the 54 Commonwealth markets. This unlocks a potential market size of around 2.4bn new investors, customers, and entrepreneurs.
With FinTech becoming a core pillar of innovation, those investing in Reboot Britain will be helping shape the future — delivering prosperity, jobs, and great new products — locally and internationally.
To find out more, please visit the dedicated landing page and download the comprehensive 2020 – 2025 business plan. You can also contact a member of the team at info@crowd2fund.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Reboot Britain campaign work?
We will be raising £5 million that will be matched by the British Business Bank Future Fund scheme so that we can use the resulting £10 million capital to scale the Crowd2Fund platform. This is based on the comprehensive business plan that can be downloaded from the landing page (hyperlink landing page). Platform investors can pledge their wallet balance, or automatically pledge their future repayments into the campaign. Investors can also potentially access their capital by selling the investment to another investor via the Exchange, assuming market demand.
Where will my money be invested?
The capital will be invested into the Crowd2Fund business to scale up the platform and increase the size of the community of private investors and businesses. This will allow us to fund more businesses, specifically targeting the very best British entrepreneurs. The capital raised will also be used to further expand the platform into the Commonwealth market, thus helping UK businesses grow internationally. There will be many technical enhancements to improve our platform capability — such as banking services, enhanced mobile capability and user experience. A full budget breakdown is available in the business plan.
What other business opportunities will there be on the platform?
We are open for business as usual! However, it will take some time to build up our deal pipeline as they have been paused and no new businesses have been listed for 6 months. We are working on it, and you will see new opportunities being listed alongside the Reboot Britain campaign soon. We are proud to have funded around 500 businesses so far, with £35 million raised from our community of investors. Once the platform has been scaled, we hope to list another 3,467 UK businesses this year, and furthermore in the ongoing years.
Do I still get to choose what business I can invest in?
Yes. You will continue to have the flexibility to select specific businesses and the amount you want to invest, in order to build a balanced and diversified portfolio. When investing through Reboot Britain, you are choosing to invest in Crowd2Fund.
If I invest in the Reboot Britain campaign, will my investment be IFISA eligible (therefore earnings tax-free)?
Yes, your investment will be IFISA eligible, and therefore the earnings will be tax-free. If you are investing outside of your ISA, remember to report your earnings to HMRC.
*Tax treatment of any of the investment offers will depend on the individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change in the future.
Explain how the 8% APR return works, and discounted equity?
The government has defined the parameters around the terms of the investment — which we are obliged to adhere to. Investors earn 4% APR monthly, and 4% APR on maturity. In addition, they have the ability to convert the loan to equity at a 20% discount at the next investment round. The detailed terms are available within the term sheet.
Is interest from the Reboot Britain campaign reinvested?
That is up to each individual investor. If you opt to reinvest your repayments, both capital and interest will be reinvested back into the Reboot Britain campaign.
Can I access my capital?
You may be able to access your capital, if you are able to sell the investment to another investor on the Exchange. This is of course dependent on market demand.
Can I subscribe my funds?
You can add funds to your account and subscribe them to the Reboot Britain campaign easily, via the Reboot Britain landing page.
What if the target is not reached?
The Future Fund will 100% match investor pledges – on the agreement of final terms with the British Business Bank. So whatever we raise will be matched, even if we do not reach the £10m target. However, we fully intend to reach the target and investors will be informed of the final terms when these are agreed with the Future Fund.
Can I convert my investment to equity?
You may have the option to convert to equity upon maturity. Additionally, if you invest you will have the opportunity to receive a 20% discount on the next equity round.
Will I be able to invest in international businesses?
Currently, no. However, we have exciting plans to expand internationally soon, where we aim to be listing businesses from 54 Commonwealth markets.
Is my investment secured?
The investment is not secured. However, the investment would convert to equity should Crowd2Fund have to enter a wind-down.
How is the 4% bonus interest paid?
Your interest will be paid monthly, and the bonus interest will be paid on maturity in 36 months.
Can I cancel my pledge?
Yes, you can cancel your pledge at any point in time. The pledge will be converted into an investment at the end of the month.
Risk warning:
Past performance and forecasts are not reliable indicators of future results. Tax treatment of any of the investment offers will depend on the individual circumstances of each investor and may be subject to change in the future. If you are unsure about any aspect of the information provided by the company, you should seek advice from an independent financial adviser. Do not invest more than you can afford to lose. Investing in start-ups and early-stage businesses involves risks, including illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution, and it should be done only as part of a diversified portfolio. Investing in start-ups may expose the individual concerned to a significant risk of losing all of the money or other assets invested. Peer to business lending through Crowd2Fund is not the same as holding a bank or building society savings account. When making a peer to business loan, your capital lent to a borrower is not covered for compensation in the event of a loss by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. It may prove impossible to recover all or part of the loan by calling in the business assets held as security on that loan. Reward and Donation funding types are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Crowd2Fund Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 623683). Crowd2Fund Limited is registered in England and Wales. Registered No. 08472687 Registered Address: 242 Acklam Road, London, W10 5JJ.
