Switzerland Telecom Provider “SwissCom” Launches Crowdfunding Platform

wemakeit and swisscom

Swisscom Launches Crowdfunding Site Powered by WeMakeIt.

Switzerland’s leading telecom provider, Swisscom, has launched a crowdfunding platform as a service for companies and other organizations.  The Ittigen based company wants to create a simple way for other companies, especially banks, to create their very own crowdfunding marketplace.  Swisscom has signed an agreement to work with WeMakeIt, a leading Swiss crowdfunding platform, to facilitate infrastructure and software.

WeMakeIt-partners 2 reaeggli-johannesgees-hannesgassert_02SwissCom logoSwisscom envisions a space for project initiators to present their ideas with the aim of obtaining financing from the public.  Noting that what began as an innovation in the cultural sector, crowdfunding is now having an increasingly significant impact on the economy and is indispensable as an alternative form of financing. It is becoming more and more popular in Switzerland, too: according to the Crowdfunding Monitor of the Institute of Financial Services Zug a total of CHF 11.3 million was pledged for crowdfunding projects in 2013, twice as much as in 2012. This amount is forecast to double again in 2014.

The new crowdfunding platform that will be offered to corporate customers as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). Companies and charitable organizations may use the cloud-based service to open their own crowdfunding marketplace quickly and professionally under their own brand name, all without having to invest in IT . Swisscom supplies infrastructure and software, but does not serve as a marketplace operator (White Labeled Service).

Marcel Walker, Head of Banking and Cloud at SwisscomMarcel Walker, Head of Banking and Cloud at Swisscom commented on the new project:

“We want to provide companies, particularly banks, with uncomplicated access to this new form of financing, which is gaining in importance and will strengthen innovative capacity in Switzerland.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Swisscom is providing financial support to the non-profit association wemakeit, which operates wemakeit.com. The aim is to work together to promote the development of crowdfunding in Switzerland.

Johannes GeesJohannes Gees, artist and chairman of the association said, “The cooperation with Swisscom is recognition for what we have achieved to date and shows that culture is now providing innovative economic impetus. As Switzerland’s leading crowdfunding platform we aim to continue helping as many ideas as possible come to fruition and bring creative people and their public together.”

The two partners, Johannes Gees and Rea Eggli, have been successfully running the wemakeit crowdfunding platform for 2.5 years – are now joined by the new partner and managing director Hannes Gassert. Hannes Gassert will be able to contribute to wemakeit with his expertise as an entrepreneur, developer and as an activist in places where media, technology and culture come together.

wemakeit switzerlandWeMakeIt has crowdfunded 5,922,685.00 CHF to date.  The platform has had 784 successful projects standing at a success rate of 68% – a number that is high for the industry.  Over 35,000 backers are registered on the platform with the largest project to date, The Bianca Story, generating 91,662 Euros.

Swisscom employs over 20,000 people and has an annual revenue of approximately CFH 5.7 billion.



Sponsored Links by DQ Promote

 

 

Send this to a friend