Crowdcube hit its best-ever figures across a range of measures in 2018, as crowdfunding continues to cement its popularity with entrepreneurs and investors, despite a backdrop of broader economic uncertainty and concerns around Brexit.
2018 revenue is up 50% to £6m, from £4m in 2017, while investment pledged to growing companies through the platform is up 72% to £224m, from £130m the previous year. The number of successful raises on the platform, at 198, is 35% larger than the previous year’s total of 147.
Q4 2018 was Crowdcube’s most successful quarter ever, with revenue at £1.8m (up 50% from £1.2m in Q4 2017), and investment pledged at £84.6m (up 94% from £43.6m). The number of successful raises rose from 45 to 49, an increase of 9%, while the average amount per successful raise went up from £732,000 to £1,430,000, an increase of 95%.
Cleantech companies took the shortest time to fund in 2018 (on average 20 days), followed by those in the leisure and tourism and consumer internet sectors (26 days). Healthcare companies raised the largest rounds of investment on average, at £423,000.
Luke Lang, co-founder of Crowdcube, said: “It’s been an incredible year for Crowdcube, as entrepreneurs at ever-larger companies chose Crowdcube to connect with crowd investors who want to back young companies they believe in. Entrepreneurs increasingly understand that a Crowdcube round not only raises funds, but builds their brand and communities, which are crucial to the success of new businesses in these digitally-connected times.”
In 2019, Crowdcube’s team believes the following kinds of business will be prominent among business raising funds on its platform:
- companies which use AI to personalise consumer offerings,
- fintech companies offering insurance tech and investor intelligence,
- cannabis companies,
- craft distilleries,
- cleantech companies,
- companies that produce medical tech and smart home tech for the elderly,
- consumer healthcare and wellness companies, and
- companies working in robotics, drones, vegan products and esports.
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