YouRock crowdfunding success

Beginning a new venture used to mean applying for funding or getting a loan from the bank, but Ian Clifford from Sidmouth took a gamble on a new way of raising money for a new online venture called YouRock. He decided to try crowd-funding, a method of pitching an idea to the internet and gathering multiple pledges of support.

Ian said, “Asking people on the internet to back your idea is a very rewarding way of raising money for your project. You know that they will only part with hard earned money if they see real merit in what you are trying to do”. In August local papers ran articles on his ambition of setting up a website designed to help young people identify how their social media, online and communication skills can help them into job markets around Europe and directed readers to a website where people could pledge money to help him reach his target of £12,500. Seven weeks and forty-eight backers later, including numerous pledges from people across Devon, Ian reached his target in the closing hour before the deadline.

“I am incredibly grateful for all the support I received. I now know that lots of people want to see my idea work. Nobody is more effective or innovative in using technology than young people, yet many of them do not see that these are exactly the sorts of skills that employers need to take their businesses forward. I hope that this website will be the start of a journey into new jobs for many young people across and beyond Europe”.

Having been given the green light for the project, Ian now begins the hunt for a programming team that will build the prototype. Ian concludes, “even Neelie Kroes, the Vice President of the European Commission is taking an interest in the project. She tweeted about YouRock in the week before the crowdfunder ended. It’s great to have such high level support, and I am hoping to announce some more partners to the project soon”.