PledgeMe crosses $70m thanks to ethical undies

Kiwi crowdfunding platform PledgeMe has just crossed the $70 million-through-their-platform mark, thanks to a little help from ethical underwear company Nisa.

More than $70 million of pledges has passed through PledgeMe since 2012. This means more than 1665 crowdfunding campaigns have closed successfully, funding project and equity crowdfunding campaigns across all sectors and all regions in New Zealand.

“We’ve really seen everything you can think of and not think of,” says PledgeMe co-founder Anna Guenther (pictured), “from a man creating a bionic hand for his friend, to a woman who wanted to publish a manual on how to teach yoga in prisons, through to a brewery who raised two mil in two days to expand their production capacity.”

Wellington-based ethical underwear company Nisa, who employ women from refugee and migrant backgrounds, recently closed a $165,000 project crowdfunding campaign, more than doubling their minimum funding target of $80,000.

1386 people pledged to the Nisa project crowdfunding campaign, pushing PledgeMe over the $70 million mark.

“The awesome thing about this campaign was how engaged and supportive their crowd was, and when given a clear value exchange in the form of undies and workshops, they came onboard and pledged up large,” says Anna.

While crowdfunding slowed down during the New Zealand Covid lockdown, things have gradually improved over the past year.

“We’re seeing a growth in Kiwis realising they need some help going out to their crowds with awesome offers, be it rewards or shares in their company, to fund their next steps,” says Anna. “These Kiwis are often focused on making a positive impact in their local community and the wider world, whether it’s HT Systems who’ve created new mobility solutions for people and their carers, through to plant-based mince producer Vince, who are launching soon.”

PledgeMe was founded in 2012 as a rewards-based crowdfunding platform. They stepped up to equity crowdfunding in 2014, when the government introduced new legislation allowing companies to raise investment from the public. PledgeMe was the first licensed platform in New Zealand, and later became licensed in Australia when they changed their legislation too.

To learn more go to www.pledgeme.co.nz