Invested.in: Raise Money, Reach Goals, Build Community!

A lot of crowdfunding sites tend to have a specific identity in terms of target users. Business Angel funding for entrepreneurial ventures is one example along with social enterprises looking for much needed funds to help a community project.

Invested.in has no such identity and can only be described as the crowdfunding site where almost anything goes!

The mechanics of how it works are much the same as other fundraising sites. If you have a financial need then sign up and create a project page explaining the detail, target amount and any rewards you might offer in return. A video clip can be included to give your pitch added impact.

The site is keen to encourage users not to offer money-back rewards in return for contributions to their cause and suggests fundraisers be more creative. Looking at some of the current causes looking for cash it’s hard to imagine just what might be on offer!

Anyway, moving on, once the profile page is ready the site provides tools to get the message out to the world using all the available social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and your various email contact lists. Anyone willing to part with their cash can do so by credit card, PayPal or Google Checkout. The site also claims to take check payments but who does that these days?

For those of you wondering how the site gets a share they take 3% of the funds raised and paid to a project.

The eclectic mix of projects and causes on the site is quite staggering. From the sincere plea for help to raise funds for stem cell treatment to the rallying cry of a girl desperate to get to the Miss Virginia contest, it covers all that life can throw at you. There is even an appeal from a rock singer needing to get his teeth fixed but the biscuit, from my short visit anyway, is taken by two "interesting" film makers.

Convinced that the world wants to see a film called Kung Fu & Titties, they need $35,000 to make it happen. For those film buffs amongst you I fear it won’t be of the Bruce Lee genre!

Conclusion
There are some very worthy causes looking for funding on this site without doubt and I hope they get support. What I’m not so comfortable with is that they are mixed in with the pleas of people whose cause seems to be just personal life enhancement