Case study: Here's one for our GOODFOLIO of successful clients

GOODFOLIO is a new ethical investment platform empowering everyday investors to build and manage custom portfolios that align with their values. Their mission is to increase the flow of capital into sustainable industries and socially responsible companies by making ethical investing simple, personalised, and transparent.

Omid came to ISQ in late August 2021. His company wasn’t yet generating revenue but he was eager, well connected and felt suited to this method of funding. 

Although Omid felt like the crowdfunding campaign in general was harder than he expected to plan, he moved through the programme extremely efficiently, leaving no task unticked. Omid said ‘the first 2-3 phases of the programme were the most beneficial to us - where we really put everything important into action and created a plan of attack based on ISQ’s guidance. Then getting everything going, and knowing we had this efficient plan to follow and launch strategy in place - the programme really did everything it said on the tin’. 

'.....the first 2-3 phases of the programme were the most beneficial to us - where we really put everything important into action and created a plan of attack based on ISQ’s guidance....'

When asked what was the most challenging part, Omid said that the unexpected questions from investors in meetings came as a bit of a shock. But going to meetings prepared, with investor documents saying all the right things, meant that conversations flowed smoother than expected. Once he’d secured a big ticket, ‘it felt like dominoes - it all came falling into place, and the pressure felt like it’d been taken off a bit’. 

With £33bn of UK retail assets in responsible and sustainable funds, this was certainly a great time to launch a campaign such as this. GOODFOLIO’S campaign launched in late October on Seedrs, and overfunded to 160% by November 12th. Omid said ‘We were surprised by how quickly it all came together as initially the timings felt really challenging. Allocating time, and being conscious of what resources would be required was an important early step for us. The programme helped us get organised and figure out who needed to do what, and when.’

'....Allocating time, and being conscious of what resources would be required was an important early step for us. The programme helped us get organised and figure out who needed to do what, and when.....'

Although 77% of people with over £25k in investable assets would choose sustainable investments, only 13% have already done so thus far. GOODFOLIO’s platform aggregates social and environmental data, analyses and curates investment options, and listens to what ethical investors want. A crowdfunding campaign with investment at its core….the marketing benefits speak for themselves! 

Would you crowdfund again? ‘Yes’, he says confidently, ‘but don’t expect most of the money to come from the platform. You need to do the background work and secure your lead investors/investment. But a successful campaign can be hugely beneficial for a company in terms of exposure. We’ve got the funds in the bank already, and by next quarter will aim to have launched round two!”

Written by India Gilling, Senior Account Manager at ISQ Crowdfunding