From Bristol to Silicon Valley

Two local Bristol entrepreneurs have launched a brand new crowdfunding platform offering a new way for people to fund social and creative ideas and projects in Bristol.

Oliver Mochizuki and Derek Ahmedzai created Fundsurfer.com to provide an additional source of funding projects  in a climate where lending from banks has become restricted.

Recently they have been invited to visit a number of interested investors in California and to visit tech start ups and other business incubators.

Fundsurfer offers rewards and donation based crowdfunding but the development team behind the platform are developing lending and equity crowdfunding to create only the second ‘hybrid’ platform in the UK.

In November 2013 Fundsurfer Ltd was accepted into the Bristol SETsquared Centre based at the historic Engine Shed in the cities Enterprise Zone.

Oliver who is 34 and lives in Horfield comments: “We created Fundsurfer.com to offer a simple yet highly effective platform to raise funds. Currently bank lending to small businesses and funding for creative and social projects has been cut dramatically.

“With councils expected to deliver 100% of services for 60% of the budget there is huge scope for disruption of traditional funding models.

“This applies to all sectors and industries, in the future all kinds of companies will be involved with crowdfunding”

Nick Sturge, Director of the Bristol SETsquared Centre, commented: “A ready flow of investment for any project – be it a film, community project or start-up business – is a game-changer.

“Bristol & Bath needs more investment activity and we are keen to support any business that strives to disrupt this market.

“Crowdfunding is a hot-topic at the moment and Fundsurfer’s model is appropriately innovative – as we would expect from a Bristol business!”