Partnership to spark generosity in the everyday investor

CEO of VentureCrowd says investors don’t just want financial returns, they want opportunities that make a difference.

An equity crowdfunding platform is prompting its investors to think a little more philanthropically by offering them an option to donate part of their investment dollars to education programs for kids from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

The partnership between VentureCrowd and The Smith Family means investors will have the option of making a donation to the charity’s Learning for Life and Kidpreneur programs when they invest in any of VentureCrowd’s financial products. 

These products include raising capital for alternative assets such as startups, renewable energy companies and property developments.

Steve Maarbani, the CEO of VentureCrowd, told Pro Bono News the type of people that invested in VentureCrowd products were out to make the most impact with their money, and he believed this partnership would help them do that.   

“We know our investors and we know that what they want is not just investment opportunities that produce financial returns, they want investment opportunities that make a difference,” Maarbani said. 

“If we can give them the opportunity to donate to something else which is aligned with our purpose and theirs, they may well engage with it.” 

And so far, it seems to be working. 

Within a day of launching, Maarbani said they received $2,500 worth of investment for the Smith Family.

A partnership that makes sense 

One of the programs that VentureCrowd donations will go towards is the Kidpreneur program, which is an immersive, teacher-led program equipping primary school children with the skills and know-how to build their own microbusiness.

Maarbani said that supporting a program like this made good business sense for VentureCrowd.  

“We want to lean into Kidpreneur in a really serious way… because we have the technical expertise at an industry level to bring to that program,” he said. 

“If we can foster a relationship with children through The Smith Family that helps kids get through their education, come out the other side and go on to do great things, they could start the businesses that we fund. What a beautiful story that would be.”

Supporting kids to get the best out of life is also something that resonates with Maarbani on a more personal level. 

“My parents came out to Australia as migrants with nothing, and so I know what it’s like to struggle financially,” he said.

“I also know that education changed my life and therefore changed the life of the generations that come after me, so it’s really beautiful to turn our business into something that can support that.”  

The Smith Family will receive the donations monthly from VentureCrowd, with reports and updates on how donations are being used, shared with investors on a regular basis. 

Find more information about the partnership here.