for new businesses in start-up and growth stages. In December 2012, it launched a euro and a sterling service to get a foothold this side of the Atlantic and says Britain is its third biggest market. International activity is up 41% since December. There is no shortage of competitors, be it Kickstarter, Seedrs or Funding Circle, but, unlike rivals, says Ringelmann, Indiegogo is the only crowdfunder where anyone can launch a campaign. No project is deemed too wacky. The site levies a 4% fee for successful campaigns. For those that fail to raise their target amount, users have the option of either refunding all money to their contributors at no charge or keeping all money raised but with a 9% fee. A British woman, Lauren Pears, raised £100,000 to open a “cat café” in London through the site. Known as Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, it is yet to open but is billed as somewhere people can “come in from the cold to a comfortable wingback chair, a hot cup of tea, a book and a cat”. “We’ve seen campaigns that go to venture capitalists get rejected because the venture guys say, 'Great idea but no idea if the market actually wants it; it could be a gadget that no one cares about,'” said Ringelmann. “The entrepreneurs do an Indiegogo campaign – they don’t even actually launch the project, but the campaign itself is enough market proof for venture capitalists to say