Spacehive

According to the company's website, Spacehive's mission is to "empower people to make their local area better". As of October 2018, Spacehive has been used to crowdfund 500 projects worth over £10 million including the Camden Highline,{{cite magazine|url=https://www.timeout.com/london/blog/theres-a-crowdfunding-campaign-to-make-the-camden-highline-a-reality-062717|title=There's a crowdfunding campaign to make the Camden Highline a reality|author=Alice French|date=27 June 2017|magazine=Time Out}} a giant water slide down a high street in Bristol,{{cite web|url=https://www.dezeen.com/2014/05/06/luke-jerram-park-and-slide-installation-bristol/|title=Luke Jerram transforms Bristol's Park Street into 90-metre water slide|author=Amy Frearson|date=6 May 2014|website=Dezeen}} the revival of Peckham Lido in London,[http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/splash-peckham-lido-campaign-reaches-crowdfunding-target-two-massive-donations-two-days/ Peckham Lido campaign reaches target], Southwark News. and a community centre in the deprived ex-mining town of Glyncoch, Wales.[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/may/28/crowdfunding-community-projects Crowdfunding Community Projects], The Guardian.

Spacehive was launched in 2012 by Chris Gourlay, a former Sunday Times journalist who specialised in architecture and planning stories.[http://journalisted.com/chris-gourlay?allarticles=yes Chris Gourlay: Journalisted.com]

Supported by the Big Lottery Fund and a mix of private and social investors, the social business maximises sources of funding for projects by allowing cash raised locally to be combined with grant funding streams available for civic projects from government, foundations and businesses. Backers of projects are only charged if the funding target is reached.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Project creators can apply for grants via the platform at the same time as crowdfunding. They can also request in-kind contributions towards the cost of the project.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

Each project is verified by partner organisation Locality{{cite press release|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-hails-the-rise-of-civic-crowdfunding|title=Prime Minister hails the rise of 'civic crowdfunding'|publisher=Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street|date=27 November 2014|website=GOV.UK}} to ensure its viability before it starts funding. According to the company, the average success rate for fundraising campaigns on Spacehive is 52%, whilst projects that secure just 10% of their funding target have a 79% success rate.{{cite web|url=https://www.spacehive.com/create|title=Create a new project|website=Spacehive}}

In addition to its service for project creators, Spacehive provides specialised software and support services{{cite web|url=https://www.spacehive.com/Partner|title=Partner Services - Software and support to help local crowdfunding|website=Spacehive}} to help councils, companies, and foundations that it partners with to fund projects alongside the crowd and to measure their social impact. Spacehive's partners include the Mayor of London, Manchester City Council, Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, GLL, and Veolia. Spacehive projects have attracted significant press coverage in the UK and internationally. Notable supporters of Spacehive projects include the actress Joanna Lumley, broadcaster Kevin McCloud,{{cite web|url=https://www.spacehive.com/profile/kevinmccloud|title=Kevin McCloud - Spacehive profile|website=Spacehive}} the comedian Stephen Fry,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17147091|title=Fry tweets to save community centre|date=23 February 2012|work=BBC News}} the actor James Norton,[http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/spy-loved-swimming-bond-fave-backs-lido/ James Norton Backs Lido, Southwark News] and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan{{cite press release|url=https://www.london.gov.uk//press-releases/mayoral/mayor-pledges-support-for-community-projects|title=Mayor pledges support for stronger and healthier community projects|date=1 July 2016|website=London City Hall}}

• Global Urban Innovator, 2016 - New Cities Foundation{{cite web|url=https://newcities.org/global-urban-innovators-spacehive-2016/|title=Spacehive|date=19 April 2017|website=NewCities}}
• Big Society Award - 10 Downing Street
• Winner, Big Venture Challenge - UnLtd{{cite web |url=http://socialenterprise.guardian.co.uk/social-enterprise-network/2011/oct/04/big-challenge-winner-chris-gourlay |title=Spacehive |work= The Guardian |access-date=2012-11-30 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130420054939/http://socialenterprise.guardian.co.uk/social-enterprise-network/2011/oct/04/big-challenge-winner-chris-gourlay |archive-date=2013-04-20 |url-status=dead }}
• Top 50, New Radicals 2014 - Nesta{{cite web|url=https://www.nesta.org.uk/feature/new-radicals-2014/spacehive/|title=Spacehive|website=Nesta}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|https://www.spacehive.com/}}

{{Crowdfunding platforms}}

Category:Crowdfunding platforms of the United Kingdom

Category:Social enterprises

Category:Internet properties established in 2012

Category:Companies based in London