When using crowdfunding, you need to create mass appeal. Immersive technology companies are in a strong position to tell powerful stories to attract the interest of the crowd. But with a limited number of immersive tech companies exploring crowdfunding opportunities to help grow their business, are SMEs missing out on an invaluable source of investment?

During this session, we will be joined by Shaun Beaney from ICAEW, to provide an overview of the different types of crowdfunding and the benefits (and disadvantages) of working with the crowd to grow your company. This will be followed by Katherine Gilroy from Seedrs to bring to light how immersive technology companies have successfully used crowdfunding.

We will explore…

• the different types of crowdfunding, including; equity, debt, reward, donation;
• the benefits (and disadvantages) of using crowdfunding to grow your business;
• at what stage in your company journey you should consider crowdfunding;
• how to build momentum for a campaign and how much investment should you secure before launching a campaign;
• if raising equity investment through crowdfunding affects the ability to raise finance through institutional investors at a later date;
• where immersive technology companies have successfully raised crowdfunding before;
• the main reasons for unsuccessful crowdfunding campaigns, including why some campaigns don’t get off the ground.

We also welcome your questions and would like you to share your experience of crowdfunding during this session.

Panelist biographies

Shaun Beaney Corporate Finance Faculty, ICAEW and Chair, Access to Finance Working Group, Immerse UK

Shaun works on communications, public policy and advisory projects in ICAEW’s Corporate Finance Faculty, specialising in innovation investment, entrepreneurship, high-growth companies and venture capital. He’s researched and co-authored several publications about business finance, including engineering, AI and the creative industries.

Katherine Gilroy, Campaign Development Associate, Seedrs 

Katherine sources seed-stage businesses for the Seedrs investor audience. She advises entrepreneurs on how to strategise their investment rounds to raise capital whilst marketing their business and building out a community of brand advocates. To date she’s helped 23 seed-stage businesses to raise almost £11m.