Education Crowdfunding platforms
Within the crowdfunding sector, there are a lot of loan types and niches you can invest in. A lesser-known sector is the education crowdfunding sector. Still, this sector can be an attractive investment for a lot of investors because you can earn returns while also making a social impact.
Education crowdfunding focuses on different forms of education. For example, there are platforms where you can invest in student loans, but also in research into sustainable innovations. Find out on this page which education crowdfunding platforms are interesting for financial gain or to make an impact in a sustainable and social way!
Reviews
bettervest
Bettervest is a German crowdfunding platform founded in 2012 that focuses on financing energy efficiency projects. The platform offers equity and mini-bonds investment options to individuals interested in supporting green energy initiatives, health and science projects, social causes, education, and farming. One of the primary motivations behind Bettervest's establishment was to empower citizens to finance energy efficiency projects. The platform recognizes that energy efficiency not only saves money but also conserves resources and reduces CO2 emissions. Bettervest believes that the benefits of energy efficiency should not be limited to large corporations but also extend to individual investors. Bettervest's website is available in both German and English, making it accessible to a broader audience. The minimum investment amount on the platform is 50 EUR, allowing virtually anyone interested in supporting sustainable projects to participate. Advertised returns on investments range from 6% to 8%, providing potential financial benefits to investors in addition to supporting environmentally friendly initiatives. The platform's diverse range of investment opportunities includes projects in green energy, health and science, social causes, education, and farming. This broad selection allows investors to align their investments with their personal interests and values. Bettervest welcomes all individuals who wish to invest, emphasizing the inclusivity of their platform. By connecting investors with impactful projects, Bettervest aims to facilitate the transition to a more sustainable future.
Bona Fides Invest
Any individual or organization from around the world can invest through Bona Fides Invest. The platform offers a wide range of investment types including equity, debt, P2P lending, reward-based crowdfunding, donation-based crowdfunding, and mini-bonds. Bona Fides Invest caters to multiple industries, making it suitable for investments in real estate, startups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), sustainability projects, litigation funding, green energy initiatives, health and science ventures, logistics projects, personal loans, art campaigns, mortgages, social causes, education, farming, sports, and maritime ventures. Established in 2014 and based in Croatia, Bona Fides Invest has a user-friendly website that provides information in multiple languages, including Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, and Swedish. With a minimum investment of just 1 EUR, Bona Fides Invest aims to make crowdfunding accessible to a wide range of investors, from individuals to institutions. The platform offers an advertised return of 0.04. In summary, Bona Fides Invest is an EU-based fintech platform that facilitates crowdfunding for individuals and organizations worldwide. With its diverse range of investment options and industry presence, it offers opportunities for investors to support and fund projects in various sectors.
Crowdberry
Crowdberry is a crowdfunding platform based in Slovakia that was founded in 2015. It offers various investment types including equity, debt, and peer-to-peer lending. The platform focuses on supporting startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), as well as projects related to sustainability, health and science, social causes, education, and sports. The platform is available in English, Slovak, and Czech languages, making it accessible to a wide range of investors. The minimum investment required is 5,000 EUR, enabling both small and large investors to participate. Crowdberry advertises attractive returns for investors. For debt investments, the platform offers a return ranging from 8% to 16%, while equity investments yield between 20% and 50% annually. This makes it an appealing option for individuals looking to diversify their investment portfolio and potentially earn high returns. The primary aim of Crowdberry is to support Czech and Slovak companies and real estate projects by allowing private investors to invest directly in these ventures. By doing so, Crowdberry aims to help these businesses create long-term value and thrive in the market. Anyone over the age of 18 can invest through Crowdberry, giving a wide range of investors the opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of Czech and Slovak enterprises. To learn more about the platform and explore investment opportunities, interested individuals can visit the Crowdberry website at https://www.crowdberry.eu/en.
Crowdbase
Crowdbase is a crowdfunding platform based in Cyprus that offers investment opportunities in various industries such as real estate, startups, SMEs, green energy, health & science, logistics, social causes, education, farming, sport, and maritime. Founded in 2020, Crowdbase aims to provide businesses with an alternative source of capital and allow investors to access opportunities that might otherwise be unavailable to them. The platform supports both equity and debt crowdfunding, giving investors the flexibility to choose the type of investment that suits their preferences. By offering a diverse range of industries, Crowdbase aims to attract a wide base of investors who have different interests and investment goals. Crowdbase is available in two languages, English and Greek, catering to a wide range of potential investors. The platform's website, https://crowdbase.eu/en, provides detailed information on the projects available for investment. To make investing accessible to a larger audience, Crowdbase allows EEA residents to participate, meaning investors from various European countries can take advantage of the opportunities offered on the platform. The minimum investment required is relatively low, starting from 100 EUR. Although the exact advertised return is not specified, Crowdbase offers investors the potential to earn returns on their investments, providing an incentivizing opportunity for investors to diversify their portfolios and support promising projects. Overall, Crowdbase offers an inclusive and diverse investment crowdfunding platform that connects businesses seeking capital with a wide range of potential investors.
Crowdbound
Crowdbound is a crowdfunding platform based in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 2022 with a mission to support various industries, including art, social causes, and education. The platform aims to promote accessibility and diversity within the publishing and media sectors through The Arkbound Foundation. Crowdbound offers donation-based investment opportunities, allowing individuals and organizations to raise funds for their initiatives, projects, products, and campaigns. The minimum investment amount is 10 EUR, making it accessible to a wide range of investors. The platform is available in English, but it can be translated into any language, making it inclusive for individuals around the world. This feature enhances its accessibility and allows investors from different countries to participate. Crowdbound's website, available at https://crowdbound.org/, provides a user-friendly interface where investors can browse through various projects and choose the ones they wish to support. The platform advertises a return of 0.11, implying that investors may receive a reward or benefit in relation to their investment, although further details are not specified. Overall, Crowdbound offers a platform for individuals and organizations to raise funds for their initiatives, with a particular focus on promoting accessibility and diversity within the publishing and media industries. Its minimum investment amount, multilingual support, and mission-driven approach make it an appealing crowdfunding option for both investors and project creators.
KissKissBankBank
KissKissBankBank is a crowdfunding platform based in France that was founded in 2009. It offers a donation-based investment type, allowing individuals and businesses to finance their creative, associative, or entrepreneurial projects. The platform operates in the SME, art, and education industries, providing a wide range of options for funding. With its focus on donation-based investments, KissKissBankBank enables users to receive funds through donations or pre-orders. The minimum investment amount is only 1 EUR, making it accessible to a large number of potential investors. However, the platform does not advertise any specific returns on investment. KissKissBankBank is available in both English and French, catering to a diverse user base. This multi-language support contributes to its international appeal and allows for greater accessibility to a larger pool of investors. The platform's website, located at https://www.kisskissbankbank.com/en, provides a user-friendly interface for project creators and investors alike. It offers detailed information about each project, allowing potential investors to make informed decisions. KissKissBankBank welcomes both personal and corporate investors, offering a variety of funding opportunities for individuals, businesses, and organizations. This inclusive approach makes it a versatile platform for various types of projects, whether they are small creative endeavors or large-scale entrepreneurial ventures.
HelloAsso
HelloAsso is a crowdfunding platform based in France that was founded in 2009. The platform focuses on donation-based investments and caters to various industries such as art, social causes, education, and sports. With a mission to support French associations, HelloAsso offers its payment technologies to over 200,000 non-profit organizations free of charge, without imposing any fees or commissions. As a solidarity company of social utility, HelloAsso relies on voluntary contributions from internet users as its main source of income. However, the platform does not specify any advertised return for investors. The minimum investment required to participate in HelloAsso is 20 units of the respective currency. This low threshold allows both individuals and corporate entities to contribute to causes they are passionate about. HelloAsso's platform is primarily available in French, catering to the local market, and its website can be found at https://www.helloasso.com/. This language limitation may limit its accessibility to international investors who are not fluent in French. Overall, HelloAsso's free, commission-free payment technologies and dedication to supporting French associations make it an attractive crowdfunding platform for individuals and corporations interested in contributing to social causes, arts, sports, and education in France.
Xavin
Xavin is a crowdfunding platform based in Germany that focuses on the debt investment type. It was founded in 2012 and primarily operates in the education industry. The platform allows non-profit organizations to showcase their projects to local supporters and members. Xavin offers these organizations the opportunity to receive financial support in the form of a loan. In return, investors get not only a monetary return but also an emotional one, as they contribute to projects that align with their interests and values. The platform is available in both English and German, catering to a broader audience of potential investors. Xavin's website, https://www.xavin.eu/, provides all the necessary information and tools for individuals and companies to invest in projects they are passionate about. To invest via Xavin, individuals must be at least 18 years old, residents of Germany, and have unlimited legal capacity. They can invest on their own behalf. Additionally, companies, as legal entities, are also permitted to invest through the platform. Xavin sets a minimum investment of as low as 1 EUR, ensuring accessibility for a wide range of investors. However, the platform does not advertise a specific return on investment.
Splendit
Splendit is Switzerland's first crowdfunding platform for student loans. Founded in 2014, the platform operates under the P2P lending model, connecting students in need of financial assistance with private investors who are interested in investing in education. Splendit primarily focuses on the education industry, offering an alternative option for students to secure funding for their educational pursuits. The platform supports students by allowing them to sign up on their website, splendit.ch, where they can provide details about their funding needs and education plans. Investors, both personal and corporate, have the opportunity to contribute to student loans through Splendit. The platform provides an opportunity for individuals or companies to invest in the future of Switzerland by supporting education. The minimum investment requirement is 500 EUR, making it accessible to a wide range of potential investors. The platform currently supports two languages, English and German, catering to a broader audience in Switzerland and internationally. The website, splendit.ch, serves as the primary platform for students, investors, and other stakeholders to connect and engage. While the exact advertised return on investments is not specified, Splendit offers a unique opportunity for investors to make an impact on students' lives while potentially earning a return on their investment. In summary, Splendit is a crowdfunding platform in Switzerland that facilitates peer-to-peer lending specifically for student loans. It aims to support students in need of financial assistance for their education and provides an investment option for individuals and corporations who wish to contribute to the education sector.
Evangelisch-Bildungsstark
Anyone can make a donation on the Evangelisch-Bildungsstark crowdfunding platform. The platform is specifically aimed at supporting non-profit Protestant educational projects in Berlin and Brandenburg, Germany. It was established in 2014 as a collaboration between the Evangelical School Foundation and the Evangelical Church Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia. The platform operates solely on donations and does not offer any financial returns to the investors. The minimum investment amount is 1 EUR, making it accessible to a wide range of donors. The website, https://www.evangelisch-bildungsstark.de/, provides an easy interface for donors to contribute to their chosen educational projects. Evangelisch-Bildungsstark serves as a central hub for educational initiatives in the Protestant community, allowing individuals to support causes that align with their values. The platform emphasizes the importance of education and aims to promote and strengthen Protestant education in the region. By focusing on non-profit projects, Evangelisch-Bildungsstark ensures that all investments go directly towards the educational initiatives and not for personal gain. Overall, Evangelisch-Bildungsstark provides a dedicated crowdfunding platform for supporters of Protestant education in Berlin and Brandenburg, allowing individuals to contribute to non-profit projects through donations as small as 1 EUR.
Lendwise
Lendwise is a crowdfunding platform that operates in the United Kingdom and specializes in peer-to-peer lending in the education industry. Founded in 2016, Lendwise aims to provide borrowers with access to affordable loans that can help fund their educational goals, while also ensuring that lenders receive a competitive return on their investment. Lendwise offers a user-friendly online platform that allows borrowers to easily apply for loans and investors to lend money directly to borrowers. The platform is available in English, making it accessible to a wide range of users. One of the key features of Lendwise is its minimum investment requirement of 250 GBP, which allows investors with different financial capabilities to participate. The platform also offers an advertised return of 7-12%, which is an attractive option for lenders looking to grow their investments. Lendwise prides itself on providing borrowers with the best possible interest rates based on their individual profile, ensuring that they are able to access the funds they need at a rate that is suitable for their financial situation. Overall, Lendwise is a crowdfunding platform that focuses on facilitating P2P lending in the education sector. It offers a user-friendly platform, attractive returns for lenders, and affordable loan options for borrowers, making it an appealing option for individuals looking to invest in education.
How do you start investing in education projects?
For both novice and experienced investors today, it is very easy to invest in education projects. Several crowdfunding platforms focus on this form of crowdfunding and this gives investors a lot of options. But how do you get off to a good start investing in education projects?
First of all, it is important to do good research beforehand. For example, it is wise to research the different forms of education crowdfunding so that you can choose your perfect P2P platform based on this. However, it is also important to research the crowdfunding platforms themselves so that you do not face unnecessary risks.
Therefore, research what the fees charged by the platform are and also look at the expected returns. In addition, it is helpful to study whether the platform meets government requirements and how the platform deals with defaulting borrowers. After you have done thorough research, you can start investing and have been able to mitigate or avoid several risks beforehand.
Especially for beginning investors, it is wise to start with small amounts first, so you can discover what investing is like and how the platform works. This way, beginner's mistakes cannot have a big impact on your wealth and you can avoid big losses.
What are the most popular education crowdfunding platforms?
What are the most popular education crowdfunding platforms? Despite education crowdfunding being less well-known than other forms of crowdfunding, there are a lot of P2P marketplaces where you can invest in education crowdfunding. Below, you can learn more about six crowdfunding platforms that focus on education crowdfunding. That way, you can quickly discover what kind of loans these platforms facilitate, what returns you can achieve, and what additional features you can take advantage of.
GoParity
The crowdfunding platform GoParity is also called an impact finance platform because this P2P marketplace encourages investing in sustainable projects. Through GoParity, investors can invest in sustainable projects that make an impact in different ways. These projects focus on sustainability and combine it with economic and social plans. This makes GoParity a suitable choice for individuals and companies looking to invest in sustainability. The entry threshold is very low with this crowdfunding marketplace, as you can invest as little as £5 through GoParity. The average return on loans is 5.44%.
The convenient thing about GoParity is that there are several features on the platform that make crowdfunding investing a lot more flexible and easy. For example, you can make use of Auto-invest and therefore spend less time increasing your capital. There is also a secondary market available, where you can easily sell loans to other investors. This allows you to increase your liquidity and invest your capital in new opportunities or use the money for other plans.
Bettervest
Founded in 2012, Bettervest is a crowdfunding platform that focuses on energy-efficient projects. These projects are citizens' initiatives, financed by investors through this platform. Borrowers' plans contribute to a better world by saving money through efficiency, reducing CO2 emissions, and saving resources. Large companies also have similar plans, and for these parties, it is a lot easier to get financing. Thanks to Bettervest, this is also possible for individuals, while investors can earn returns.
The first project was started on Bettervest in 2013, making the platform active in crowdfunding for 10 years. The initiatives funded through this platform are projects from all over the world. In particular, sustainable projects come from Africa, India, and Germany. As an investor, investing in education crowdfunding is interesting because you can make the world more climate-friendly and also earn a lucrative return. The average return for projects on Bettervest is about 6%.
Crowdberry
Another reliable crowdfunding platform established in 2015 is Crowdberry. This education crowdfunding platform allows investors to invest directly in various projects, which have applied to Crowdberry for a loan. These companies are based in Slovakia and the Czech Republic and are focused on real estate. Crowdberry has confidence in the real estate market in these countries and therefore focuses on real estate projects that will increase value in the long term.
In total, Crowdberry has more than £100 million in assets under management, showing that a lot of investors trust the platform. Returns on Crowdberry are relatively high, while loans are made for relatively safe investments. Currently, returns range between 20% and 50% per year. The great thing about Crowdberry is that not only can you easily find information about the different projects, but you can also see how many investors have already invested in a particular project.
Xavin
At Xavin's platform, you can invest in loans from as little as £1. Founded in 2012, the crowdfunding marketplace brings together supply and demand, with demand consisting of nonprofit organizations in need of loans. Investors can support the projects by investing their assets. Loans on Xavin's platform have a fixed interest rate, which is around 5%. You also receive an annual bonus, which means you receive additional returns each year.
Investing through Xavin is not only for financial gain, but the social aspect also counts. Non-profit organizations need loans for school projects, so you will also be rewarded in a social way. This makes Xavin a suitable platform for investors who want to earn returns and help people.
Lendwise
The peer-to-peer loan platform Lendwise is a platform where investors can invest in student loans. This unique form of investing can provide attractive returns of up to 9%. In addition to the financial reward, investing through Lendwise also provides a social reward. You can help borrowers with their student loans and thereby make a social contribution.
Thanks to your contribution, people can get an education, help people, and also contribute to lower unemployment. From as little as £250, you can start investing on Lendwise. Founded in 2016, the crowdfunding platform has been facilitating education crowdfunding for over 7 years and is regulated by the UK government.
Splendit
In addition to Lendwise, Splendit is also a platform dedicated to providing credit for student loans. Switzerland-based Splendit helps students in need of money, by offering their loan applications on their platform. Investors can invest in this form of education crowdfunding and receive a reward for doing so. This reward consists of the interest the student has to pay on the borrowed amount.
In total, over 100 students have been helped financially by loans funded by investors through Splendit. These students are studying at 12 different universities and have borrowed a total of over £2.3 million through Splendit. The average return here is 6.5%, making education crowdfunding more lucrative than most traditional markets.