42. Blue Dot

Founder: Chris Ward
Founded: October 2011
Website: www.bluedotworld.com

Having been creative director on nationwide charitable events Comic Relief and 1GOAL, Chris Ward (pictured right, with Coldplay’s Chris Martin) knows a thing or two about the third sector. So when he read that shoppers spent more in Westfield in one year than the combined total of money raised for Comic Relief and 1GOAL, he decided to do what he could to incentivise people to give more. His business’ ‘blue dots’ can be given to anyone who has supported a good cause, and are redeemable for rewards such as exclusive downloads or gig tickets.

Businesses can buy blue dots to give to employees as part of their ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) strategies, and brands and businesses also pay to have an item in Blue Dot’s store. The website is approaching 10,000 users and as the idea of ‘social currency’ gains traction, the business is well-positioned to be at its forefront.