Matthias Metternich and William Cookson: Believe.in

Matthias Metternich and William Cookson, 27 and 34
Company: Believe.in
Web: www.believe.in

Launched in November 2012, Metternich and Cookson’s Believe.in is the first online fundraising platform that does not charge any fees to fundraisers or donors when they create charity campaigns. So all money donated using the site goes to its intended cause. Simple. The site also allows users to create a charity ‘profile’ – creating an online philanthropic social identity akin to their professional one on Linkedin, so they can mobilise a network of fundraisers when they are needed.

The fundraising side of the business is supported by a B2B model which sells social enterprise technology to charities at ethical pricing which is tiered based on turnover. The technology allows its clients, which include household names UNICEF, Care International and Oxfam, to utilise the web more effectively and grow donations. Backed by funding from the founders of Wonga.com and Sainsbury’s, Believe.in is on target for a multi-million pound turnover less than a year after launch.