By Daniel Hunter
London start-up Escape the City has raised £600,000 pounds via Crowdcube.com — the UK’s first equity crowdfunding platform.
Escape the City is a website that helps professionals make exciting career transitions. It has a community of more than 65,000 people who want to escape from unfulfilling corporate jobs. The site helps people find new jobs, start businesses, and go on big adventures.
The company was founded by Dom Jackman and Rob Symington, who quit their management consultancy jobs in 2010 in order to set up the business. Given that "leaving the city" was part of the company's philosophy, they were reluctant to have to rely on the city for financing.
“We have rejected an offer from one of London’s top Venture Capital firms. We want to remain independent and allow our own members to get involved in a very real way as shareholders," said Escape the City Co-Founder — Dom Jackman, 29.
Platforms such as Kickstarter have helped crowdfunding become a popular phenomenon in recent years. However, Crowdcube is the world’s first crowdfunding platform for equity. Escape the City’s £600,000 is the largest equity crowdfunding fundraise for an online start-up anywhere in the world.
“We are really thrilled to be one of the startups spearheading equity crowdfunding in the UK. We think it is a fantastic way to democratise start-up investment and fund exciting ideas," said Escape the City Co-Founder — Rob Symington, 28.
The funding will be used to build a forward-looking discovery network where people can set their aspirations in order to be matched with relevant opportunities, people and information.
“We want to help people plan exciting career moves that fit not only their experience, but the future that they want for themselves. We are essentially building a forward-looking Linkedin," said Escape the City’s New York Partner — Mike Howe, 27.
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