USEED

USEED provides an online crowdfunding platform for higher education.

USEED began to take shape in 2011 while our Founder and CEO, Brian Sowards, volunteered to develop a crowdfunding platform to help students at the University of Delaware (UD) raise money to start businesses. Brian saw first-hand how this solution opened a world of opportunities, not only for business students, but for all students. Using the USEED prototype, UD students created fundraising campaigns online for projects they were passionate about pursuing. They learned to tell their story in a compelling manner and mobilize people to help — and along the way, they began to see new possibilities in the world and in themselves. The passion behind USEED began to coalesce as Brian aspired to empower students as innovators.During our prototype, it became clear that USEED could also transform the institution. The prototype proved to be a successful donor acquisition tool, with 77 percent of donors being first-time supporters of the University. Around thirty percent of donors were alumni and twelve percent of donors were identified as major gift prospects. Students proved to be powerful 'frontline' fundraisers. One student group at UD sent out 500 emails with a link to their fundraising page and raised $2,500 in a single day. Those 500 emails went on to raise $4,000 total to enable them to create a solar-powered clean-drinking system for a village in Africa.