The DeTECHtive: Giving You an Inside Look Into Rising Start-Ups and the Entrepreneurs Who Founded Them: FundProVo

Case: #1

What Investigative Work Revealed:  

Start-Up: FundProVo

Entrepreneur: Yangmali Rai, CEO 

Industry: Crowdfunding

Many incredible companies and start-ups have emerged from the unique marriage of technology and social entrepreneurship. One such marriage has produced the creation of online crowdfunding. Online crowdfunding utilizes the Internet as a venue for collecting small sums of money from individuals interested in funding a venture or project. Unions are created and companies are born. Enter FundProVo. As the fastest growing global online crowdfunding platform, FundProVo distinguishes itself from competing platforms both economically and socially. The economic benefits span both initial and long-term reasoning. Not only are its platform fees 60% less than its competitors, but it is also the only crowdfunding platform to actively promote crowdfunding campaigns through its Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. Another unique aspect that sets FundProVo apart is emphasized by the platform’s CEO, Yangmali Rai: “FundProVo establishes itself in making a difference as a reputable crowdfunding platform that is affordable and provides premium services such as volunteers and experts in one’s field of project.”

FundProVo is much more than simply a site for businesses, individuals, and non-profits to raise money online. Rather, it enhances the aspect of raising money with the addition of offering consumers the opportunity to become a global community, which includes social and business entrepreneurs, donors, volunteers, experts, leaders and change-makers. FundProVo’s goal is to connect actors in both private and public sectors, thus providing users with a powerful pool of resources, ideas, and expansive networking opportunities. This environment can be juxtaposed with the simple donor-project manager relationship provided by the majority of other crowdfunding platforms. 

Speaking with Rai was inspirational. It is clear from our conversation that he is the soul of FundProVo. He launched his start-up after experiencing tremendous frustration when attempting to raise money for a project benefitting single women in his home country of Nepal. Rai shared how the crowdfunding companies he had worked with charged such a high amount for the privilege of using their platforms that he soon found himself struggling to meet his project’s goals for monetary contributions. With aggravation fresh in mind, Rai began to formulate solutions to overcome such challenges. Thus began his journey in launching FundProVo, and his work in breaking into the competitive market of crowdfunding. 

Rai also shared that the inspiration for launching FundProVo came from his experience as a commitment-maker and campus representative for the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U). CGI U is an annual conference founded by U.S. President Bill Clinton during which students, topic experts, celebrities, and university representatives meet to discuss and develop innovate solutions to global challenges. “I was inspired by this physical platform for young leaders to connect and network with specialists and fellow aspiring entrepreneurs, and wanted to transform this physical commitment to action into a digital form of a crowdfunding community. This innovative fuse of the crowdfunding platform of raising money and the networking aspect of major conferences is what makes FundProVo a start-up that will revolutionize its industry.”

While Rai discussed that the start-up’s ambitions for the next five years include establishing itself as a household name, some of his proudest accomplishments as CEO entail FundProVo’s work since the company’s inception. “The first week was very moving for me,” he shares, “as we managed in such a short period of time to help Myanmar victims.” Being able to effectively help single women in Nepal and the victims of the nation’s recent earthquake continue to be sources of significant pride for Rai. 

As the Chief DeTECHtive for TechDay, I conclude that the FundProVo case investigation found conclusive evidence that this start-up is bound for success in the crowdfunding industry.

Look out for next week’s case report, as DeTECHtive Liana’s work is never done.