THE 4th TRANSNATIONAL WORKSHOPS IN THESSALONIKI

Our project partner, the Region of Central Macedonia, hosted project partners and stakeholders at the inspiring location of the Thessaloniki Museum of Photography. Our deliberation was focused on learning:

Session 1: WHY are crowdfunding training programmes for SMEs, startups, and NGOs crucial?

Tine Marguillier | Growfunding, Belgium, presented "How to Coach SMEs in Crowdfunding Campaigns".

Key takeaways from the session:

✅ Crowdfunding goes beyond funding—it's about community building, communication, pre-sales, and partnership development.

✅ Support includes intake sessions, tailored coaching, online promotion, and post-campaign evaluation.

✅ Growfunding offers co-financing through match-funding with public or private partners sharing similar goals.

✅ Crowdfunding is a powerful collaboration tool with local governments and can act as a barometer of civic engagement.

Session 2: IN-DEPTH how equity crowdfunding works

Vincent De Brouwer presented "Understanding CrowdEquity for impact-driven SMEs"  and his experience working in equity crowdfunding.

Key insights from the session:

✅ CrowdEquity vs Crowdlending:

While crowdlending requires agreements on interest and repayment, crowd equity focuses on valuation and shareholders’ agreements.

⚖️ Pros & Cons:

For companies – it boosts capital, visibility, and reach but can be costly and dilute control.

For investors – it opens access to innovative businesses, but the risk is high without fiscal incentives.

📊 Valuation & Governance:

Valuing private companies is sensitive—comparables and discounted cash flow methods are key. A strong shareholders’ agreement (SHA) ensures governance and stability.

🏗️ The Process:From due diligence and marketing to SHA negotiation and investment follow-up, launching a CrowdEquity campaign requires time, trust, and expert Support.