Co-founded by The Big Issue, the financial services and investment platform is now providing the opportunity for people to become a shareholder in this exciting, purpose-driven business.

It’s the first time the heavily backed financial services platform is crowdfunding for investment. Since its launch 8 months ago, The Big Exchange has been positively received by the public and is backed by a number of impressive institutional investors, including Aberdeen Standard Investments, Artemis Investment Managers, Columbia Threadneedle, Liontrust Asset Management & Schroders.

The Big Exchange platform currently offers 46 independently rated social and environmental funds from 15 asset managers managing a total of £58bn of assets, giving UK retail consumers the opportunity to make their money count for more. While past performance is not indicative of future results, recent analysis shows that over the last 12 months, their risk rated bundles have performed ahead of the best performing cash ISAs on the market, demonstrating a positive financial return, as well as a social and environmental one.

From today, in addition to being able to invest in independently rated, positive impact funds on The Big Exchange platform, the public can now invest in The Big Exchange itself, joining in its overarching mission to help make finance fair, sustainable and inclusive. As well as supporting its mission for financial inclusion, by giving everyone who supports this mission a chance to have a share in The Big Exchange, the funds raised are to be used to expand its product range, enhance the tech platform for its community and customers, and grow The Big Exchange’s team.

Jill Jackson, CEO of The Big Exchange says: “Our aim has always been to make finance more accessible and inclusive and we’re already on the road to achieving this with our recently launched investment platform. We have a diverse customer base, with a significant number of female, first time and younger investors as well as established investors, demonstrating the broad appeal of our proposition. Following demand from some of our existing users, we now want to give everyone the opportunity, from people in our community and beyond, to have an equity share in our business as we grow it. Launching our first public crowdfund with Crowdcube is an exciting step for us. Anyone who wants to get involved can head to our Crowdcube page” Please remember that yourcapital is at risk if you invest.

Campbell Fleming, Chair of The Big Exchange says: “The idea behind The Big Exchange came from a conversation about how technology can enable people to invest with impact, whilst also helping to address the blight of financial exclusion that affects so many here in the UK.

“In addition to offering tools and products to help build financial resilience for those that need it, we’re also addressing the demand for the 2 out of 3 savers in the UK who say they want their investments to do more for people and the planet. Since the launch of our investment platform eight months ago, we’ve grown our customer base on average by 150% month on month; and we attribute this success to a shared belief with our
customers, that finance should be fair, sustainable and inclusive.”

Nigel Kershaw OBE, Chair of The Big Issue Group adds: “The Big Exchange is an extension of The Big Issue’s mission of finding solutions for those who are financially excluded - creating a fairer world for everybody. 13.2m adults in the UK will struggle to make ends meet and at The Big Exchange, we hope to change that by developing our business to provide a broad range of products and services that are accessible, understandable and work for everyone. This crowdfund gives those who have the resources an opportunity to make their money count for more by joining a movement that is helping to create powerful solutions for people and the planet, for now and for future generations.”