# Investment helps GivePenny to expand

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/04/19/investment-helps-givepenny-expand/
- Published: 2018-04-19T12:08:14+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**‘Connected giving’ platform GivePenny has secured investment of £200,000 and closed
its first round of funding.**

The company will use the investment to expand its team, add new features to the 
platform, and expand its reach to more charities in the UK. It is now recruiting
people with skills in partnership management, administration, web development, and
various creative marketing disciplines.

[Established two years ago](https://fundraising.co.uk/2016/01/12/new-fundraising-platform-links-giving-to-activity-tracker-apps/),
GivePenny is used by charities ranging from the RSPCA, Bloodwise and Birmingham 
St Mary’s Hospice to UNHCR and the UN Refugee Agency. Together they’ve raised over
£75,000 through a range of ‘Connected Giving’ challenges. These include:

## Advertisement

 * steps challenges
 * virtual marathons
 * PC/console gaming livestreams

GivePenny’s platform makes these possible through integration with other popular
events, sports and gaming platforms including Runkeeper, Fitbit and Twitch. Just
last week they announced a [similar integration with running and cycling platform Strava](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/04/13/givepenny-app-now-supports-strava/).

The funding round was led by Tim Dykes, who has a successful record with start-ups
in the technology and telecoms sectors. He is now joining GivePenny as Finance Director.
He said: “I have really enjoyed working with the GivePenny founders helping them
take their project to the next level. The initial funding round was over-subscribed
as investors saw the great potential in the business, and I am very excited to become
part of the team going forward as we build something wonderful!”

![Lee's Step Challenge for Little Princess Trust - campaign on GivePenny](https://
wfay6x.infiniteuploads.cloud/2016/01/givepenny-campaign-example-screenshot.jpg)

_Lee Clark’s Step Challenge for Little Princess Trust on GivePenny_

Lee Clark, founder and CEO at [GivePenny](https://home.givepenny.com/), added: “
Our work of creating an entirely new category for online giving can now accelerate.
Since that cold, wet, flu-hampered bike ride in 2014 that started this all, we’ve
been working towards building a mind-blowing Connected Giving platform, and we’ve
achieved so much with incredibly limited resources. Now, with the financial support
we have started to attract, we have a chance to turn more of our ideas into a reality
and help good causes all over the UK raise even more, in new ways.”

A second, larger round of investment is scheduled for later this year.

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