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everyone a philanthropist

the first foundation-as-a-service platform for impact funding. no minimal amounts. no legal hassle.

Familie auf buntem Hintergrund

everyone a philanthropist

the first foundation-as-a-service platform for impact funding. no minimal amounts. no legal hassle.

Fintech meets Impact

bcause is the world's simplest foundation - with donations, loans, and equity in one place. And with a simple interface and a collaborative community.We aim to tear down the barriers to major giving and impact investing in order to change change the funding game, and turn everyone into a philanthropist. bcause is run by an experienced team, and is backed by a powerful group of 25+ investors.

>1000

user

>5.2 million €

transaction volume

>150

organisations

A foundation in 5 minutes

A four-step process for those willing and capable of contributing more.

1
Create a bcause depot

Fill in your personal details, and tell us about your fields of interest.

2
Deposit funds into your depot

Your donation is immediately tax-deductible. Alternatively, you can transfer funds via a loan, retaining the option to withdraw your money at a later time. 

3
Discover organisations & users

Find high-impact portfolios and organisations for all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the users funding them.

4
Finance

You decide which organisations to fund, using the whole spectrum of impact finance from donations to loans and equity. Returns can be re-invested or donated on the platform.

Awards & Recognition

 

Top 3
German Startup Awards  2023

 

Most Innovative Impact Investment Platform 
Ethical Finance Awards 2022

 

Longlist
FinTech Germany Award 2022 

Voices from the community

Three of over 1,000 people who already trust bcause.
3-Jul-21-2023-09-47-58-8984-AM
Verena Pausder
Investor and Founder


"I am so impressed by the bcause vision. And knowing the team behind it, I am convinced that they will revolutionize the way we donate and finance social projects!"

2-Jul-21-2023-09-47-58-5630-AM
Dr. Aditi Ramdorai
Founder and Professor


"I believe in bcause because it means I don't have to wait until there's enough for a foundation, but can contribute immediately with what I have left. Give your issues the reach they deserve with project bcause."

Website Content (1)
Ise Bosch
Philantropist


"I am convinced by bcause. It reimagines the link between wealth and purpose, and creates a stage for my engagement."

Media

4-Jun-05-2023-01-47-40-2500-PM

"Something is missing in Giving. [With bcause], users can control whether they remain completely anonymous, collaborate with others, or become widely visible."

2-Jun-05-2023-01-51-36-9518-PM

"A digital foundation without any barriers to access. With community... A startup you have to know now."

4-Jul-26-2023-03-13-47-0896-PM

"Mobilize dormant private capital - without entry barriers and without the hassle of legal advice and foundation authorities."

5-4

"A digital foundation without any barriers to access. With community... A startup you have to know now."

FAQs

What exactly is bcause?

bcause is the platform for anyone who wants to engage financially beyond small or incidental donations. With just a few clicks, you can finance tested and curated ideas - individually, together with others, or even publicly visible. You are not limited to grants, but you can also support loans or impact funds, multiplying your original contribution.

Who is behind bcause?

bcause is a mission-driven startup. Our founding team brings extensive entrepreneurial and leadership experience from foundations, social organizations, financial service providers, and startups: Felix Oldenburg (previously CEO Ashoka, CEO Association of German Foundations, Chair European Philanthropy Associations Network), Susanna Krüger (previously CEO Save the Children DE), Nicole Weyde (previously head of legal at PayPal and Groupon DE), Sven Tantau (previously CTO at nebenan.de) currently lead a team of 10 based in Berlin.

We are funded by over thirty individuals who support our mission to mobilize more private capital to solve urgent problems. >1,000 early users create a trust base among next generation members of family businesses, blue chip executives, as well as the creative and digital economies.

 
How does it work legally?

The bcause depot makes all financing easy because the money you deposit is securely held in a charitable trust. From there, only carefully vetted organizations are funded.

For you, this proven model means: no paperwork, bureaucracy, and legal hassle. Instead, you have the full functionality of a foundation, and tax deductible donation receipts.

 
What does it cost?

During the current development phase, using bcause is completely free. In order to maintain this for as many people as possible for as long as possible, you can make voluntary donations.

 
What is your mission?

Starting a foundation usually involves lawyers, tax consultants, bureaucracy, and results in a standalone legal entity that produces ongoing costs and inflexible rules for the use of funds. As a result, philanthropy not only underperforms its true market potential but retreats into a niche, losing significance and legitimacy.

We believe that in order to fund innovative solutions, we need to unlock the broad scale potential of philanthropy and impact investing. bcause democratises the foundation model, and thus not only breaks down unnecessary barriers but also allows for ideas and capital to meet on new terms. We would like for everyone to be a philanthropist.

 
Where are you on your journey?

We started the company in April 2021, and launched a first product in May 2022. Since then, we have built a portfolio of 200+ high-impact organisations to be financed, reached 500+ users with an invite-only strategy, processed 1k+ transactions with an average amount of €4,000, and won initial awards and a lot of media recognition. Initially, we are focused on the German-speaking markets but bcause can already be used from any geography. We know this is a long road, and we invite additional investors and partners to join us!

 
Website Content (2)

Talk to us

Would you like support in choosing the right organizations and forms of funding to start your commitment?

We look forward to getting to know you.