As we have recently reported, there are thousands of options for crowdfunding watch production, spread across the two main platforms of Kickstarter and Indiegogo. But there is currently only one brand that gives you the opportunity to buy a part of the company before you even buy the first watch.
Czapek announced its unusual strategy last month with the aim of sharing the passion for fine watchmaking with its customers through a more directly link by encouraging them to become shareholders in the company and, above a certain investment threshold, even offering them access to the company’s design team for customization request. At the top level of investment, the angel investors even have access to the company’s board.
In its latest move, after opening its crowdfunding campaign simultaneously in France and Switzerland on the Raizers platform, Czapek has now opened up the equity crowdfunding project to UK investors. This is running on the Crowd for Angels website, to fund a UK subsidiary of Czapek, although the funding is running simultaneously as a single campaign. There is, however, one significant difference with the UK investment opportunity, since investors can acquire as little as one share in the company for just £33, which is not possible on the Raizers platform. As Czapek CEO Xavier de Roquemaurel explained to WorldTempus, “we are interested in being able to compare the differences between this approach and the French and Swiss campaigns.” Otherwise the same benefits in terms of future reductions on the purchase of a watch still apply.
The campaign still has over 70 days to run but as of yesterday it is nearly 70% funded, having raised a total of £340,131 from just nine investors. The minimum target is £495,000 and the maximum £759,000.
