FAQ
A Big Idea is anything you feel passionate about. From business ventures to community projects to art explorations to market stalls to events, whatever your passion, we want to help your idea become a viable and thriving venture. The first step in success is finding the right supporting framework to get your idea going. We call it a springboarding. Our Small Investors provide a springboard so you can leap to success.
A Small Investor is a private individual with some spare money to invest in Big Ideas, providing the financial backing and / or mentorship to springboard young entrepreneurs into a viable venture. The investment can be made in form of equity stake (capped at maximum 5%) or simply by adopting a Big Idea and in return requesting the recipient make a future pledge to pay forward i.e. springboarding someone else’s Big Idea when the time is right.
Becoming a Small Investor, you have direct access to SIBI.LIFE advisory board members with international tax and investment structuring experts.
Our international network of ambassadors are appointed volunteers spreading the word of SIBI.LIFE philosophy in their local region. Their role is to champion SIBI.LIFE community through organised networking events.
Our appointed ambassadors have direct access to SIBI.LIFE advisory board, providing guidance and support on all matters big or small.
Springboarding is the process we adopt in getting Big Ideas off the ground with a flying start. You’ll pitch your Big Idea to a vibrant community of small investors, who can provide the financial backing and mentorship that will accelerate your Big Idea into a viable and thriving venture. Most exciting, our Small Investors will only require a fair share of a maximum of 5% equity in your project, or they’ll pay forward their investment, meaning that once your project is successful, you’ll pass the good fortune on and springboard someone else’s Big Idea.
Small Investors have the option to invest by adopting a Big Idea. This means that the person with the Big Idea will make a pledge to pay forward the investment in the future i.e. springboarding someone else’s Big Idea when the time is right.
During the soft launch phase, we are running an internal protoype and consultation period looking at blockchain and peer-to-peer network verification system i.e. putting some structure around payforward pledge by protecting the investors adopting a Big idea so it doesn't become an empty payforward promise.
During the soft launch phase, we are running an internal prototype and consultation period. Within the scope of the pilot phase, we are developing a social web app to attract the right Small Investors to register their profile. This is running in tandem with our Springboard Seekers, who will be pitching their Big Ideas, enabled by a best working practice pitching template and attribution.
Our Springboard Matching algorithm makes use of Cognitive Computing with Artificial Intelligence to determine the best match and likelihood for a Big Idea to be springboarded into a viable and thriving venture.
The pilot development is on track and we are expecting to go live by the end of 2020. If this all sounds too spooky, don't worry, it'll be running seamlessly in the background, creating magical synergy between Big Ideas and Small Investors.
Like Angel Investors, our community of Small Investors are motivated by getting your Big Idea off the ground. They’re passionate about your success and they’re prepared to invest money and mentorship in making it happen. Unlike angel investors, they want you to have full control and incentive to make your project thrive. Any investment in the form of equity stake would be capped (at maximum 5%). This is because SIBI's philosophy of springboarding Big Ideas is for young entrepreneurs to have full control and majority equity stake in their future venture.
Our Small Investors also have the option to adopt a Big Idea and in return request you make a future pledge to pay forward i.e. springboarding someone else’s Big Idea when the time is right.
SIBI.LIFE is not a crowdfunding platform. Crowdfunding allows projects to be funded by up to hundreds of individuals who get a physical reward or equity stake in the project. In comparison, we are a network of distinguished private investors who are looking to back a Big Idea, providing finances and mentorship to springboard the Big Idea to success. Most crowdfunding platforms are merely middlemen between ideas and financial investors and often those with ideas do not get the mentorship support they need to get their project going, and investors don’t get the protection they need from fraudulent projects and ones which aren’t viable. We provide a rigorous matching service to ensure the best possible relationship between investor and Big Idea.
Our investment model is modest and simple yet rigorous, removing the complexity and confusion of Crowdfunding whilst offering everything you need to have a viable and thriving venture.
SIBI.LIFE is not set up to provide microfinancing, an area which is already covered by brilliant organisations such as Kiva. At SIBI.LIFE we are striving to become the new KIVA of springboarding.
During the soft launch phase, we are running an internal protoype and consultation period looking at blockchain and peer-to-peer network verification system. We will report back to the advisorary board by the end of Q4 In order to determine the scope of the pilot phase starting in Q1 2018 aiming to go live by the end of Q2 2018. Until then, all transactions are verified manually between the investor and recipient subject to local legislation and regulatory governance.
We recognise that returns on equity investments between jurisdictions (whether dividends or gains) may be reduced by withholding and/or local taxes. Frequently, these can be overcome by treaty relief or tax planning. We can advise investors on obtaining treaty relief or on relatively straightforward investment structuring.
In the event that a particular investment necessitates more complex arrangements, we would not expect an investor to engage in expensive or questionable tax planning and would hope to assist them in identifying an alternative opportunity, which does not carry the same level of tax exposure.
Investors should note that we support the approaches detailed in the final report on Action 6 of the OECD’s BEPS initiative to counter artificial “treaty shopping” opportunities and that we would discourage investors from entering into investment structures which are contrary to the word or spirit of this initiative.
In the first instance, we would always invite prospective investors to contact us with any tax concerns since our advisory board includes international tax structuring experts who are responsible for addressing these matters.
Our community of grassroots investors recognise that mentorship and coaching can make a real difference in getting big ideas off the ground.
At SIBI.LIFE we are committed to abide to the guiding principles set out by the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC).
At SIBI.LIFE we've adopted boardable as our community and networking plattform, connecting Big Ideas with Small Investors. Member access to SIBI.LIFE community platform is by refferral or invitation only and the membership is free!