SYMBID CORP
NEW YORK, NY and ROTTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS--(Marketwired - Jan 8, 2015) - Symbid Corp. (
Symbid, one of the first investment crowdfunding platforms worldwide, has launched the campaign for Oscar-winning director Mike van Diem's long-awaited film, 'The Surprise,' in association with A-Film Benelux. A romantic comedy focusing on assisted suicide, it is the first in a series of films to be funded by the Symbid Funding Network and its ever-growing community of 28,000 active investors.
"The film industry is no stranger to crowdfunding, but the chance to actually buy shares in a high-profile movie title like The Surprise is genuinely revolutionary," says Korstiaan Zandvliet, co-founder and CEO of Symbid. "Films are perfectly suited to investment crowdfunding because, after all, investors are also ambassadors. We see this campaign as evidence of the progress Symbid, and the crowdfunding industry generally, is making towards offering a serious alternative to traditional finance."
Investing in an Oscar-winner
Crowdfunding has become a popular method of film financing in recent years, with backers typically receiving free cinema tickets and other rewards. However, the opportunity to purchase equity in a movie title remains rare. Therefore the decision to crowdfund van Diem's 'The Surprise' is seen as a milestone for Symbid and the crowdfunding industry generally. Symbid and A-Film are together enabling investors to share in the box office returns of a true 'A-list' movie production for arguably the first time.
With a minimum investment of $27, all Symbid investors can potentially receive financial returns plus unique rewards such as the opportunity to meet the cast. The Symbid Funding Network has already funded several Dutch films for a total amount of $600,000.
A beautiful, complex story
Set for worldwide release, the film centers on an eccentric millionaire who, depressed by his bland existence, decides to hire a firm specializing in seemingly accidental suicides. After signing an irreversible contract, he meets a beautiful woman who gives him something to live for -- forcing them to attempt to outsmart the contracted firm. "The Surprise is a beautiful and complex story that is at once romantic, melancholic and very funny," says Jamie Carmichael, President of Content Film.
Now in post-production, it is van Diem's first film since receiving the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1998 for the drama 'Character.' The acclaimed Dutch director previously won Best Foreign Student Film in 1990.
About Symbid
Founded in April 2011 as one of the first investment crowdfunding platforms worldwide, Symbid allows non-accredited investors to invest online in start-ups and SMEs with as little as EUR 20 in exchange for shares in those companies. Based in the Netherlands, Symbid has emerged as a global leader in investment crowdfunding due to our innovative technological infrastructure, user-friendly interface and commitment to providing a secure funding environment for both investors and entrepreneurs. The Symbid team's extensive experience with start-ups means entrepreneurs choosing our platform receive all the coaching and advice necessary for a successful campaign. This, in turn, ensures that investors using the Symbid platform can be confident in the profitability of their investment. As of December 2014, Symbid has successfully funded over 60 start-ups for a total capital sum of $7,000,000. Symbid became the first publicly listed crowdfunding platform worldwide in December 2013 (
Safe Harbor Statement
This release may include predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. While these forward-looking statements represent our current judgement on what the future holds, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect our opinions only as of the date of this release. Please keep in mind that we are not obligating ourselves to revise or publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events. The predictions discussed in this release are based on the personal opinions of certain individuals and are supported by a consensus within the crowdfunding industry and alternative finance world generally. For a more complete discussion of these predictions and certain risk factors which may affect our future business operations, please review our most recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q, particularly under the heading "Risk Factors." PDF copies of these forms can be viewed and downloaded on the Symbid Corp. Investor Relations website at www.symbidcorp.com.
Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=2746766
