This Delhi startup is trying to revolutionise Indian elections with crowdfunding
20 April 2019 11:56 PM GMT
Bootstrapped Delhi-based startup ?Our Democracy? claims to be the first and only crowdfunding platform compliant with India?s strict political fundraising norms, running campaigns across parties including the BJP, AAP, and Congress.
- As the closely watched elections unfold, in a home-office space in one corner of the national capital's Jamia Nagar, 35-year-old former journalist Bilal Zaidi is quietly working towards revolutionising the electoral process through his startup OurDemocracry.in, which he co-founded with Anand Mangnale, a socio-political campaigner.
- Our Democracy Founders Bilal Zaidi and Anand Mangnale"We are India's first and only political crowdfunding platform compliant with the country's strict political fundraising norms," says Bilal who, as a journalist, has covered 26 assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections and the Indian Parliament for over a decade.
- Also read: How crowdfunding platforms in India are using AI, blockchain to help people raise money for medical proceduresThe validationsThe biggest validation for the startup so far has been the victory of Dalit leader Jignesh Mewani from the Vadgam seat in Gujarat's Banaskantha district, defeating BJP candidate Vijay Chakravarti by 19,696 votes in 2017, says Bilal.
- Another shot in the arm for the startup came earlier this month when former JNU student leader and Communist Party of India's (CPI) Begusarai candidate Kanhaiya Kumar raised Rs 70 lakh from 5,582 supporters in just a matter of five days.
- Other than the co-founders, the core team consists of two campaigners, two tech staffers, and one vendor who's a video editor.
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