User:Nigel Branagan

Nigel Branagan created the first ever open online crowd-funding site for athletes in 2006 called Grand Alpha. The other sites online at that time where set up to take donations for charities like "JustGiving" not to sponsor a person first hand. The athletes came from all over the world and would collect donations from friends, fans and family to take part in their given event. As a safeguard the donors money would be held in a "clients account" and only released after the athlete took part in the event. In the event the athlete did not attend the sporting event the donations would be released back to the donor or given to a charity of the donors choice. Grandalpha ceased trading in 2008 due to the economic crisis but has since started trading again under a different name.