The Vancouver Sun writes : Chronically underfunded amateur athletes have turned to MAKEACHAMP.com to get to competitions and races.
Oeil Régional : MAKEACHAMP appuie l'ascension fulgurante du footballeur François Rocheleau.
THE STAR : MAKEACHAMP is that kind of financial help and kind words of encouragement which help fuel the woman pursuing a big Olympian dream
North Shore News : Liam Peiffer is riding on top of the world, after a successful campaign on MAKEACHAMP.com
La Presse : L'Usine à Champions / The Champions Factory.
You have probably heard about MAKEACHAMP’s rising growth. And you may have read how the crowdfunding platform - now 2 years old - is already used by more than 10,000 athletes in 20 countries. But have you seen its press coverage?
The quotes above are what journalists are writing about MAKEACHAMP and its athletes in just the past 3 weeks. And yet we have not run any big marketing campaign. We don’t have expensive movies or billboard campaigns. We don’t actively network in startup events. If there’s one theme that emerges from CEO David Barkay, it’s that MAKEACHAMP made athletes the epicentre of its efforts.
Exclusive Focus
Once a site dedicated to English-speaking Canadians, the site now offers 10 languages, including Russian and Brazilian-Portuguese, and has athletes in popular sports such as judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu or winter sports, as well as in new emerging sports such as Stand-Up Paddleboarding or Ice Cross Downhill. The team has also expanded by offering 24/7 Customer support in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Russian. It also now offers white glove service to rising Olympians.
And exclusive focus works! MAKEACHAMP brought 6 athletes to the Sochi Olympics and gets noticed by offering unique features on the market, such as team crowdfunding, or the gold medals won by its athletes. Just view our 2014 highlights
Attracting Top Talent
The sports crowdfunding platform’s growth has attracted top talent such as Heri Rakotomalala (@heri), who brings 10 years of experience in technology startups to the team. An engineer from French grande école, Telecom Sud-Paris, Heri Rakotomalala is one of the leaders in the startup community in Montréal. As such, he kickstarted initiatives such as MontrealTechWatch, Startup Drinks and MTL NewTech - a local community organization that he nurtured from its infancy to Montréal’s biggest community event. He's also known as a leader in crowdfunding in Montréal, having helped raise more than $1.2 million in video games, hardware, as well as arts projects.
Now in charge of marketing, sales, product, and global expansion, Heri says : “MAKEACHAMP has the potential to truly revolutionize sports funding, by connecting supporters and athletes directly. I believe we are just at the beginning.”
The MAKEACHAMP team
Hannah Maldoff (@hannah_maldoff) also joins MAKEACHAMP as Product Manager and head of Customer Service. MAKEACHAMP also hired Cláudia Backes (@makeachampbr) from Brazil, with the goal of bringing the platform to one of the world’s most exciting markets, as well as Liuba Pukhalskaya (@makeachamprus), who will be working on the Eastern European markets.
Still Hiring
MAKEACHAMP is still expanding its team and is actively looking for Montréal’s top developers. It is now working on the next iterations of its products, and looking for highly motivated and experienced developers who want to reinvent how athletes are funded.
Picture : MAKECHAMP family. Credits : Halouma Photographe
Developers can join a startup that’s hugely popular with athletes, with everyone exclusively focused on the success of the global vision: “Our goal here is to be the center of athlete funding from a global perspective” said David Barkay. “We need to develop tools and products that makes MAKEACHAMP more user-friendly, that produces high-quality campaigns, and that is able to service customers where they are, and how they want it."
Coming soon : new products, new markets
Everyday, MAKEACHAMP uses the feedback we get from athletes, supporters, and sports organizations to improve the experience and the product. The buzz on Twitter and Facebook is real.
THANK YOU @makeachampion and everyone who supported me this season!! pic.twitter.com/5OPRB3UZlT
— Mikaela Tommy (@mikaelatommy) February 1, 2015
P.K. Subban gives young athlete, Maya Laylor, a leg up http://t.co/zknYc3hAV5 via @makeachampion @laylorsystems
— Hockey Supremacy (@HockeySupremacy) January 31, 2015
Le saut acrobatique est toujours en vie grâce à des talents comme Caterine Lavallée et elle besoin de vous ! http://t.co/POD8LbF6w8
— Ski Acrobatique Can (@skiacroCAN) January 30, 2015
What's next? MAKEACHAMP is currently working on mobile products, preparing new market launches, as well as developing new services. Follow our blog or our Facebook page for future updates!
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