Creion launches zero fee fundraising platform to unlock community giving across Africa
Ghanaian digital platform Creion has launched a zero fee fundraising feature aimed at making it easier for individuals and communities across Africa to raise money for personal needs and social causes without the cost barriers common on many crowdfunding platforms.
The new feature, called Reach, allows users to create fundraising campaigns for education, medical bills, community initiatives, creative projects and personal goals, without the requirement to host an event or operate as a registered organisation. Creion says the product was developed after the company identified persistent funding challenges while running its event management and ticketing services.
According to the company, many organisers across the continent successfully attract large audiences and deliver socially impactful events but still struggle to meet financial targets, often operating at a loss. This experience, Creion says, exposed a wider problem around access to timely and trusted fundraising tools.
“As we built this, we uncovered a much larger gap,” said Eric Arden, Creion’s co-founder and chief executive. “Millions of Africans lack accessible ways to receive timely support, particularly in local currencies and from their own communities.”
Creion said the findings prompted it to move beyond event-linked donations and develop a standalone fundraising platform that could support individuals and informal groups alongside established organisations. Reach is open to students, creatives, non-profit organisations and community groups, as well as individuals seeking support for urgent personal needs.
The company said personal experiences within its team also influenced the decision to build the platform, citing cases where families struggled to raise funds for critical medical treatment. “These experiences reinforced a broader truth,” the company said in a statement. “There are countless individuals across Ghana and Africa seeking help for medical bills, education, projects and capital, yet with limited tools to reach those willing to help.”
A defining feature of Reach is its zero platform fee model, which Creion says ensures that donations go directly to beneficiaries without deductions. The platform processes contributions in Ghana cedis, a choice the company says is designed to reflect local economic realities while improving transparency and trust.
“Trust and reliability are critical in digital fundraising,” said Tsatsu Adogla-Bessa, Creion’s co-founder and chief technology officer. “Our focus has been on building a platform that is secure, scalable and accessible to everyday users.”
By prioritising local currency transactions, Creion is positioning Reach as an alternative to international crowdfunding platforms that often operate in foreign currencies, charge service fees or require international payment methods. The company argues that such barriers can discourage participation and limit the impact of fundraising efforts within African communities.
Aurelia Abena Attipoe, founder of The Pitch Hub and an advisory board member of Creion, said the platform addresses longstanding weaknesses in African fundraising systems. “What Creion has done with Reach is tackle trust and access head-on, two of the biggest barriers to fundraising across Africa,” she said. “It’s a strong example of how thoughtful technology can unlock generosity at scale.”
Reach forms part of Creion’s broader digital ecosystem, which includes tools for event creation, ticketing, guest management, event-linked donations and analytics. Creion says this integrated approach allows it to support both commercial events and impact driven initiatives within a single platform.
The company describes itself as an all in one event and crowdfunding platform built specifically for African markets. Mr Arden, a senior software engineer with experience in high growth, IPO backed technology firms, said the goal was to apply global product development standards to local challenges. His co-founder, Mr Adogla-Bessa, brings more than eight years of experience in building and scaling technology products and oversees the platform’s technical direction.
Reach is available on Creion’s mobile application and web platform. While the company has not disclosed fundraising targets or user projections, it says the feature is intended as long term digital infrastructure rather than a short term commercial offering.
