TrustLeaf
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Crowdfunding |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Anson Liang, Daniel Lieser |
| Headquarters | Sunnyvale, California , United States |
| Products | Crowdfunding platform for personal loans |
TrustLeaf served as a unique crowdfunding platform enabling startups and small enterprises to secure financing from friends and family through personal loan arrangements. Established in 2013 and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, the company was co-founded by Anson Liang and Daniel Lieser.
Friends and family crowdfunding
Differing from equity or rewards-based crowdfunding models, TrustLeaf specialized in facilitating personal loans while adhering to SEC guidelines and broker-dealer licensing requirements by restricting loan solicitations to pre-existing personal connections. Campaigns remained confidential, accessible solely to selected potential lenders. Additionally, TrustLeaf provided automated reminders to assist users in managing their loan repayment schedules.
Founding
The inception of TrustLeaf was inspired by Anson Liang’s own difficulties in obtaining a loan from a friend to launch a business. The platform aimed to streamline the process of establishing clear expectations and handling repayments within personal networks. In 2014, Liang featured on the German television program Weltspiegel, discussing how TrustLeaf supports Asian-American entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley region.
Funding campaigns
Users on TrustLeaf could develop campaign pages inviting friends and family members to commit funds and execute personal loan agreements. The service also offered tools for calculating and monitoring repayment progress. TrustLeaf’s revenue model included a monthly subscription fee along with per-transaction charges for each participant.