Indiegogo to the rescue? London man launches Greece crowdfunding campaign

Months of negotiations over the Greek financial crisis might have failed, but one Londoner says all the country needs is a successful crowdfunding campaign.

A 29-year-old shoe store worker has launched a “Greek Bailout Fund” on Indiegogo. The goal? $1.78 billion, or 1.6 billion euros.

“If we all just chip in a few euro then we can get Greece sorted and hopefully get them back on track soon,” Thom Feeney, the campaign’s organizer, wrote on the Indiegogo page. “Easy.”

If every European contributed to his campaign, Feeney estimates that each would only have to pay about $3, “the same as half a pint in London. Or everyone in the EU just having a feta and olive salad for lunch.”

He said he has personally contributed 10 euros, or about $11, to the campaign. So far, the campaign has raised about $198,450, or 177,841 euros, in two days.

“I’m confident the people of Europe will get this campaign and some time soon we’ll all be raising a glass of ouzo and having a bloody great big celebration,” he said.

Feeney said the campaign was not a joke and acknowledged that it “might be a short while for the cash to get fully into the Greek economy.” But, he said, “what is there to lose?”

He promises that all profits will go to the Greek people.

Donation perks include a postcard of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a Greek feta and olive salad “fresh to your door” and a voucher for a bottle of ouzo.

Feeney previously offered a “small Greek island” to anyone who donated the whole amount, but said Indiegogo emailed him to say that he was not allowed to list that as the Greek government had not officially agreed to the campaign.

He said he has not been in touch with any European leaders yet. But he said he heard a rumor from a journalist that Tsipras “wanted to get in touch.”

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