What If Group Fundraising Didn't Have to Be Chaotic?
What If Group Fundraising Didn't Have to Be Chaotic?
Background
Background
Kolekto started from a simple observation: most group fundraising happens through chaos.
You announce a contribution. People get excited. Money starts flying into your bank account.
Then the real work begins.
You're scrolling through bank alerts, matching names to amounts, wondering who paid the VIP tier and who just sent "something small." Your WhatsApp is flooded with "I've sent it" messages. You're building spreadsheets at midnight, promising receipts you'll create later. It's exhausting.
Contributors feel it too. They send money and wonder: Did it arrive? Am I on the list? Will anyone know I paid extra for the VVIP tier?
Both sides want the same thing—a smooth, transparent way to pool money for something meaningful. But they're using tools built for everything except group fundraising.
Kolekto started from a simple observation: most group fundraising happens through chaos.
You announce a contribution. People get excited. Money starts flying into your bank account.
Then the real work begins.
You're scrolling through bank alerts, matching names to amounts, wondering who paid the VIP tier and who just sent "something small." Your WhatsApp is flooded with "I've sent it" messages. You're building spreadsheets at midnight, promising receipts you'll create later. It's exhausting.
Contributors feel it too. They send money and wonder: Did it arrive? Am I on the list? Will anyone know I paid extra for the VVIP tier?
Both sides want the same thing—a smooth, transparent way to pool money for something meaningful. But they're using tools built for everything except group fundraising.
What Kolekto Set Out to Achieve
What Kolekto Set Out to Achieve
Make Group Fundraising Feel Organized, Not Chaotic: Most organizers end up chasing people, building spreadsheets, and scrolling through bank alerts trying to match names to amounts. Kolekto gives you a simple dashboard where every contribution is tracked automatically—so you can focus on the goal, not the admin.
Build Real Trust Between Organizers and Contributors: When someone sends money, they shouldn't have to wonder if it arrived or if they'll be recognized. Kolekto gives contributors clarity—instant confirmation, proper receipts, and visibility into how much has been raised.
Give Organizers Tools That Actually Help: You deserve more than a bank account and a WhatsApp group. Kolekto lets you create custom contribution tiers (Regular, VIP, VVIP), collect exactly the info you need, and send branded receipts that look professional—so your effort matches the importance of what you're raising for.
Make Every Contribution Feel Valued: No more "thanks bro" and moving on. Kolekto ensures every contributor knows they matter—whether they paid the base amount or splurged for the VVIP tier. Recognition builds loyalty.
Help Groups Thrive, Not Just Collect: Kolekto isn't just about moving money from wallets to accounts. It's about bringing people together for things that matter—and making the process so smooth that they'll happily contribute again next time.
Make Group Fundraising Feel Organized, Not Chaotic: Most organizers end up chasing people, building spreadsheets, and scrolling through bank alerts trying to match names to amounts. Kolekto gives you a simple dashboard where every contribution is tracked automatically—so you can focus on the goal, not the admin.
Build Real Trust Between Organizers and Contributors: When someone sends money, they shouldn't have to wonder if it arrived or if they'll be recognized. Kolekto gives contributors clarity—instant confirmation, proper receipts, and visibility into how much has been raised.
Give Organizers Tools That Actually Help: You deserve more than a bank account and a WhatsApp group. Kolekto lets you create custom contribution tiers (Regular, VIP, VVIP), collect exactly the info you need, and send branded receipts that look professional—so your effort matches the importance of what you're raising for.
Make Every Contribution Feel Valued: No more "thanks bro" and moving on. Kolekto ensures every contributor knows they matter—whether they paid the base amount or splurged for the VVIP tier. Recognition builds loyalty.
Help Groups Thrive, Not Just Collect: Kolekto isn't just about moving money from wallets to accounts. It's about bringing people together for things that matter—and making the process so smooth that they'll happily contribute again next time.
User Research
User Research
User Research
I didn't start designing Kolekto behind a screen. I started by talking to real people who organize group contributions—and the people who actually send money.
What I heard surprised me.
Organizers told me they're exhausted. Every contribution starts with excitement—people ready to pool money for something meaningful. Then the chaos begins. Bank alerts start popping up, but there's no system to track who sent what. Someone claims they paid the VIP amount—did they? Your WhatsApp is flooded with "I've sent it" messages. You're building spreadsheets at midnight, promising receipts you'll create later.
One organizer said: "I spend more time chasing people than actually planning the project we're raising money for."
Contributors had their own frustrations. They send money and wonder: Did it arrive? Am I on the list? Will anyone know I paid extra for the VVIP tier? Receipts rarely come. Recognition is inconsistent. They give generously, then hear nothing until the next contribution is announced.
I didn't start designing Kolekto behind a screen. I started by talking to real people who organize group contributions—and the people who actually send money.
What I heard surprised me.
Organizers told me they're exhausted. Every contribution starts with excitement—people ready to pool money for something meaningful. Then the chaos begins. Bank alerts start popping up, but there's no system to track who sent what. Someone claims they paid the VIP amount—did they? Your WhatsApp is flooded with "I've sent it" messages. You're building spreadsheets at midnight, promising receipts you'll create later.
One organizer said: "I spend more time chasing people than actually planning the project we're raising money for."
Contributors had their own frustrations. They send money and wonder: Did it arrive? Am I on the list? Will anyone know I paid extra for the VVIP tier? Receipts rarely come. Recognition is inconsistent. They give generously, then hear nothing until the next contribution is announced.
Major Pain Points
Major Pain Points
From Organizers:
"I spend more time answering 'Did you get it?' than actually planning what we're raising for."
"Someone always claims they paid VIP. I have to scroll back weeks to check."
"I promise receipts. I never send them. I feel bad every time."
"I can't tell you how much we've raised without opening my bank app and counting manually."
From Contributors:
"I send money and hear nothing. Did it arrive? Is my name somewhere? No clue."
"I paid extra for VVIP in one group. Pretty sure I'm just 'Wale' on the list."
"I get a 'thanks' text. That's it. No receipt. No proof. Just hope."
"I want to support the cause, but I have no idea if we're close to the goal or far from it."
From Organizers:
"I spend more time answering 'Did you get it?' than actually planning what we're raising for."
"Someone always claims they paid VIP. I have to scroll back weeks to check."
"I promise receipts. I never send them. I feel bad every time."
"I can't tell you how much we've raised without opening my bank app and counting manually."
From Contributors:
"I send money and hear nothing. Did it arrive? Is my name somewhere? No clue."
"I paid extra for VVIP in one group. Pretty sure I'm just 'Wale' on the list."
"I get a 'thanks' text. That's it. No receipt. No proof. Just hope."
"I want to support the cause, but I have no idea if we're close to the goal or far from it."
The Design Solution Approach
The Design Solution Approach
Here's what I designed and why:
Tiered Contributions That Track Themselves: Organizers kept saying: "Someone always claims they paid for VIP, and I have to scroll back weeks to check." So I built contribution tiers that automatically record who picked what. Regular, VIP, VVIP—locked in at payment. No more guessing.
Custom Fields for Every Collection: Every group collects different information. Some need phone numbers. Some need addresses. Some just need names. I gave organizers custom fields—so they collect exactly what they need, and contributors only fill what matters.
White-Label Branded Receipts: Contributors kept saying: "I send money and get a 'thanks' text. That's it. No receipt. No proof." So I designed automatic receipts with the group's logo and colors. When someone contributes, they get a professional PDF that actually looks like their money was received properly.
Real-Time Contribution Tracking: Organizers were tired of opening bank apps and counting manually. So I built a dashboard showing total raised, who's paid, who hasn't, and what tier each person selected. No spreadsheets. No midnight math.
Wallet System With Withdrawal Control: Money sitting in the platform should feel safe. Organizers see their balance in real time—total raised, withdrawable amount, pending transactions. When ready, they request withdrawal with verified bank details. No one touches funds they shouldn't.
User Tiers to Prevent Chaos: Not everyone should be able to create a collection. Spam and fraud ruin trust. So Tier 1 users can browse and contribute. Upgrade with basic KYC to Tier 2, and you can create collections. It keeps the platform honest.
Here's what I designed and why:
Tiered Contributions That Track Themselves: Organizers kept saying: "Someone always claims they paid for VIP, and I have to scroll back weeks to check." So I built contribution tiers that automatically record who picked what. Regular, VIP, VVIP—locked in at payment. No more guessing.
Custom Fields for Every Collection: Every group collects different information. Some need phone numbers. Some need addresses. Some just need names. I gave organizers custom fields—so they collect exactly what they need, and contributors only fill what matters.
White-Label Branded Receipts: Contributors kept saying: "I send money and get a 'thanks' text. That's it. No receipt. No proof." So I designed automatic receipts with the group's logo and colors. When someone contributes, they get a professional PDF that actually looks like their money was received properly.
Real-Time Contribution Tracking: Organizers were tired of opening bank apps and counting manually. So I built a dashboard showing total raised, who's paid, who hasn't, and what tier each person selected. No spreadsheets. No midnight math.
Wallet System With Withdrawal Control: Money sitting in the platform should feel safe. Organizers see their balance in real time—total raised, withdrawable amount, pending transactions. When ready, they request withdrawal with verified bank details. No one touches funds they shouldn't.
User Tiers to Prevent Chaos: Not everyone should be able to create a collection. Spam and fraud ruin trust. So Tier 1 users can browse and contribute. Upgrade with basic KYC to Tier 2, and you can create collections. It keeps the platform honest.
