Contribe

Contribe is a Danish startup that provides a platform for e-commerce businesses to integrate social and environmental impact initiatives into their customer experience. Founded in Copenhagen in 2023 by Christoffer Winther Bouet, Tobias Ørskov Madsen, and Lasse Viggo, the company's mission is to enable consumers to support causes through their everyday purchases at no extra cost. The founding team combines expertise from tech startups, management consulting, and law, with a focus on technology, strategy, and sustainability. Tobias Ørskov Madsen has a background in business law, Christoffer Winther Bouet comes from management consulting at EY and North Consulting, and Lasse Viggo has over a decade of experience as a software developer in regulated industries like Insurtech and FinTech.

The company's core product is an impact plugin for online stores, allowing customers to support causes like plastic collection, carbon capturing, and women's rights with each purchase. This model is designed as a modern form of customer loyalty, moving beyond discounts to align with the values of consumers, particularly Millennials and Gen Z. Contribe serves a variety of e-commerce businesses, including those in fashion, retail, and hospitality. The business model is B2B, generating revenue by charging partner brands for the service, which in turn cover the donation costs. This approach aims to help businesses increase customer conversion rates, retention, and overall sales while avoiding accusations of greenwashing by partnering with verified NGOs and impact projects.

Since late 2023, Contribe has onboarded over 100 online stores and has been used by 100,000 people globally. In August 2024, the company announced it had raised €1 million in a pre-seed funding round from investors including Rockstart, Human Act Development, and the Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO), along with several business angels. With this funding, Contribe plans to scale its operations globally, with a stated goal of reaching one million users by the end of 2025.

Keywords: e-commerce plugin, sustainability, social impact, customer loyalty, corporate social responsibility, impact-as-a-service, consumer engagement, charitable giving, B2B, SaaS, donation platform, online retail, ESG, greenwashing avoidance, brand loyalty, impact projects, carbon offsetting, transparent giving, ethical shopping, customer retention