Thecarcrowd

The Car Crowd is a UK-based investment platform that provides fractional ownership of collectible cars. Founded in 2019 by David Spickett, a car enthusiast with a background in finance and technology, the company aims to make classic car investment, an asset class traditionally reserved for the ultra-wealthy, accessible to a wider audience. The initial idea was sparked by David's own desire to own a track car, which led him to explore shared ownership with colleagues. He is joined by his wife, Kirsty Spickett, who serves as CMO, and Sireesh Nallanthighal as CTO.

The company's business model involves sourcing and acquiring high-potential classic cars, registering each vehicle as its own UK limited company, and then offering shares of that company to investors. This structure allows individuals to own a piece of a high-value asset without the significant capital outlay typically required. Revenue is generated through several fees: a curation fee for each vehicle at the point of funding, a realization fee on the appreciation when a car is sold, and an asset under management fee to cover storage, insurance, and maintenance. The platform's first full-cycle investment reportedly demonstrated a net return of 24.7%. Shareholders have voting rights and collectively decide when to sell a vehicle.

TheCarCrowd utilizes a data-driven approach, analyzing millions of data points to identify makes and models with strong potential for appreciation, focusing on vehicles with low mileage, low ownership, and unique features. All vehicles are stored in a secure, dehumidified, and temperature-controlled facility, which also serves as another revenue stream through a concierge storage service for private owners. While investors cannot drive the cars to preserve their value, they are invited to see the vehicles at shows and community events. Initially targeting a mass market, regulatory changes in 2022-2023 prompted a shift to focus on sophisticated and high-net-worth investors, family offices, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals through fractional investments, traditional funds, and private portfolios. The company has expanded its reach through partnerships with platforms like Splint Invest and Konvi, entering markets in Switzerland, Germany, France, and Ireland. It has also secured Sharia compliance to facilitate expansion into the Middle East.

Keywords: classic car investment, fractional ownership, alternative assets, passion investing, asset management, data-driven investment, collectible cars, automotive finance, investment platform, vehicle curation, fintech, syndicate investing, wealth management, asset-backed investment, Sharia-compliant investment, car collection, motorsport, supercars, luxury assets, European market