Peter Gardner, a founder investor in music site Last.fm, and Virgin Media's former marketing chief James Kydd are backing a new online venture that matches consumers with charity events.
The venture, called Leap Anywhere, has signed up 100 charities, including Oxfam, Peta and Amnesty International, and has received support from leading figures including London mayor Boris Johnson.
Leap Anywhere aims to attract users who want to support a charity but are turned off by the traditional idea of simply donating money.
Instead users can sign up online and commit to doing a "leap" for charity. A leap, according to the venture's founder Malcolm Scovil, is any event or activity that is "both enjoyable and either raises awareness or some amount of money for one or several charity partners".
The Leap Anywhere website aims to match members with a range of charity initiatives in areas including music, arts, fashion and sports. Examples given include playing table tennis to protect Pandas or holding a comedy night to combat poverty.
Other charities that have signed up include the Tony Hawk Foundation, started by the former skateboarder; Jon Bon Jovi's Philadelphia Soul Foundation; and the Kanye West Foundation.
Gardner, a founding investor in CBS-owned Last.fm, has invested in Leap Anywhere. Kydd, Virgin Media's former head of marketing, who left the company last summer, is also working with the project at its formative stages.
The scheme, which allows users to create a profile to connect with friends and causes, also has the support of commercial companies, including Live Nation and smoothie-maker Innocent.
Kodak has signed a deal to be online video partner to launch LeapAnywhereTV, an online TV channel that will feature footage from events, activities and stunts as well as interviews and news about exciting upcoming "leaps".
"Leap is a truly innovative product with a very simple objective, to match people with activities, charities and brands to help good causes," said Kydd. "The benefit is equally simple, to make it easy for people to make a difference."
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