Ten years of CollecTin - Q&A with the Founders

Ten years ago, a simple yet powerful idea sparked a journey that would transform the way charities connect with supporters: making giving effortless in an increasingly cashless world.  

CollecTin, co-founded by Chris Allwood and Guy Robinson, started as a vision to bridge the gap between technology and generosity. Today, we stand as a key partner to countless charities, helping them raise over £20 million through innovative contactless collection devices. In this blog, Harriet Croxton, CollecTin’s Marketing Manager sits down with Chris and Guy to reflect on their remarkable journey - from the first sketches of an idea to the prototypes that made it real, and the impact CollecTin continues to have on the world of fundraising.

Tell me about the initial idea - Who had the lightbulb moment?

[Chris] Back in 2013, while I was head of product development at another organisation, we were noticing a shift - people were using card payments for smaller purchases, and a small number of payment providers were introducing contactless options. It was clear this trend wasn’t going away, and we began to wonder: could this same technology help charities accept donations more easily? That’s when the idea started to take shape.

We were able to secure some funding from Visa to explore the idea further and introduced Save the Children as the charity that would be the first to trial the concept. With this backing, I set out to find an industrial designer who could bring the concept to life - which is when I crossed paths with Guy.

So, Guy, what were you up to back then? 

[Guy] As a director of industrial design at Sprout Design, and I’m always on the look out for client briefs that have the potential to create sustainable, inclusive and disruptive products. Sprout turned twenty years old last year, having been founded with Creative Pioneer funding from NESTA. At that time, I was also tutoring postgraduate designers at the Royal College of Art (RCA), where I had studied. When Chris approached Sprout to discuss the concept, I was immediately excited by the idea and proposed a one-day workshop at the RCA. We bought together students and researchers from various courses into multi-disciplinary teams to sketch scenarios for the future of in-person giving. There were some exciting card models and ideas presented, and we created further iterations in CAD which we then 3D printed. These were presented to Save the Children and went on to feature on BBC’s The One Show where consumer champion Dom Littlewood tested them. 

What were some of the initial challenges you faced? 

[Chris] We took the devices to Canary Wharf Tube station, a central London Costa Coffee and a railway station outside of London to test them in real-world settings. What quickly became clear was that, especially outside of London, people were still quite sceptical about making contactless payments despite having the contactless symbol on their cards. At the time, the technology was still relatively new, and many people were unsure about its security and reliability, which made them hesitant to embrace it. That said, we witnessed first-hand how quickly this changed as contactless payments gained momentum over the following year. 

How has the design evolved over the years? 

[Guy] From the start, we wanted to brand the donation experience, by wrapping the Original CollecTin with the Charity’s artwork. Adding a screen to the CollecTin More and Plus enabled us greater customisation and most importantly the ability to thank the donor. Back in 2017, we prototyped the Digital Tin for BT back incorporating a screen to display donation amounts and began searching for a partner to develop the software. The software became Give A Little, enabling charities to digitally brand their campaigns and giving donors the option to select donation amounts and include Gift Aid. 

We regularly ask our customers for feedback on what they need from their devices and the challenges they face. In response, we've introduced a wall and counter stand, added a cable to keep the device plugged in, and redesigned the wall stand to allow devices to be easily clipped in and out.

What have been the key milestones over the last ten years? 

[Chris] Key milestones over the last ten years include securing support from major payment and card providers, which was a pivotal moment for us. We've been fortunate to receive funding from industry leaders like Visa, Mastercard, and Barclaycard. This backing enabled us to evolve from the original CollecTin device to the development of CollecTin More and CollecTin Plus. Additionally, we've built a talented team across design, operations, marketing, and support - something we're extremely proud of.  

How do you know you are making an impact for charities? 

[Chris] The journey has been incredibly rewarding. Being able to help charities and places of worship continue collecting donations during the pandemic, even with social distancing, was a real highlight. Over the past ten years, we’ve continuously listened to feedback and evolved our products, which has led to an amazing milestone - helping charities raise over £20 million through our CollecTin More devices. What’s particularly exciting is that while it took around four years to reach the first £10 million, the next £10 million was achieved in just one year! This shows how widely our products are being embraced now, and we’re excited to see what milestones we can reach next 

Are there particular stories that made you proud of what CollecTin has achieved? 

[Chris] We’re incredibly proud to work in the charity sector and help organisations of all sizes with their fundraising. What we do makes a difference – from large and small charities to landmark cathedrals and tiny village churches - they all matter. We’re particularly thrilled that Cancer Research UK now has over 60 of our devices, making a significant financial impact on such an important cause. And we can’t help but smile when wandering around London Zoo, seeing our CollecTin More devices powering their ‘Feed a Gorilla,’ ‘Feed a Penguin,’ and ‘Feed a Tiger’ campaigns.  

We also enjoy seeing our devices used in innovative ways, such as entering the bowling challenge at the Bob Willis Fund’s charity cricket event or paying for a tattoo at the pop-up shop on Carnaby Street for ActionAid. 

What innovation do you see coming in the forthcoming years?  

[Chris] We talk with our customers daily and work closely with our payment providers and fundraising software partners. We'll continue these conversations and refine the CollecTin range to simplify the products for operators and make donating even easier for supporters. 

[Guy] We also have several exciting new products launching this year so watch this space. 

In a few words, what have been the most valuable things you’ve learnt as founders? 

[Guy] Listen and be flexible, keeping the product modular so we can easily adapt when needed.  

[Chris] Take some risks but do not plan and commit too far ahead to remain adaptable. And, to build a creative, diverse team that is empowered to drive new ideas forward.

[Harriet] Well, here’s to the next ten years - may they be just as innovative and full of tigers, penguins, and the odd tattoo!