A Scots champion of green business hopes to encourage people who live in urban areas to grow vegetables after winning £4000 crowdfunding to start production of a planter he developed.

Iain Findlay raised the money from private funders who provided backing through the Bloomvc crowdfunding operation.

The money allowed Mr Findlay to pay a manufacturer to produce 80 of the Whirligro planters he developed to help people grow their own fruit and veg in small spaces.

Modelled on the twisted double helix structure of molecules, the Whirligro features seven arms which incorporate pot holders and rotate around a central column. The planter can hold more than ten pots.

A business graduate and veteran environmental campaigner, Mr Findlay came up with the idea after looking for a way of encouraging people to produce food close to where it would be consumed.

He realised the invention may have commercial potential after winning £3500 support to develop business plans under the Starter for 6 programme for start-ups following an introduction from the Business Gateway service.

"Having been on the fringe for a long time it's quite easy not to take yourself seriously," he said. "When serious people start to take you seriously it give you permission to start to take yourself more seriously."

Mr Findlay refined the design with specialists from Edinburgh University following an introduction by the Interface organisation.

Once he was ready to move into production Mr Findlay decided to try to raise enough money to make a first batch by using crowdfunding.

This can involve harnessing the power of the internet to raise funds from multiple sources.

He did not approach banks as he felt none of them would be prepared to provide funding.

The 47-year-old raised £50 more than the £4000 target within the 60-day deadline through Bloomvc.

He won funding from 78 people or organisations across the UK. Some money came from as far afield as Australia.

In exchange for their donation, supporters were offered money off Whirligros, which sell for £100 each.

The founder of Bloomvc, Amanda Boyle, said around 50 organisations have raised money through the operation since it went live last year. This includes 38 who had raised over £100,000 in total by the end of March.

An entrepreneur who co-founded the Caledonia Contracts fit-out operation, Ms Boyle said she started Bloomvc after working with a number of small firms that could not get funding using traditional means.

Bloomvc allows people to raise funding for projects from supporters who are offered benefits in return. Not all elect to receive these.

Mr Findlay believes Whirligro may have the potential to generate high sales volumes. After being contacted by people in 25 countries, he is thinking about allowing overseas manufacturers to produce Whirligros under franchise.