microPledge is a clever idea which brings together software project ideas and funding in a simple to use marketplace. Anyone can suggest a software project big or small (e.g. create a WordPress plugin to add weather maps to posts) and then they set a time during which they will try to get pledges of money to fund the development. Coders then bid for the job (they can actually bid while pledges are still being sought). The site has a great interface, there’s room for comments and discussion, as well as RSS feeds to help promote individual projects.

The whole thing needs a bunch of enthusiastic users to make it work properly, but it has a much  nicer feel about it than something like Rent-a-Coder, so hopefully it will take off. The biggest pledge I’ve seen so far is $5000 for a USB environment, so there are opportunities for coders to make money if more people with ideas and money arrive on the scene. Take a look, it’s a nice app.