Fresh from his semi-final defeat at last week's French Open, Scottish tennis player Andy Murray has announced he is to join the advisory board of Seedrs, the London-based equity crowdfunding platform.

Murray will provide advice to the firm with respect to businesses working in the health, sport and wearable technology spaces. He will also be investing regularly in startups and other early-stage businesses through Seedrs and helping Seedrs to grow its brand in the UK and internationally.

Equity crowdfunding involves the raising of funds by obtaining many small investments from a large number of people through online platforms. According to Seedrs, the market is growing rapidly, and since launch in July 2012, Seedrs has reported 15 per cent month-on-month growth. Within the next few years it expects to be funding hundred of millions of pounds into thousands of businesses each year.

Already a keen investor, with his own management agency alongside a property portfolio, which includes a hotel in his home townof Dunblane, Murray will not be offering advice to individual investors or recommending specific campaigns, but he will be investing regularly in startups and other early-stage businesses through Seedrs and helping Seedrs to grow its brand in the UK and internationally.

“I’ve always been interested in investment, and being able to get involved in an innovative way to help support British startups really appealed to me. Equally as important was working with people I trusted and who fully understood the huge responsibility of handling people’s money. I’m looking forward to working with Seedrs and the entrepreneurs of tomorrow,.” Murray said.