It's an ordinary Wednesday evening when 120 Sydneysiders decide to give away more than $40,000.Think of it as live crowd-funding meets Shark Tank meets MasterChef, replete with strict time slots, nervous contestants and a big reveal at the close.

Armed with a drink and an open mind, this miscellaneous group of strangers, colleagues and friends will hear a six-minute pitch from three different social causes, and decide whether to open their wallets, before challenging the room to do the same.

One of the first to pledge money to Vanguard Laundry Services. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer

On this night, hosted by The Funding Network, it's Toowoomba local Luke Terry who kicks things off. His social enterprise Vanguard Laundry Services started off the back of a not-for-profit initiative supporting people with mental illness seeking employment.

He needs $30,000 to buy an industrial-sized tumble drier, to grow his social enterprise.