Kickstarter.com
“Kickstarter is a funding platform for artists, designers, filmmakers, musicians, journalists, inventors, explorers…”
From the Kickstarter FAQ:
What is Kickstarter?
Kickstarter is a new way to fund ideas and endeavors.
We believe that…
- A good idea, communicated well, can spread fast and wide.
- A large group of people can be a tremendous source of money and encouragement.
Is Kickstarter an investment mechanism?
No. People who use Kickstarter to fund their projects (“project creators”) keep 100% ownership and control.
What’s in it for the people who pledge?
Project creators can offer products, services or other benefits (“rewards”) to inspire people to support their project: A hot-air balloon ride to the first person to pledge $300, an invitation to the BBQ for anyone who pledges more than $5, exclusive daily video updates for anyone who pledges more than $1. It’s up to each project creator to sculpt their own offers and there’s lots of cool ways to do it. (Want to see a great example? Google “Josh Freese”)
People who pledge also receive access to all project updates (posts, video, pics, etc.). “Project Updates” is our fancy name for the project blog. Some project creators may post 10 updates a day, others may rarely post. Some may make all their posts publicly viewable, others may set all their posts as exclusive to their backers.
