Kickstarter: A Platform for Creative Projects
Summary
In this article, we explore the explosive growth of Kickstarter, a platform designed for creative projects. Over $200 million has moved through the system, with about two million people backing a project and 22,000 projects being successfully funded. Despite expanding to include other ventures, Kickstarter still emphasizes creative projects that stem from people’s imaginations and artistic expressions. The success of Kickstarter projects depends on the audience that the creators can bring to the table. While Kickstarter has had a real-world impact, raising millions of dollars for projects, there are concerns about how to police the system and prevent potential fraud.
Table of Contents
- Explosive Growth of Kickstarter
- Kickstarter: A Platform for Creative Projects
- The Success of Kickstarter Projects
- Kickstarter’s Screening System
- Concerns and Challenges
- Conclusion
Explosive Growth of Kickstarter
Kickstarter is celebrating its third birthday and has seen explosive growth in the past year. The platform is rivaling the NEA in terms of funding arts projects. The explosive growth is due to people learning the best way to use the platform and the lack of instructional copy on the site. There are still some creative worlds that are more comfortable with Kickstarter than others, but it is an exciting time for the platform. Some current projects that are using Kickstarter in the correct way include the Pebble watch company, which raised $7 million in four weeks, and Double Fine, which raised a million dollars in a day.
Kickstarter: A Platform for Creative Projects
Kickstarter is a platform that was initially designed for creative projects. However, it has expanded to include other ventures such as gadgets, design projects, video games, and even restaurants. Despite this, Kickstarter still emphasizes creative projects that stem from people’s imaginations and artistic expressions. The founders of Kickstarter wanted to create a space where people could bring their ideas to life without the pressure of making a profit. Kickstarter’s success lies in its malleability as a platform, and it has provided a space for idiosyncratic projects that would not happen elsewhere.
The Success of Kickstarter Projects
The success of Kickstarter projects depends on the audience that the creators can bring to the table. Amanda Palmer, a musician who was dropped from her record label, raised a quarter of a million dollars in the first 24 hours of her Kickstarter project. Kickstarter’s success lies in its malleability as a platform, and it has provided a space for idiosyncratic projects that would not happen elsewhere.
Kickstarter’s Screening System
Kickstarter has a vast majority of projects that are not related to technology or design, despite the popular belief that they make up most of the site’s content. In reality, only 5% of projects are tech-related, while film is the largest category, with Kickstarter-funded movies being featured in prestigious film festivals such as Sundance, South by Southwest, and Tribeca. Kickstarter has a screening system in place to ensure that projects meet certain guidelines, such as having a clear beginning and end and fitting into one of the site’s creative categories. However, they do not investigate projects, relying on the crowd to vet them through the all-or-nothing funding system.
Concerns and Challenges
While Kickstarter has had a real-world impact, raising millions of dollars for projects, there are concerns about how to police the system and prevent potential fraud. There have been instances of people using Kickstarter to scam others out of money, and there are concerns about what happens to the money if a project fails. Kickstarter is taking steps to address these concerns, but there is still work to be done to ensure the platform remains a safe and effective space for creative projects.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Kickstarter has revolutionized the way people bring creative projects to life. With explosive growth and a malleable platform, Kickstarter has provided a space for idiosyncratic projects that would not happen elsewhere. While there are concerns about how to police the system and prevent potential fraud, Kickstarter remains a valuable platform for creative expression.
