Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform for creative projects, was founded in New York City in 2009.
The company was created by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler. Kickstarter’s model lets creators present a project, set a funding goal and deadline, and offer rewards to backers. Under its all-or-nothing system, a project generally receives pledged money only if it reaches its goal by the deadline.
The platform launched publicly in 2009 and became a major source of funding for independent films, games, music, publishing, design, technology, and other creative work. It differs from equity crowdfunding because backers traditionally receive rewards or the finished project rather than ownership shares.
Kickstarter is also distinct from donation-focused services such as GoFundMe. Its central identity has been project-based funding, making it particularly important to small creative businesses and entrepreneurs testing demand before committing to full production.