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Kickstarter
Kickstarter was founded in 2009 by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler as a crowdfunding platform for creative projects.
Kickstarter
Kickstarter was founded in 2009 by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler as a crowdfunding platform for creative projects. The company restructured as a public-benefit corporation in 2015, legally obligated to consider the social impact of its decisions alongside shareholder value. Wealth originates from the founders' pre-Kickstarter careers — Chen was a musician and teacher, Strickler an arts journalist, Adler a product designer — but the entity does not manage personal family capital. Kickstarter derives revenue from a 5% fee on successfully funded projects, covering categories such as Film, Music, Art, Design, Technology, and Publishing. It has facilitated over $7.5 billion in pledges since inception (per the firm's official communications, 2023). The platform does not make direct investments; its capital is used for operations and platform development, not external deployment. Geographic coverage is global, though the majority of backers and creators are in North America and Europe. The company employs roughly 150 staff (per public filings, 2022). Adjacent vehicles include the Kickstarter Artists Relief Fund, launched in 2020 to support creators impacted by COVID-19, and the Kickstarter PBC's annual 5% profit allocation to charitable causes. In May 2023, the company laid off 12% of its workforce as part of a restructuring to focus on core platform features (per TechCrunch, May 2023). Kickstarter's structural differentiator is its public-benefit corporation status and its focus on creative project funding rather than equity investment. It does not operate as a family office, asset manager, or foundation — it is a for-profit platform with a legally defined public mission, making it distinct from conventional allocators.
General information
Firm type
other
Year founded
2009
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Principals
Perry Chen
Co-founder
Yancey Strickler
Co-founder
Charles Adler
Co-founder
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Is Kickstarter a family office or investment firm?
No. Kickstarter is a for-profit public-benefit corporation that runs a crowdfunding platform. It does not manage external capital or make direct investments in companies. Its revenue comes from a 5% fee on successfully funded projects.
How does Kickstarter generate revenue?
Kickstarter takes a 5% fee from every successfully funded project on its platform. In 2023, it reported facilitating over $7.5 billion in pledges since its founding (per the firm's official communications, 2023). The company also generates income from interest on funds held during campaigns.
What types of projects does Kickstarter fund?
Kickstarter categorizes projects into 15 main categories: Art, Comics, Crafts, Dance, Design, Fashion, Film & Video, Food, Games, Journalism, Music, Photography, Publishing, Technology, and Theater. The platform explicitly excludes charity fundraising, medical costs, and financial services.
Does Kickstarter make equity investments in the companies it helps fund?
No. Kickstarter operates on a rewards-based model, not equity crowdfunding. Backers receive non-financial rewards like products or experiences. The company does not take equity stakes in projects or creators.
What is Kickstarter's public-benefit corporation status?
In 2015, Kickstarter became a public-benefit corporation (PBC), a legal structure that requires the company to consider the impact of its decisions on society, not just shareholders. It also adopted a charter committing to donate 5% of annual profits to arts and anti-racist organizations.
Who controls Kickstarter's strategic direction?
Kickstarter is led by a board of directors and a CEO. Co-founders Perry Chen and Yancey Strickler served as initial leaders; Chen stepped down as Chairman in 2019. The current CEO is Everette Taylor, appointed in 2022 (per the firm's announcement, September 2022).
How does Kickstarter handle governance and transparency?
Kickstarter publishes annual benefit corporation reports detailing social and financial performance. It also discloses platform-wide statistics on project success rates and geographic distribution. The company is not publicly traded and does not break out detailed financials beyond what is legally required.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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