Kickstarter is the reward-based crowdfunding platform launched April 2009 that has facilitated over $7 billion in pledges across millions of successfully-funded projects. It operates on an all-or-nothing funding model where projects only collect funds if they meet their full goal within the campaign window, typically 30 days, with backers receiving products, perks, or experiences rather than equity in the project creator. The model is distinct from equity crowdfunding platforms like Wefunder and Republic. It is the canonical reference for the reward-based crowdfunding category and the platform that proved consumer products could be funded by their future customers before the product existed.
The structural mechanics: project cre...