Publications
Publications
- November 2023 (Revised May 2024)
- HBS Case Collection
Kickstarter: Crowdfunding for the Arts
By: Rohit Deshpandé and Alexis Lefort
Abstract
Kickstarter was a virtual crowdfunding platform and community that allowed creators of all kinds to raise funding for creative projects. The executive team was wrestling with a tension in its business model: the organization earned the majority of its revenue from projects that were not closely aligned with its mission.
The executives saw the mission as raising funds for art projects, however such projects only accounted for 3% of total funds raised. They were also concerned that societal interest in arts was declining.
Kickstarter was a Public Benefit Corporation and therefore it measured its success by how well it achieved its mission, not by the size of its profits.
Keywords
Fundraising; Mission; Crowdfunding; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Arts; Web Services Industry; United States
Citation
Deshpandé, Rohit, and Alexis Lefort. "Kickstarter: Crowdfunding for the Arts." Harvard Business School Case 524-016, November 2023. (Revised May 2024.)