April 20th was a hallmark day for the IndieGoGo community. We announced a partnership with the White House and Startup America, and we were invited to participate in President Obama's Town Hall at Facebook headquarters, which was hosted by Mark Zuckerburg.
I am very proud of IndieGoGo and our team. We have been working tirelessly since 2008 to create a funding platform open to anyone, for any idea, goal or dream. Now, we are joining forces with giants like Google, American Express, Facebook, and Linkedin to ensure more entrepreneurs have the opportunity to bring their ideas to reality. People are quickly getting behind this initiative to boost the economy and we are excited to be a part of it. Read what The Wall Street Journal and Xconomy have to say about how this will fuel growth.
So, a big thanks to all of our great customers and supporters for helping to make this opportunity possible! Now, here's more for you to know about the partnership!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Startup America?
The Startup America Partnership is a movement – by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs – to help inspire and celebrate entrepreneurs, their firms and the people that join them. It was launched January 31st at the White House in response to President Obama’s call to celebrate, inspire, and accelerate high-growth entrepreneurship throughout the nation
2. How is IndieGoGo involved?
As part of the partnership, IndieGoGo has agreed to offer Startup America Partnership member companies and entrepreneurs the opportunity to raise $30 million of funding at a 50% discount on campaign fees. IndieGoGo will also feature Startup America campaigns on a newly created Startup America Partner Page and provide resources on crowdfunding techniques.
3. Who else is involved?
A coalition of industry leaders including American Express, Facebook, Google, Intuit, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Cisco, Ernst & Young, First Data, Silicon Valley Bank, and others.
4. How do I sign up?
Sign up here to be the first to know about the latest announcements and be informed when the Startup America membership application process becomes available, .
5. How much money can I raise on IndieGoGo?
There is no limit to the amount of money you can raise. You will keep all of the ownership of your project or idea, as there is no financial return on the money you raise, only an exchange of perks.
Finally, here are a few great examples of entrepreneurs who have had success on IndieGoGo:
Two engineers who built a remarkable technology that allows a video camera to automatically follow its subject. $24,000 raised
An inspirational woman whose funds from IndieGoGo allowed her to open a cheese shop in downtown San Francisco. $12,500 raised
A t-shirt company that went from kiosk to a stand-alone store in the local Lancaster, PA mall. $30,000 raised
A woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma who took back her life by starting a lawn mowing business. $2,500 raised
