The Indiegogo Fellowship Program provides entrepreneurs and creators from marginalized and underrepresented groups in the tech and innovation community (i.e. BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ entrepreneurs and creators) who have limited resources and support with a 8-week educational program to guide them in running a successful crowdfunding campaign from end to end.
With a series of guided, exclusive coursework, program participants will get mentorship from established crowdfunding professionals, additional office hours with a core member of the Indiegogo team, and be able to connect with a vibrant business community.
We will handpick up to 6 campaigners for this program.
Application deadline: June 21, 2021
Fellows Will Learn:
- Pre-launch email + ad strategy
- Social media strategy
- Branding and positioning your Indiegogo campaign page
- Perk and campaign strategy
- Post-launch strategy
- Shipping and fulfillment strategy
Indiegogo will also provide a virtual environment where participants can access and share resources with each other, get feedback from peers in the program and industry professionals, connect with a new community network, and more.
Evaluation Criteria:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years old
- Applicants must be available between these dates to take part in the program: mid-July to end of August 2021
Project/Campaign Criteria:
- Project must be consistent with Indiegogo’s Terms of Service, mission and values
- Project must launch on Indiegogo after the program
Application Criteria:
- Application must clearly articulate why they would be a good fit for this program and how they would benefit from a program like this
- Application must demonstrate a clear business plan with goal to launch a crowdfunding campaign, including articulating the product, its current product stage, and provide supporting materials, i.e. pitch deck, photos, and videos
- Application must answer all questions on the application form
Review Process:
The Indiegogo team will evaluate applications at its sole discretion. The team to decide is comprised of sales, strategy, and marketing team members, and qualified crowdfunding partners. Participants will be contacted via emails, and announced on the Indiegogo blog and social media.
MEET LAST YEAR’S INAUGURAL FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM COHORTS
Get inspired with our inaugural Fellowship Program Batch 2020! Get to know them as they share their thoughts on what their experience was like. Could you be next?
Suzan Hernandez, MamaP
MamaP made a splash by developing a line of eco-conscious bamboo toothbrushes, with each particular toothbrush supporting a different cause. Now MamaP is raising funds to develop cleaning brushes with fully compostable heads that can be returned to the earth when used up.
“I’m honored to be part of the inaugural Indiegogo Fellowship Program. The new home care products launching on Indiegogo have always been on my mind – but COVID-19 helped accelerate these plans. The pandemic has brought plastic back into the cleaning ritual and I saw this as an opportunity to solve for the health of the planet and its people with these new products. Having the support and resources from Indiegogo to learn and build the campaign alongside the fellowship program is such an invaluable experience and opportunity. Thank you!” —Suzan Hernandez
Allison Toombs, LASTS
LASTS‘ technology makes any shoe chic and comfortable. Their first shoe, the Last Boot, is an ankle boot crafted from hundreds of real women’s feedback and thousands of data points on fit and construction.
“It was an honor to have my company selected as a participant in the first-ever Indiegogo Fellowship. A crowdfunding campaign is the perfect vehicle to launch my brand’s first product and I plan to use all of the highly tactical strategies I learned in the Fellowship to supercharge my campaign! Also, since crowdfunding is traditionally male-dominated, it’s great to part of a cohort of superstar female campaigners.”
—Allison Toombs
Pierina Gandarillas Solari, Pachá Peruvian Art
Pachá Peruvian Art is connecting Peruvian artists to crafters with monthly art boxes. Peru has been deeply impacted by the halt in tourism during the pandemic. With sixteen traditional Peruvian crafts, every box of art helps a Peruvian family that depends on crafts for living. They’ve already sold 300 boxes and want to grow and expand the business.
“For me, this fellowship is a challenge but I’m excited and committed to overcome it. I’m very very excited to learn and be able to help my Peruvian artisans. Due to the pandemic, Perú has been massively affected by the lack of tourism and with it, the artisans as well. Im confident that I (we) can do more than we are doing now.”
—Pierina Gandarillas Solari
Kiyeon Nam, B’zT
B’zT is an award-winning location-based, proximity Bluetooth sensor-embedded smart clothing. The B’zT Smart clothing is the world’s first machine washable tracking apparel designed to prevent missing children and adults.
“The program was awesome. There was no frustrating moment during the Fellowship. I feel much more confident that I can do an Indiegogo campaign after this program.” —Kiyeon Nam
Emily Wu, Thingamagic
Thingamagic is the Instant Pot accessory that lets you cook and steam at the same time. Existing Instant Pot accessories ask you to choose between steaming and cooking. Emily’s Thingamagic allows you to elevate your Instant Pot and make it even more efficient so you don’t have to buy yet another smart cooking device.
“I’ve always wanted to start a crowdfunding campaign for my new gadget ideas but I always felt somewhat intimidated and clueless about how to properly do it. Luckily, I discovered this program by chance when I was browsing on Indiegogo. I am super thrilled to be selected and excited to learn all the tips and tricks for running a campaign!” —Emily Wu
Rana Burr, Mamafrog
MamaFrog is the subscription box that grows with your baby. Mamafrog is curating responsibly sourced baby products designed for every stage of a baby’s development. Each box includes: Something to read, something to wear, something to play with, something to use, and a surprise for mom!
“I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the first ever cohort of the Indiegogo Fellowship. This is an outstanding opportunity not only to learn directly from the Indiegogo team, but also to get to know other amazing women and to support them in their businesses. I am looking forward to a collaborative learning and growing effort towards building the Indiegogo launch for the Mamafrog Baby Subscription Box!” —Rana Burr
