History of Kickstarter in Timeline

Kickstarter is a crowdfunding platform based in Brooklyn, New York, that enables creators to raise funds for various projects. The platform has a mission to facilitate creative projects, and has received over $8.71 billion in pledges from 24.1 million backers to fund over 277,302 projects spanning diverse fields like film, music, games, technology, and publishing. It operates as a public benefit corporation focused on supporting creativity through crowdfunding.

April 28, 2009: Kickstarter Launch

On April 28, 2009, Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler launched Kickstarter, a crowdfunding platform focused on creative projects.

2010: Cards Against Humanity Kickstarter Campaign

In 2010, Cards Against Humanity originated with a $4,000 Kickstarter campaign, marking the beginning of its success.

2010: Kickstarter's Growth in 2010

In 2010, Kickstarter saw 3,910 successful projects with $27,638,318 pledged, indicating early growth.

2010: Time Magazine Recognition

In 2010, Time magazine named Kickstarter one of the "Best Inventions of 2010", recognizing its innovative approach to funding creative projects.

2011: Kickstarter's Growth in 2011

In 2011, Kickstarter experienced significant growth with 11,836 successful projects and $99,344,381 pledged.

2011: Time Magazine Recognition

In 2011, Time magazine named Kickstarter as one of the "Best Websites of 2011", further highlighting its impact and success.

2011: Art Projects Exhibit at Museum of Modern Art

In 2011, the contemporary art projects "EyeWriter" and "Hip-Hop Word Count", funded on Kickstarter, were chosen to exhibit in the Museum of Modern Art.

February 9, 2012: Kickstarter Milestones: First Million-Dollar Projects

On February 9, 2012, the "Dock for iPhone" and Double Fine Productions' adventure game became the first Kickstarter projects to exceed $1 million in pledges, with Kickstarter raising over a million dollars in a single day for the first time.

June 21, 2012: Kickstarter Begins Publishing Project Statistics

On June 21, 2012, Kickstarter started publicly sharing statistics related to its projects, enhancing transparency.

October 31, 2012: Kickstarter Expands to the United Kingdom

On October 31, 2012, Kickstarter expanded its project hosting capabilities to include projects based in the United Kingdom, marking its first international expansion.

2012: Kickstarter's Growth in 2012

In 2012, Kickstarter reported 18,109 successfully funded projects and $610,352 pledged, showcasing continuous expansion.

2012: Oculus Rift Kickstarter Project

In 2012, The Oculus Rift began as a Kickstarter project, becoming one of the most funded projects at the time. This led to Facebook acquiring the company two years later for $2 billion.

2012: Wharton Research into Kickstarter Project Success

In 2012, Wharton professor Ethan Mollick began research with Jeanne Pi into factors influencing project success on Kickstarter.

2012: Film Selected for Whitney Biennial

In 2012, filmmaker Matt Porterfield's film Putty Hill, which was funded on Kickstarter, was selected to screen at the Whitney Biennial.

February 14, 2013: Kickstarter iOS App Release

On February 14, 2013, Kickstarter released its first official mobile app, named Kickstarter, for the iPhone, designed to facilitate project creation and backing.

September 9, 2013: Kickstarter Expands to Canada

On September 9, 2013, Kickstarter expanded its project hosting capabilities to include projects based in Canada.

November 13, 2013: Kickstarter Expands to Australia and New Zealand

On November 13, 2013, Kickstarter extended its platform to include projects based in both Australia and New Zealand.

2013: Peloton's First Exercise Bike on Kickstarter

In 2013, Peloton Interactive sold its first exercise bike on Kickstarter with an early bird price tag of $1,500, leading to its IPO in 2019.

2013: Wharton Research into Kickstarter Project Success

In 2013, Wharton professor Ethan Mollick continued research with Jeanne Pi into factors influencing project success on Kickstarter.

2013: GoldieBlox Toy Gained Nationwide Distribution

In 2013, the Kickstarter-funded GoldieBlox toy achieved nationwide distribution, highlighting the platform's impact on product development.

February 2014: Kickstarter Data Breach

In February 2014, Kickstarter reported a data breach affecting approximately 5.2 million users, compromising email addresses, usernames, and password hashes.

April 28, 2014: Kickstarter Expands to the Netherlands

On April 28, 2014, Kickstarter expanded its reach to include projects based in the Netherlands.

August 30, 2014: "Coolest Cooler" Becomes Most Funded Project

On August 30, 2014, the "Coolest Cooler", created by Ryan Grepper, became the most funded Kickstarter project in history, securing US$13.28 million and surpassing the Pebble smartwatch's previous record.

September 15, 2014: Kickstarter Expands to Scandinavia and Ireland

On September 15, 2014, Kickstarter broadened its availability to include projects based in Denmark, Ireland, Norway, and Sweden.

April 28, 2015: Kickstarter Expands to Germany

On April 28, 2015, Kickstarter expanded its services to include projects based in Germany.

May 19, 2015: Kickstarter Expands to France and Spain

On May 19, 2015, Kickstarter extended its platform to support projects based in France and Spain.

June 16, 2015: Kickstarter Expands to Central Europe

On June 16, 2015, Kickstarter expanded its project support to include Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.

August 30, 2016: Kickstarter Expands to Singapore and Hong Kong

On August 30, 2016, Kickstarter broadened its platform to include projects based in Singapore and Hong Kong.

November 15, 2016: Kickstarter Expands to Mexico

On November 15, 2016, Kickstarter made its platform available for projects based in Mexico.

July 2017: Yancey Strickler's Resignation

In July 2017, Yancey Strickler announced his resignation from Kickstarter.

September 12, 2017: Kickstarter Expands to Japan

On September 12, 2017, Kickstarter expanded its services to include projects based in Japan.

March 19, 2019: Kickstarter Staff Announces Unionization Plans

On March 19, 2019, Kickstarter's staff announced plans to unionize with the OPEIU, potentially making Kickstarter the only major tech company with a union, sparking internal dissent.

December 4, 2019: Kickstarter Project Statistics Update

As of December 4, 2019, Kickstarter reported 469,286 launched projects with a 37.45% success rate and a total of $4,690,286,673 pledged.

2019: Peloton's IPO

In 2019, Peloton Interactive became a public company after being initially funded through Kickstarter in 2013, raising $1.1 billion via an initial public offering.

February 18, 2020: Kickstarter Employees Vote to Unionize

On February 18, 2020, Kickstarter employees voted 46 to 37 in favor of joining the OPEIU, leading to formal unionization efforts.

April 20, 2020: Kickstarter Announces Potential Layoffs Due to Pandemic

On April 20, 2020, Kickstarter announced the likelihood of layoffs due to the coronavirus pandemic, which had caused a significant drop in active projects.

May 2, 2020: Kickstarter Layoff Scale Unreported

As of May 2, 2020, Kickstarter had yet to report the full extent of the layoffs announced on April 20, 2020, despite reports from the union indicating that up to 45% of employees could be affected.

December 8, 2021: Kickstarter Announces Blockchain Protocol Development

On December 8, 2021, Kickstarter announced plans to develop a decentralized protocol on the Celo blockchain, intending to move its website to that system, which prompted a negative response from creators and backers.

December 2021: Kickstarter Announces Move to Blockchain

In December 2021, Kickstarter announced its decision to move the platform to blockchain, supported by a $100 million investment, a move that backfired and alienated many users.

December 2024: Coast Runner Industries Sues Kickstarter

In December 2024, Coast Runner Industries filed a lawsuit against Kickstarter for alleged violations of federal antitrust law following the suspension of its desktop CNC campaign.

April 2025: Kickstarter Funding and Project Statistics

In April 2025, Kickstarter reported receiving US$8.71 billion in pledges from 24.1 million backers, funding 277,302 projects across various creative fields.