Indiegogo
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| Indiegogo | |
|---|---|
 PUSH Offices studio · Public domain · source | |
| Name | Indiegogo |
| Type | Private |
| Industry | Crowdfunding |
| Founded | 2008 |
| Founders | Danae Ringelmann; Eric Schell; Slava Rubin |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, United States |
| Products | Crowdfunding platform; InDemand; Marketplace |
Indiegogo is an American online crowdfunding platform that connects creators, entrepreneurs, and backers to fund projects across technology, film, music, art, and social causes. Launched in 2008, the platform competes with peers in the crowdfunding sector and operates within a global landscape shaped by venture capital, startup accelerators, intellectual property regimes, and digital payment networks. Indiegogo has been involved in diverse campaigns spanning consumer electronics, independent cinema, and charitable initiatives, drawing attention from media outlets, regulatory bodies, and industry analysts.
History
Indiegogo was founded in 2008 by Danae Ringelmann, Eric Schell, and Slava Rubin during a period of expansion for online platforms such as Kickstarter, GoFundMe, and Patreon (company). Early media coverage by outlets like The New York Times and Wired highlighted the platform alongside model experiments in peer-to-peer funding popularized by events such as the 2008 financial crisis and initiatives from organizations like Y Combinator and TechCrunch. In its formative years Indiegogo navigated policy questions similar to those faced by eBay and PayPal, adapting its terms of service to reflect changing payment processing rules from firms like Stripe (company) and Visa Inc.. Growth phases included geographic expansion to markets influenced by trade relationships with regions such as the European Union and regulatory environments shaped by laws enacted in the United States and Canada. Executive leadership changes later involved interactions with investors drawn from firms akin to Sequoia Capital and Khosla Ventures.
Business model and services
Indiegogo operates a rewards-based and equity-aware model that contrasts with donation models used by platforms like CrowdRise and equity approaches associated with SeedInvest and AngelList. Core revenue streams include platform fees charged to campaign organizers and payment processing fees payable to providers such as Stripe (company) and PayPal. Ancillary services evolved to include product pre-sales, fulfillment assistance, and a post-campaign marketplace comparable to offerings from Amazon (company) and Shopify. The platform also instituted programs to serve hardware entrepreneurs in ecosystems linked to accelerators like Plug and Play Tech Center and corporations such as Intel Corporation through hardware-focused initiatives. Partnerships with logistics firms and fulfillment vendors mirrored collaborations common to FedEx and UPS for shipping rewards and prototypes.
Platform features and technology
Technically, the platform integrates web technologies and payment gateways to support project pages, multimedia hosting, and backer communication, interoperating with content platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. Features include flexible funding options, campaign analytics, and tools for community management used by creators alongside services from Google Analytics and customer-relationship tools similar to Salesforce. Indiegogo implemented APIs and security practices aligned with standards advocated by organizations such as the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council and adopted anti-fraud measures akin to those used by Stripe (company), PayPal, and financial institutions. The platform’s infrastructure and scaling concerns placed it within the same operational discourse as cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform.
Notable campaigns and impact
High-profile campaigns on the platform have included consumer-electronics projects that drew comparisons to launches by companies such as Pebble Technology and Oculus VR, entertainment projects comparable to independent films showcased at Sundance Film Festival and music releases associated with labels like Sub Pop Records. Social impact campaigns echoed initiatives from nonprofits like Charity: water and advocacy movements seen in platforms used by organizations such as Amnesty International and Doctors Without Borders. Some campaigns achieved mainstream coverage in publications such as The Guardian, Forbes, and The Washington Post, influencing product supply chains tied to manufacturers in regions like Shenzhen. The platform’s role in enabling crowd-financed innovation prompted academic analysis in journals associated with institutions such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University.
Controversies and legal issues
Indiegogo has faced controversies common to crowdfunding marketplaces, including disputes over failure to deliver promised rewards, intellectual-property conflicts involving patent holders like those represented in litigation before courts such as the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and regulatory scrutiny from agencies comparable to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). High-profile campaign failures prompted media scrutiny from outlets such as The New York Times and Bloomberg L.P., and comparisons to other platform controversies involving Kickstarter and GoFundMe. Legal questions about campaign representations and consumer protection invoked precedents from cases brought under laws enforced by entities like the Federal Trade Commission and in jurisdictions with consumer-rights statutes such as those operative in the European Union. Disputes over payment reversals implicated processors like PayPal and banking partners regulated under frameworks influenced by Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Funding and corporate structure
Throughout its history, Indiegogo secured financing from venture firms and angel investors, following funding patterns similar to startups backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Union Square Ventures, and other Silicon Valley investors. Later capital raises and secondary transactions involved investors operating within ecosystems that include SoftBank, Benchmark (venture capital)-style firms, and corporate strategic partners. The company’s corporate governance reflected private company practices common to entities headquartered in San Francisco, California, with board and executive relationships paralleled by other technology companies incorporated under Delaware General Corporation Law. Operational decisions about workforce and product pivots echoed patterns observed at firms such as Dropbox and Airbnb.