Kickstarter comes to Singapore, and Hong Kong

• Singapore-based creators have run campaigns before, but easier access now
• Two projects already on the platform as part of official launch

PIONEERING crowdfunding platform Kickstarter has launched in Singapore and Hong Kong, officially extending its service to creators in these countries for the first time.
 
Kickstarter introduced crowdfunding to a new generation of creators – from filmmakers, musicians, and authors, to artists, designers, game developers and more – who use it to fund and build communities of support around their projects.
 
“Kickstarter has empowered millions of people to be part of the development and production of new creative works,” cofounder and chief executive officer Yancey Strickler said in a statement.
 
“As one of the most exciting regions for emerging creative culture and innovation, we’re thrilled to begin to support creators in Asia,” he added.
 
Since Kickstarter’s launch in New York City in 2009, 11 million people have pledged more than US$2.5 billion to bring more than 110,000 creative ideas to life, the company said in its statement.
 
Kickstarter creators enjoy complete creative control over their projects, and access to a global network of generous backers from more than 220 countries and territories.
 
Every Kickstarter creator sets their project's funding goal and deadline, and backers pledge money to help bring it to life, and receive rewards in return.
 
Funding on Kickstarter is all-or-nothing – if a project succeeds in reaching its funding goal, all backers are charged at the project’s deadline. If the project falls short of its funding goal, no money changes hands.
 
Residents of Singapore and Hong Kong have been an active and generous part of the Kickstarter community for years, the company said.
 
More than 100,000 people from both countries have made more than 600,000 pledges to creative projects. And there have been a number of inspired projects by creators from both countries over the past few years.
 
Creators in Singapore have been able to launch Kickstarter projects in the past, for example AICO Technologies’ Smart Egg and Witching Hour Studios’ Masquerada: Songs and Shadows.
 
But the barriers to entry were much higher then – creators had to set up companies or work with collaborators outside of Singapore to launch their projects, Kickstarter acknowledged in its statement.
 
Opening in Singapore will make the process easier and more accessible to everyone with a local bank account and a verified identification, it added.
 
One such creator who is anticipating Kickstarter’s launch in Singapore is 25-year-old Brian Ong.
 
With a strong belief in the quest for sustainability and a passion to contribute towards a greener future, Ong has been working on a project involving an automated indoor plant watering system named Hydra (pic below), that allows the busy urban gardener of Singapore’s society to maintain an indoor garden with minimal effort.
 
“Crowdfunding is an excellent way for individuals and small teams to get their ideas out into the market,” said Ong.
 

 
“I believe Kickstarter provides a solid platform for local innovators and artists to showcase their ideas on the international stage,” he added.
 
Joining Ong in launching creative projects is another team passionate about urban farming. With a vision to “make concrete jungles fertile,” 13-year-old Dylan Soh and his father Calvin created the ultra-simple GIY Stick, a device that requires no apps or pumps and uses recycled bottles and fabric to keep plants hydrated and healthy.
 
Backers may find out more about these projects on the Kickstarter page.
 
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