Kickstarter is an online platform for funding creative projects. Kickstarter has funded a diverse array of endeavors, ranging from indie film and music  to journalism  and food-related projects.

One of a new set of fundraising platforms dubbed "crowdfunding",Kickstarter facilitates gathering monetary resources from the general public. Unlike many forums for fundraising or investment, Kickstarter claims no ownership over the projects and the work they produce, but instead turns a profit by claiming 5% of the funds raised. Project owners choose a deadline and a target minimum of funds to raise. If the chosen target is not gathered by the deadline, no funds are collected[4] (this is known as a provision point mechanism). Money pledged by donors is collected using the Amazon Payments system, and projects require a U.S. bank account.

The Miami New Times proclaimed "Kickstarter.com is one of the smartest ideas for a website since Al Gore invented the Internet." It was founded in April 2009 by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler. Andy Baio is the site's CTO, and the startup is based in Manhattan's Lower East Side.Similar services include SellaBand, FirstGiving, and PledgeBank.