BackerKit
US-based crowdfunding platform
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BackerKit is a crowdfunding platform focusing on creative projects with an emphasis on tabletop games and fantasy books.[1] On ethical grounds, BackerKit bans projects containing art produced by Generative AI.[2][3]
| |
Type of site | Creative crowdfunding |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Founder(s) | Maxwell Salzberg and Rosanna Yau |
| URL | https://www.backerkit.com/ |
History
BackerKit was founded in 2012 by Maxwell Salzberg and Rosanna Yau as a pledge management, payment processing, shipping, audience engagement, and pre-order tool for Kickstarter campaigns.[4][5] In 2018, Backerkit established The Creative Fund, with the goal of donating one dollar to a wide range of projects on Kickstarter.[6]
In 2022, BackerKit announced its own crowdfunding marketplace in response to criticisms within the tabletop role-playing game industry against Kickstarter's investment in Blockchain.[7][8] The first major crowdfunding campaign on BackerKit was for Gloomhaven's Grand Festival, which raised over $5 million.[9][10] Other early successes included Return to Dark Tower ($2 million)[11][10] and Spirit Island: Nature Incarnate ($1.2 million).[10]
In 2024, the premium edition of Brandon Sanderson's novel Words of Radiance raised over $23 million on BackerKit, breaking the platform's record.[12][13][14]
