The crowfunding platform that enabled insta-classics like Shovel Knight and Banner Saga, and is now host of mega projects like Shenmue 3, Bloodstained and Mighty N° 9, officially reincorporates itself as a “Public Benefit Corporation”.

Kickstarter's original founders
Kickstarter’s original founders.
From left to right: Charles Adler (left the company), Perry Chen and Yancey Strickler.

Kickstarter co-founders, Yancey Strickler and Perry Chen, decided to reincorporate their company to the “Public Benefit Corporation” circle. Along their transparency policies, they hope this keeps the company´s mission of helping “bring creative projects to life” as the top priority for present and future.

“We don´t ever want to sell out or go public”

Kickstarter´s goal is to help people bring their dream projects to reality with the power of “crowdfunding”: creators show what they are going for, and the public donates money if they want it to become real. Videogames accompany movies, gadgets and software as some of the most popular projects that find funding in Kickstarter.

Its own creators, however, have no interest in following the start-up usual way of handling things: finding your niche or big idea and milking it for profit is formal procedure for business, yet Kickstarter is only one of the companies classified as B Corporations – those trusted and certified by the “B Lab Group” as environmental friendly, socially responsible, and public-benefit oriented.

Strickler and Chen have also decided to take strict transparency measures within the company, like reporting all of its activities yearly to the public (even though, as a B Corp, its not required to) and adopting precepts as to never “use loopholes or other esoteric but legal management strategies to reduce its tax burdens”.

Shenmue 3 made possible by Kickstarter
After 14 years, the long awaited third installment of Shenmue was made possible by Kickstarter.

With constant pressure from investors and general public alike, the creators stand strong for the steady growth of the company in recent years, and for their investing policies which include reinvesting and donating 5 percent of after-tax profits in pro arts and equality causes.

Strickler and Chen talk a lot about their projections for the future of the business, as well as their impact on upcoming start-ups. By setting an example of maintaining values in front of extremely profitable choices, they hope new entrepreneurs can see it’s possible to sustain a reasonable profit margin without being “swept up by all the usual choices”, and just as important, want them to start by “thinking long term, thinking about how to look after the things they care about”.

Rather than changing the way Kickstarter works for videogame (and general) developers, these news reflect the deep care of the company to its public and principles, which could attract even more devs (seeing how hard this kind of well-meaning, creativity-incenting atmosphere is to find anywhere else). Serves right KS goals: bringing as many dream projects to life as they can.

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