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02/20/2019 | Pressemitteilung

Five years of UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING

The regional crowdfunding site UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING celebrates its fifth anniversary. UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING looks back on numerous successfully implemented projects. The website launched on February 20, 2014, and has raised a total of more than 735,000 euros. UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING is a cooperation project of the University of Kassel, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Kassel GmbH and Science Park Kassel.

Image: Andreas Fischer.
Five years ago UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING started with first projects.

Since the launch of UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING, 59 projects have taken advantage of the crowdfunding opportunities on UNIKAT. 39 of these projects, more than 60 percent, were successfully financed and implemented as a result. More than 735,000 euros were collected in the process. It is the first regional crowdfunding project initiated by a university.The project is part of the crowdfunding platform Startnext, the largest provider in Germany.

Crowdfunding offers project starters from a wide variety of fields (art, film, music, design, inventions, start-ups, etc.) the opportunity to present their ideas online and to finance them with the help of numerous supporters.

UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING offers projects individual and personal support in planning the crowdfunding campaign from the very beginning. Project support is provided by Science Park Kassel. The basic principles of crowdfunding are explained in regular workshops. In addition, all participating project starters can receive individual support in the process and have access to a network of experts.

"The numbers speak for themselves," says Annika Wallbach from Science Park Kassel "UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING has been able to establish itself in the Kassel region and has become a promising tool for project financing."

One example of the successful use of crowdfunding in the Kassel region is inventor and entrepreneur Carsten Waldeck. Waldeck, founder of the company SHIFT, produces sustainable smartphones and laptops and has conducted three successful crowdfunding campaigns within the last five years. With 164,000 euros, he holds the record for the highest funding achieved on UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING.

The website's initiators - the university, the business development agency and Science Park - want to build on the successes and further expand UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING. For example, regular contests on changing topics are to be held.

The crowdfunding campaigns of all 59 projects can be found at www.unikat-crowdfunding.de

 

Contact:

Annika Wallbach
Science Park Kassel / Project Management UNIKAT CROWDFUNDING
Tel: +49 561 95379-605
E-Mail: wallbach[at]sciencepark-kassel[dot]de