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Comment by scottbartell | Hacker News Reader

I really don't understand differentiating a crowdfunding platform based on specific industry.

This would imply that the platform can create a community of people who are willing to donate over and over again to several relatively similar campaigns. Kickstarter does not work this way.

Kickstarter has been successful not because of their "community of investors/doners" but because they provide people who have an idea with a tool that they can use to reach out to their already existing followers and friends.

The doners of kickstarter campaigns come from the campaigns existing connections.. not from kickstarter itself.

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Don't you think that specific industries may need specific tools that Kickstarter doesn't provide?

And the "return" is absolutely different...

I think that these simple things are the sparkle to create the need for separated platforms.

However, many of these alternative croudfunding platforms are not implementing any difference. And there I will support your point of view, there is no need to do that. In fact, it should be better to take advantage of Kickstarter's moment of inertia.

I can't really think of a good example of a tool that is needed to crowdfund a project in a specific industry.. but this is the best argument I've heard and I can imagine something like this actually actually adding some value.

There are many things I'd expect as such tools/customisations... A pair of simple examples:

* Specialised support: the croudfunding platform could offer legal and strategic support in the narrow field they are focusing. I think Kickstarter cannot embrace all industries even if they try.

* Specialised tools and rules: Each platform must have extremely distinct interactions with the backers and product outcomes. In an academic platform (as the one being discussed) I'd expect some tools for scientific divulgation (which must be a mandatory "return" from crowdsourced research projects) and collaboration (which must be extraordinarily stimulated). I think Kickstarter will never consider/establish these rules/tools.

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