[modernerd]

I explained Kickstarter to a friend recently:

Friend: "So you don't actually get a share in their company?"

Me: "That's right. You're just proving that the thing they're proposing to make is worth making."

Friend: "And they're contractually obliged to manufacture that thing within a certain timeframe, right?"

Me: "Well, no, not really. The timeline they propose in their pitch is more of a best-case scenario."

Friend: "I see. So let's say they build the thing you're paying for on time. If they become the next Apple down the line, the warm fuzzy feeling for knowing that you helped to 'kickstart' them is enough for you, is it?"

There's definitely a market for equity-style crowdfunding, and FundedByMe looks promising.