Crowdfunding from Coursera

What's inside

Syllabus

Module 1

This module was designed to give you a deep understanding of what crowdfunding is and what it does. You’ll learn the definition of crowdfunding, compare the two most prevalent types—equity and reward-based—and understand how crowdfunding is different from other approaches to raising capital. You’ll explore critical components of crowdfunding, and discover the importance of community and social networks in a successful crowdfunding campaign. By the end of this module, you’ll gain a better understanding of how crowdfunding works, and use your power of social connections to ensure success for your campaign.

Module 2

In this module, you’ll explore how to prepare for a successful campaign, including how much time you should expect to spend and how much money you should seek to raise. By looking at the different types of rewards and reward levels, you’ll be able to weigh the benefits and costs of reward types for your campaign, and find the right balance that will work for your budget. Then you’ll learn about both successful strategies and common pitfalls in preparing for your crowdfunding campaign, such as the use of helpers or consultants. By the end of this module, you’ll have built effective strategies for preparing and budgeting your crowdfunding campaign, and be able to tackle any issue that your campaign might face in achieving its goal.

Module 3

This module was designed to help you develop and manage a live crowdfunding effort, from pitching your idea to ensuring long-term success. By discussing examples of both high-quality and low-quality pitches, you’ll learn what makes messages memorable and be able to craft an effective pitch for your campaign. You’ll assess the differing benefits of showing prototypes and teaser trailers, and explore some of the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs have faced when delivering their projects and how to avoid them. By the end of this module, you’ll be able to employ a toolbox of approaches to craft a convincing pitch, and be prepared with the best solution to any situation.

Module 4

In this module, you’ll examine some of the science behind crowdfunding, including how crowds think, and how fraud and failure is spotted. By looking at examples of studies done on collective thinking and decision-making, you’ll learn about Linus’ Law and how the crowd exerts rational criteria when determining which campaigns are fraudulent or worthy of support. You’ll gain a better understanding of your backers and better leverage their influence to bring success to your own campaign. You’ll explore who is successful in crowdfunding campaigns, and the experience of women to see the value of sharing common ground with your backers. By the end of this module, you’ll have a deeper understanding of the components for success in crowdfunding campaigns, and be able to leverage them to successfully fund your startup or other ventures.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops core skills in crowdfunding, which is highly relevant to entrepreneurs and startups

Teaches essential strategies for preparing, budgeting, and managing crowdfunding campaigns

Provides insights from successful crowdfunding campaigns and campaign creators

Led by Ethan Mollick, a recognized expert in crowdfunding

Examines the science behind crowdfunding, including group decision-making and fraud detection

May require prerequisite knowledge or experience in fundraising or entrepreneurship

Reviews summary

Excellent overview of crowdfunding

Learners say this engaging and informative course provides a comprehensive overview of crowdfunding. Well-crafted videos, case studies, and interviews are used to make the easy-to-understand material come to life. The course is especially appreciated for the useful insights provided by crowdfunding experts and practitioners.

Concepts are presented clearly and concisely.

"Pretty good. The course serves as a means to understand how crowdfunding works and why it is an effective method to raise capital especially for startups."

"It was presented in a manner that was simple to follow and understand, which I think helped a lot in my retention of information."

"The course is well-researched, interesting, presented in an understandable manner."

Real-world examples help illustrate key concepts.

"Very good introductory course. Great for people looking to further understand crowdfunding, the common pitfalls and best practices."

"A great course that gave good insights into the basics of crowdfunding."

"Clear and informative course material. Interesting interviews with experts in the field, including an intelligent and empathic presenter."

Interviews with experts provide valuable insights.

"Excellent interviews! Very informative and entertaining."

"The interviews were particularly compelling and managed to summarize what was defined during the lessons and give inspiration."

"I really liked the fact that he interviewed people who work for the top companies involved in crowdfunding!"

Some learners would prefer more hands-on practice.

"The course is neither theoretical interesting and for someone who needs to learn how to organize their crowdfunding it is not very hands on either."

Some learners mention that the information is outdated.

"It’s a good course but not very deep or meaty - some good insights but not great value for the price."

"Great course to get to know the fundamentals of crowfunding and get to hear some exprienced people in the matter.Course could be even better if it were slightly more practice-oriented."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Crowdfunding with these activities:

Crowdfunding Campaign Ideation

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Helps you generate creative ideas for your crowdfunding campaign.

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Brainstorm a list of potential crowdfunding campaign ideas.
Evaluate the viability of each idea based on factors such as market demand, competition, and your own skills and resources.
Select the most promising idea and develop a detailed plan for its execution.
Conduct thorough research on similar crowdfunding campaigns to learn from their successes and failures.

Crowdfunding Campaign Budget

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Helps you plan and manage the financial aspects of your crowdfunding campaign.

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Estimate the costs associated with your campaign, such as platform fees, marketing expenses, and production costs.
Create a detailed budget that outlines your income and expenses.
Identify potential sources of funding to cover any budget shortfalls.
Track your expenses throughout the duration of your campaign.

Crowdfunding Campaign Pitch Video

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Provides you with an opportunity to practice creating a compelling pitch that will attract backers to your campaign.

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Write a clear and concise script for your pitch video.
Record yourself delivering the pitch, paying attention to your body language, tone, and delivery.
Edit the video to create a polished and engaging presentation.
Share your pitch video with others for feedback and suggestions.

Two other activities

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Attend Crowdfunding Industry Events

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Gives you the opportunity to connect with other crowdfunding professionals, learn about industry trends, and get feedback on your campaign ideas.

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Research upcoming crowdfunding industry events in your area.
Attend the events and actively participate in discussions and networking sessions.
Connect with other attendees on LinkedIn or other social media platforms.

Crowdfunding Campaign Management

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Allows you to apply the principles of crowdfunding to a real-world project, providing you with hands-on experience in managing a campaign.

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Choose a platform to launch your crowdfunding campaign.
Set a funding goal and timeline for your campaign.
Create and manage your campaign page, including setting up rewards and perks for backers.
Promote your campaign through social media, email marketing, and other channels.
Track your progress and make adjustments as needed throughout the duration of your campaign.

Career center

Learners who complete Crowdfunding will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Fundraising Manager

A Fundraising Manager is responsible for raising funds for an organization, typically a nonprofit or educational institution. Crowdfunding is a powerful tool for raising funds, and this course can help you learn the ins and outs of crowdfunding so that you can be more successful in your fundraising efforts. You'll learn how to prepare for a successful campaign, develop and manage a live crowdfunding effort, and use the science behind crowdfunding to your advantage.

See salaries and explore the career path for Fundraising Manager

Marketing Manager

A Marketing Manager is responsible for developing and executing marketing campaigns for a company or organization. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for marketing a new product or service, and this course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to reach your target audience and achieve your marketing goals. You'll learn how to develop a compelling pitch, create a successful crowdfunding campaign, and use social media to promote your campaign.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Social Media Manager

A Social Media Manager is responsible for managing the social media presence of a company or organization. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for building a social media following and engaging with your audience. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to grow your social media presence and achieve your social media marketing goals.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Public relations manager

A Public Relations Manager is responsible for managing the public image of a company or organization. Crowdfunding can be a powerful tool for building relationships with the public and generating positive publicity. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to build a strong public relations campaign for your company or organization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Product Manager

A Product Manager is responsible for developing and managing a product or service. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for getting feedback on a new product or service, and for raising funds to bring your product to market. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to develop and launch a successful product.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Entrepreneur

An Entrepreneur is someone who starts and runs their own business. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for starting a business, and for raising funds to grow your business. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to launch and grow your own business.

See salaries and explore the career path for Entrepreneur

Freelance Writer

A Freelance Writer is a writer who is not employed by a single company, but rather works on a project-by-project basis. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for freelance writers to raise funds for their projects. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to fund your freelance writing projects and grow your freelance writing business.

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Nonprofit Executive Director

A Nonprofit Executive Director is responsible for the overall management of a nonprofit organization. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for nonprofits to raise funds and build support for their mission. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to raise funds for your nonprofit organization and achieve your mission.

See salaries and explore the career path for Nonprofit Executive Director

Community Organizer

A Community Organizer works to bring people together to address a common issue or goal. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for community organizers to raise funds and build support for their initiatives. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to organize your community and achieve your goals.

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Political Campaign Manager

A Political Campaign Manager is responsible for managing a political campaign. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for political campaigns to raise funds and build support for their candidate. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to raise funds for your political campaign and get your candidate elected.

See salaries and explore the career path for Political Campaign Manager

Filmmaker

A Filmmaker creates and directs films. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for filmmakers to raise funds for their projects and build support for their work. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to fund your film projects and grow your career as a filmmaker.

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Artist

An Artist creates original works of art. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for artists to raise funds for their projects and build support for their work. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to fund your artistic projects and grow your career as an artist.

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Writer

A Writer creates written works such as books, articles, and scripts. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for writers to raise funds for their projects and build support for their work. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to fund your writing projects and grow your career as a writer.

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Musician

A Musician creates and performs music. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for musicians to raise funds for their projects and build support for their music. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to fund your musical projects and grow your career as a musician.

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Teacher

A Teacher educates students. Crowdfunding can be a valuable tool for teachers to raise funds for their classrooms and projects. This course can help you learn how to use crowdfunding to fund your teaching projects and improve the learning experience for your students.

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Reviews summary

Excellent overview of crowdfunding

Activities

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