What if Google and Kickstarter helped you launch your next technology product and put $10,000 behind your crowdfunding campaign? That is exactly what the Next Wave Fund is offering early-stage technology startups and small businesses. The programme is a collaboration between Google and Kickstarter and is designed to help entrepreneurs turn promising technology ideas into products that can actually reach customers.
Selected businesses receive a $10,000 pledge toward their Kickstarter funding goal, hands on support from Kickstarter’s Design & Technology team, free Google training and promotional opportunities. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis.
There is an important catch, though. This isn’t a $10,000 cheque that arrives simply because your application is approved. The funding comes as a pledge toward your Kickstarter campaign, meaning you still need to launch the campaign and successfully reach its funding goal. For a startup that is already preparing to launch, however, that could be a significant boost.
What Exactly does the Next Wave Fund support?
The programme focuses on technology and digital gaming projects. That includes hardware, software, new materials and products with innovative functionality. Gaming projects can involve software or hardware. So, imagine you are building a smart home device, developing an AI powered consumer product or you have created a piece of gaming hardware. These are the kinds of projects the programme is designed to support.
Kickstarter says there are more than 150 million startups globally, while small businesses account for more than 90% of businesses worldwide. The problem is that having a good product doesn’t automatically mean you know how to launch it. You might understand engineering but struggle with marketing. You might have built an excellent prototype but have no idea how to tell the story to potential customers. That is where this programme becomes more interesting than a simple grant. You are getting access to an ecosystem designed around actually launching the product.
The $10,000 Kickstarter pledge is obviously the headline. But it isn’t the only thing selected businesses receive. The programme also provides hands on guidance from Kickstarter’s Design & Technology team. That support covers areas such as campaign strategy, positioning, launch execution and community engagement. Think about what that means for a first-time founder.
You could have spent months developing a product and still have no idea how to present it. Imagine wondering:
- What should your Kickstarter page look like?
- How should you explain the product?
- How much should you ask for?
- What should your campaign video show?
- How do you build a community before launch?
- How do you keep potential customers interested?
Those questions can determine whether a crowdfunding campaign succeeds or disappears without attracting enough attention. Kickstarter isn’t leaving applicants to figure everything out alone. Selected recipients can work with its Design & Technology specialists while preparing their campaigns.
There’s also a Google component. Recipients receive no cost access to training designed by Google experts, including the Google AI Professional Certificate and workshops delivered by Grow with Google coaches. That could be particularly useful if you are building a technology business but don’t yet have strong AI or digital marketing skills.
You also get access to Kickstarter’s community forum for entrepreneurs in design and technology. Selected projects can receive promotional exposure through Kickstarter’s newsletter and social media channels.
So, the real package is closer to: $10,000 + crowdfunding expertise + Google training + community + potential marketing exposure.
That is considerably more interesting than the $10,000 figure alone.
Who can Apply?
This is where you need to pay close attention. The programme is intended for entrepreneurs and small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time employees. The primary applicant must also be at least 18 years old.
Before you apply remember there is a major geographic restriction. At least one member of the team must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident or O-1 visa holder, and the project’s bank account must be located in the United States. The person acting as the verified identity for launching the Kickstarter project must also meet the applicable U.S. requirements.
So, while the programme is backed by two globally recognized companies, this particular fund is not open to founders everywhere in the world. That is worth stating clearly because many funding articles leave out restrictions like this. If you are based outside the United States and don’t have an eligible U.S. team member or qualifying structure, this isn’t the opportunity for you.
Remember if you do meet the requirements, it could be worth investigating. You also don’t have to be a first-time entrepreneur. Kickstarter says applicants with previous experience are welcome, including creators who have run unsuccessful Kickstarter campaigns before. That is encouraging. A failed campaign doesn’t necessarily mean your next one will fail. In fact, you may have learned exactly what went wrong.
Before you apply it is important to consider the fact that you won’t be receiving the $10,000 simply for having a promising idea. If selected, you must launch your Kickstarter project within six months. And the $10,000 pledge is only released if the Kickstarter campaign successfully reaches its funding goal.
Kickstarter uses an all or nothing funding model. That means if your campaign doesn’t reach its target, the funds aren’t released. This changes how you should think about the application. Don’t apply with a product that is still nothing more than a vague concept. You should have a realistic plan for turning the project into a crowdfunding campaign.
Before you consider applying make sure that you need to know who your customers are. You understand roughly how much it will cost to produce the product. And you need to be able to explain why someone should care about your product.
If you can’t answer those questions yet, use the time to prepare. A good crowdfunding campaign starts long before the campaign page goes live. If you want to improve your crowdfunding knowledge, you can browse crowdfunding and Kickstarter books on Amazon. The programme is looking for businesses that are ready to move.
When to Apply
The biggest advantages of the opportunity is that application is on a rolling basis. There isn’t a single annual deadline you need to worry about. Google and Kickstarter say applications are being accepted on a rolling basis for the next year, with applicants selected on a rolling basis. You should therefore apply when your project is ready rather than rushing an unfinished idea to meet an arbitrary deadline.
Once selected, you’ll need to launch your Kickstarter project within six months. That means you should treat the application as the beginning of a launch process. Before you apply, ask yourself:
- Do we have a product people actually want?
- Can we explain it in a few sentences?
- Do we have a realistic production plan?
- Can we run a Kickstarter campaign within six months?
- Do we understand who our first customers will be?
- Do we meet the U.S. eligibility requirements?
If the answers are yes, you are in a much stronger position. And you don’t have to wait for a perfect moment. The programme is specifically aimed at early-stage technology startups and small businesses, which means you aren’t expected to be a giant company with thousands of employees.
Google and Kickstarter are betting on the next generation of products. This is something interesting about this programme that goes beyond the $10,000. Google and Kickstarter are effectively combining two things that early-stage businesses desperately need: Technology expertise and access to customers.
A startup can build an impressive product and still fail because nobody knows it exists. Another company can have an enormous audience but a weak product. The Next Wave Fund tries to address both sides. Kickstarter brings crowdfunding, community and campaign expertise. Google brings training, technology and access to its broader business ecosystem. The first recipients give you an idea of the range of products being supported.
They include projects involving robotic hands, AI translation, respiratory health, digital scent and noise reduction. That tells you something important. You don’t necessarily need to be building another smartphone app. The programme is interested in technology that can become a real product. If you have built something unusual but useful, don’t dismiss it simply because it doesn’t fit neatly into a traditional startup category.
How to Apply
The application is online. Apply for the Google and Kickstarter Next Wave Fund here. Before applying, read the eligibility requirements carefully, particularly the U.S. residency and banking requirements. You should also understand Kickstarter’s rules before designing your campaign.
Remember the $10,000 is a Kickstarter pledge, not guaranteed cash simply for being selected. Your campaign must launch within six months and successfully reach its funding goal before the pledge is released. That’s why I wouldn’t recommend applying just because you want $10,000. Apply if you are actually ready to launch.
Final Thoughts
Crowdfunding can be powerful because it changes the relationship between a startup and its customers. Instead of spending months building a product and hoping someone eventually buys it, you can test whether people are willing to support the idea before full production.
That doesn’t eliminate risk. But it can give you valuable market feedback. If your campaign succeeds, you have built a community which is something else that is extremely valuable. Your first backers aren’t just people who gave you money. They can become your earliest customers. They can provide feedback, tell you what features matter and can help you improve the product before it reaches a much larger market.
That is why the training and guidance attached to the Next Wave Fund may ultimately be worth more than the $10,000 pledge itself. You aren’t simply being handed money. You are being given help to learn how to turn a technology product into a campaign, a campaign into customers and customers into a business.
If you are an eligible U.S. based entrepreneur or small business with fewer than 20 employees and you’re building a technology or gaming product, this is one funding opportunity worth putting on your list.
Lantern Post may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through some links in this article. This does not affect the price you pay.
Also on the Lantern Post:
- Verizon Grant: Win $10,000 Free Funding for Your Small Business
- Amber Grant: How to Win $50,000 to Grow Your Business
- Entreprenista Evolve Grant: Get Free $5,000 for Your Business
- Need Money to Grow Your Business? Win $10,000 From Skip
