Whether you’re already building something exciting or still in the ideation stage, crowdfunding can be a powerful tool to fund your startup, validate your idea, and build an early community. Missed the event? No worries! here’s a breakdown of the most valuable lessons from our speakers. 🎤 Arthur van der Graaf – The Strategy Behind a Successful Campaign Arthur van der Graaf kicked off the workshop with the theoretical and strategic foundation of crowdfunding. Drawing from his experience coaching dozens of founders, he broke down what makes a campaign succeed or fail. Here were some of his key insights: Arthur emphasized that the person behind the campaign matters just as much as the product. In his words: 🐝 Mateo Kaiser – Real Lessons from the Field Next, we heard from Mateo Kaiser, founder of Swarmed, on a mission to protect pollinators and connect beekeepers with real-time swarm alerts. His talk brought real-world insight from launching a purpose-driven campaign focused on sustainability and community engagement. Key lessons from Mateo’s journey: Swarmed has since saved over 10,000 bee swarms using data, smart alerts, and a growing community of supporters. A true example of mission meets method. Final Takeaways Crowdfunding is more than a fundraising tactic. It’s a testing ground, a branding exercise, and a launchpad all in one. Whether you’re building hardware, tech, or a social venture the core advice was the same: How HSiF Can Help Through our unique model, HSiF provides more than money: We help student entrepreneurs build meaningful ventures without giving up ownership just like we did with our first investment, SteamUp. Whether you’re still brainstorming or already building, remember: you don’t have to do it alone. The insights shared by Arthur and Mateo showed us that crowdfunding is as much about community and clarity as it is about funding. At HSiF, we’re here to help you turn your ideas into real-world impact with the right tools, the right support, and a network that believes in your vision. 🚀 Dream big. Start small. Launch smart.
On April 30th, we hosted the second edition of our HSiF Workshop Series: Crowdfund Your Idea! A hands-on, impact-driven session all about how student entrepreneurs can launch and scale their ideas through crowdfunding.
Platforms like Kickstarter won’t find backers for you. You need to bring your own crowd through email lists, followers, or personal outreach.
Your campaign starts way before your launch date. Warm up your audience, test your pitch, and prepare clear visuals and goals.
While numbers are important, backers respond to stories, not spreadsheets. Connect emotionally with your audience.
Define what you’re raising money for, what backers get in return, and what your roadmap looks like after funding.
Understand if your campaign is about building a brand and loyal community (heart) or strictly raising capital (hard).
“You matter most.”
Mateo’s campaign wasn’t just about tech, it was about saving bee populations and supporting local ecosystems. The mission mattered most.
Be real, transparent, and personal. His most effective content was behind-the-scenes, imperfect, and human.
Swarmed used their campaign to understand what messaging resonated, who their audience really was, and how to improve their concept.
Clear, engaging photography and graphics made a major difference in converting viewers into backers.
Mateo reminded us that a crowdfunding campaign is a living experiment, one you tweak as you go.
Be prepared, stay personal, and connect deeply with your audience.
