What it sells
crowdfunding platform for science
Business model breakdown
Buyer: who owns the budget?
UnverifiedIndividual backers and institutions pledging money; the paying side is the public/funders, while researchers are the supply side.
Workflow: what inputs become what output?
Researcher submits a project, Experiment staff review it for clarity, scientific accuracy and feasibility, it launches publicly, backers pledge (charged only if goal met), funds go to researcher without institutional overhead, and results are shared with backers.
Economics: what it saves and how it charges
Free to start a project; if fully funded Experiment charges an 8% platform fee plus payment processing fees (roughly 3-5%). It describes itself as a mission-driven for-profit company.
Distribution: how it reaches customers
Self-serve marketplace with staff project review; also institutional programs and partnerships (Duke University and themed programs listed).
Funding history and coverage
| Round date | Stage | Amount | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Y Combinator Winter 2013 | — | Y Combinator | ycombinator.com |
Profiles summarize public reporting and company websites. Business-model notes are MaxBC's reading of that material, not confirmed facts; unknowns are left blank rather than guessed. Updated 2026-10-12.