PNNL

Abstract

Monthly economic diversity column for Tri-City Herald; excerpt here: As I walk through my garden, marveling at the fresh treats in store and wondering what I’ll do when 47 bell peppers ripen at once, I also wistfully think of the one crop that continues to elude even the greenest of thumbs. The money tree. It’s fun to imagine the possibilities a money tree would offer, branch after branch reaching out to support one’s life pursuits. Go ahead, take a minute... Back in reality, I realize how valuable this concept could be to many entrepreneurs out there in possession of the next game-changing idea, without the capital to move forward. Enter Kickstarter.com, a highly successful example in a growing genre of websites devoted to crowdfunding. In the past few years, crowdfunding has become a disruptive element in the startup process, enabling inventors and promoters of numerous causes to generate capital through a consensus of virtual supporters, a money giving tree of sorts, without sacrificing equity in their projects or circling the globe chasing venture capital and angel money.