Kickstarter Acquires Huzza, Opens First International Office in Vancouver

Kickstarter has acquired Huzza, a platform for musicians to connect with fans through live video. Huzza was founded in 2015 by Justin Womersley and Nick Smit, who will join Kickstarter full-time.

Huzza will shut down at the end of February, Womersley says.

“Choosing to shutdown Huzza was an incredibly difficult decision for us, especially as Kickstarter gave us the opportunity to keep the platform going,” he wrote online. “Our mission with Huzza has always been to help creators connect and more deeply engage with their communities, and we felt that we can have a bigger impact on creators by focusing our efforts on Kickstarter.”

Kickstarter is also opening its first international office. Located in the historic Gastown borough of Vancouver, Womersley and Smit will build a team to develop and improve Kickstarter Live.

“When we first experienced [Huzza], it immediately struck a chord,” Kickstarter says. “It was intimate, it inspired personal connection, and it was clear how it would strengthen the best parts of Kickstarter while bringing our community to life in new ways.”

Kickstarter launched in Canada in 2013. Since then 10,000 projects have launched and $100 million has been pledged.

The company is now hiring in Vancouver.

https://borndigital.com/2016/09/12/pros-and-cons-equity-crowdfunding