His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco awarded the 2012 Monaco Media Prize today to Kickstarter, the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. The Prize, recognizing innovation in media for the betterment of humanity, is a highlight of the annual Monaco Media Forum. The prize proceeds will be used to make direct grants to Kickstarter projects in the name of Les Amis du Monte Carlo.
Kickstarter, co-founded by Perry Chen, Yancey Strickler, and Charles Adler, has become the world's largest open funding platform for creative projects. Kickstarter receives tens of thousands of weekly requests from people who pledge millions of dollars to projects from the world of music, film, art, technology, design, games, fashion, food, publishing, and other creative fields. Since its launch in early 2009, more than three million people have pledged more than $400 million to projects by creators who maintain full ownership and complete creative control of their work.
"Making profits and benefiting humanity can - and every often do - go hand in hand,"
said Prince Albert as he awarded the prize.
This year's award broke from tradition on multiple levels as the winner was chosen directly by the Les Amis du Monaco community, the new membership organization launched by the MMF. It is also the first time the award is being given to a commercial start-up rather than a non-profit or social venture.
