Episode 17: Danae Ringelmann ’00

Catalyze

On this episode of Catalyze, you'll hear from Danae Ringelmann ’00, co-founder of Indiegogo—a crowdfunding platform that disrupted the fundraising industry when it hit the market in 2008.

While Danae and her team were getting the company off the ground, people told them it was a mistake to host it online. In more recent years, the company has faced criticism for its “anything-goes” approach to its mission of democratizing finance. Danae and her team have weathered it all, helping 15 million people raise $1.3 billion for all kinds of projects—including independent films, an electric bike company you'll hear about in a few minutes, and many, many niche products that most likely would never have gotten off the ground otherwise.

Through her work with Indiegogo, Danae has been named to a number of major influencer lists, including Fortune Magazine's 40 under 40. She's spoken at all kinds of conferences around the world. She's even testified for a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee about innovative ways for small businesses to raise capital.

A few months ago, Danae stepped back from Indiegogo to pursue new directions in her life, which she discusses in the recorded conversation. However, she still serves on Indiegogo's board.