Perry Chen (born ) is an American entrepreneur best known for being the creator and principal founder of
Kickstarter
Kickstarter, PBC is an American Benefit corporation, public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York City, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative project ...
, the online
crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and Alternative Finance, alternative finance, to fund projects "withou ...
platform for creative projects. He came up with the idea for Kickstarter in 2001 and launched it in 2009 along with co-founders Charles Adler and
Yancey Strickler.
Education
Chen is an alumnus of
Hunter College High School
Hunter College High School is a public academic magnet secondary school located in the Carnegie Hill section of the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is administered and funded by Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY) and no t ...
in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
and
Tulane University
The Tulane University of Louisiana (commonly referred to as Tulane University) is a private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by a cohort of medical doctors, it b ...
in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
.
Work
Chen co-founded the Southfirst gallery in
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...
in 2001, was a
TED Fellow in 2010, a resident of Laboratorio para la Ciudad in
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
in 2014, and is a 2016 Director's Fellow at the
MIT
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1861, MIT has played a significant role in the development of many areas of modern technology and sc ...
Media Lab. In 2017, he was appointed to the Knight Commission on Trust, Media and American Democracy — a nonpartisan commission of leaders across media, technology, and public policy tasked with guiding the public discourse on rebuilding trust in America's democratic institutions.
In 2013, he was honored on the annual list of ''
Time's'' 100 most influential people.
In 2014, Chen stepped down as chief executive officer of Kickstarter and left the role to co-founder Yancey Strickler. December 2014, Chen exhibite
"Computers in Crisis"for the
New Museum's First Look program, co-presented by Rhizome and Creative Time Reports. The exhibition included the event Y2K+15, an exploration of the phenomenon and legacy of
Y2K, held at the New Museum.
In 2017, Chen returned again as CEO
where he remained until March 2019. He continues to serve as chairman of Kickstarter's board.
Personal Life
Chen grew up on
Roosevelt Island, New York
See also
*
Tech companies in the New York metropolitan area
Technology companies in the New York City metropolitan area represent a significant and growing economic component of the New York metropolitan area, the most populous combined statistical area in the United States and one of the most populous ...
References
External links
Perry Chen StudioKickstarter
Quick Summary:
Perry chen was born in New York, grew up with both his parents in Roosevelt Island in New York City.As an adult he made kickstarter and now is 47.
Living people
Artists from New York City
American artists of Chinese descent
American chief executives of financial services companies
American financial company founders
American technology chief executives
American technology company founders
Businesspeople from New York City
Hunter College High School alumni
1976 births
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