Handbook for starters

First steps

Welcome to Startnext! We are happy that you're here. You want to fund your project, your startup or an innovative product? At Startnext you can present your idea to a large audience, build a community and fund your project with the support of many people.

• Discover successfully funded projects on Startnext and follow current campaigns. 9 out of 10 starters first support another project to get to know crowdfunding properly.
• Inform yourself, for example here in our handbook or with the offers in the grey resources box. Talk to other starters: You can ask questions in our Facebook Group or contact starters directly.
• Test your knowledge in our crowdfunding quiz (German) and check if your project fits our guidelines.

1. Draft phase: Preparing your campaign

• Create your project draft and fill it with life step by step. Your project draft is not yet public and you can edit everything until you activate the funding phase.
• Verify your account in the interface under "verification". im Interface im Punkt "verification". The verification usually takes 3 working days.
• When your project page is complete, you can activate the starting phase yourself in the interface. During the starting phase your project page is publicly visible, but you can't collect money yet.

2. Starting phase: Get feedback

• Send your friends the link to your project page and ask them for feedback on your idea and your project page and optimize your presentation.
• Plan your communication for the funding phase and start building your crowd.
• When you are ready, double check the dates for your campaign and apply for the funding phase in the interface. We will check your project within 3 working days. After that you can activate the funding phase yourself at any time.

3. Funding phase: Communicate your idea and collect funding

• Communicate your project and excite as many supporters as possible for your idea. Answer their questions and appreciate their interest.
• At Startnext we have the all or nothing principle. For a successful project you need to reach at least your first funding goal.
• Once you have reached your funding goal, it is not over yet. You can overfund your project as much as you like.

4. Completion phase: Realize your idea and send out the rewards

• In order to receive your money, you need to complete your verification now. Your money will be paid 21 days after successful verification reduced by the fees.
• Celebrate your success and thank your supporters. You can download your list of supporters with their information in the interface under "supporters". The list is not final until the money is in your account.
• Now you can realize your project! Keep your supporters informed and send the rewards when they're ready.

• If your project is not successfully funded, we will pay your supporters their money back. You have no costs and do not need to send any rewards. Thank your supporters and evaluate their feedback. You can start a new project any time.