Crowdfunding and Bitcoin seem like an ideal fit. In a lot of ways, they have worked really well together. But the traditional, Kickstarter-type sites haven't been as successful.
It isn't immediately apparent why, crowdfunding is a product (mostly) of the internet, Bitcoin is the currency of the internet, it should be a perfect marriage. It could be because Bitcoin is still a speculative investment for most people, and perhaps they don't want to spend it to make someone else's dream come true.
Whatever the reason, it's services like Swarm that have been getting a lot of attention and has had success funding actual projects. They make unique use of the technology, giving backers an option to receive more than just a reward, and it really personifies the possibilities behind blockchain technologies.
Which is why it is nice to see a very “Kickstarter-like” project funding on Swarm doing so well. The Hunt For Satoshi is Bitcoin's first comic/graphic novel and it is already doing very well in its funding campaign.
Details on the story are scarce, but if it wasn't clear from the title, the first three sample pages indicate it will follow multiple characters in the hunt for Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin's famed and anonymous creator and one character who may or may not be him, known as Bob.
Of course, while this project seems like one that would be on Kickstarter, it still has the Swarm technology behind it and all the inherent advantages that come with that. While backers won't receive dividends or anything like that, they will receive comic coins and will be able to use them to vote on the direction of the project in some way. The creators are also looking into giving coin owners ownership of the intellectual property as well.
At press time, The Hunt For Satoshi has raised 14.05 BTC of its 42 BTC goal and is funding until October 15th.
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