New partnership unites the global leader in creative crowdfunding with Alibaba.com’s vast B2B ecosystem to fuel product-based entrepreneurship at scale
NEW YORK, July 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Alibaba.com, a leading business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce platform, today announced that Kickstarter has been named the official Crowdfunding Partner of CoCreate Pitch 2025, a $1 million global pitch competition designed to empower entrepreneurs to take their product ideas from prototype to global distribution.
This strategic partnership brings together two global platforms that share a commitment to empowering entrepreneurs: Kickstarter, where creative ideas gain early support and funding, and Alibaba.com, where businesses scale to global markets. Together, they unite proven ecosystems — Kickstarter’s community of 23 million backers who’ve pledged over $8.5 billion to creative projects, and Alibaba.com’s network of 50 million global business buyers and 200 thousand suppliers across 200+ countries, plus AI-powered sourcing tools and supply chain expertise. By bridging crowdfunding and commerce, the partnership gives entrepreneurs the resources, visibility, guidance and infrastructure they need to launch and grow their businesses.
“At Alibaba.com, our mission has always been to make it easy to do business anywhere,” said Kuo Zhang, President of Alibaba.com. “We’re constantly evolving the ways we support entrepreneurs—from global sourcing and supply chain services to the latest innovations like AI-powered sourcing tool Accio. This partnership with Kickstarter aligns perfectly with that mission, creating a stronger bridge between idea and execution. Through CoCreate Pitch, we’re excited to support a new generation of founders with not just funding, but also the tools, expertise, and infrastructure to help them grow and compete globally.”
“Over the past 16 years at Kickstarter, we’ve seen time and time again how a single idea – when met with a community that believes in it – can become something real. We’re proud to be a part of this year’s CoCreate programming and excited to support both the competition and the journey that follows. For the finalists who choose to launch on Kickstarter, we’re looking forward to helping them take the next step: bringing their ideas to life with the support of a passionate global community.” said Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter.
Unveiled as part of Alibaba.com’s flagship event CoCreate, CoCreate Pitch is set to become the world’s largest product-focused pitch competition. With a total $1 million prize pool, the competition invites global entrepreneurs to apply, with 100 semi-finalists selected to pitch live at two major events: Las Vegas (70 semi-finalists, September 4–5, 2025) and London (30 semi-finalists, November 14, 2025).
Two grand prize winners—one from each region—will each receive $200,000 (split evenly between cash and Alibaba.com sourcing credits). An additional 20 winners will receive up to $40,000 each under the same terms. All participants will gain complimentary access to Alibaba.com’s sourcing tools, supplier network, and global B2B platform.
As part of the collaboration, Alibaba.com and Kickstarter will launch co-branded digital portals on both Kickstarter.com and AlibabaCoCreate.com, offering applicants tailored resources and streamlined entry into the CoCreate Pitch competition.
Kickstarter will also lead a featured panel discussion on alternative funding models during CoCreate 2025, and play an active role in the pitch competition itself. Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, will serve on the judging panel of CoCreate Pitch. In addition, Kickstarter will offer a cohort-based coaching program for pitch winners who plan to launch their crowdfunding campaigns within 12 months of the events.
Finalists who launch campaigns on Kickstarter within this timeframe will receive exclusive benefits on both platforms, including homepage feature listing on Kickstarter.com, newsletter placements, coaching from Kickstarter experts, and promotional spotlights on both platforms’ marketing channels.
Entrepreneurs can enter CoCreate Pitch by submitting a 30-second video on Instagram or TikTok using the hashtag #CoCreatePitch and tagging @Alibaba.com_official, or by completing the entry form at https://pitch.alibabacocreate.com. The registration deadline for the Las Vegas event is August 15th, and for London event is October 15th. Submissions will be evaluated based on innovation, feasibility, and market potential. Finalists will be judged by a panel of seasoned investors, industry leaders, and e-commerce experts.
For more information about CoCreate Pitch or to apply, visit www.alibabacocreate.com.
Media Contact:
Alibaba.com
Mike Hong
mike.hong@alibaba-inc.com
Kickstarter
Nikki Kria
press@kickstarter.com
About Alibaba.com
Launched in 1999, Alibaba.com is a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce that serves buyers and suppliers from over 200 countries and regions around the world. It is engaged in services covering various aspects of commerce, including providing businesses with tools that help them reach a global audience for their products and helping buyers discover products, find suppliers and place orders online fast and efficiently. Alibaba.com is part of Alibaba International Digital Commerce Group.
About Kickstarter
Kickstarter is on a mission to bring creative projects to life. As the leading crowdfunding and launch platform, Kickstarter is home to the world’s largest backer community — 23 million strong and counting. Since 2009, the platform has fueled innovation across 15 categories, helping over 275,000 projects get funded and attracting more than $8 billion in pledges from backers.
As a Public Benefit Corporation, Kickstarter is committed to equity and transparency, prioritizing the success of independent creators, diverse perspectives, and the strength of a global community that shapes and defines culture.