The Advancement of Crowdfunding | Big Think
The Advancement of Crowdfunding
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Kay Koplovitz, founder of the USA Networks, talks about the potential that crowdfunding has to give opportunities to more investors.
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FOUNDER, USA NETWORK:
Kay Koplovitz is the Founder of USA Network and the visionary who created the business model for cable networks by introducing the concept of two revenue streams – licensing and advertising. When she founded USA Network under the banner of Madison Square Garden Sports in 1977 she was the first woman to head a television network.
As a visionary of what sports television would become, Ms. Koplovitz launched major professional and collegiate sports on cable television by negotiating the first contracts and creating first cable coverage for Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League, the Masters from Augusta Georgia, the US Tennis Open and a collection of NCAA conference sporting events. She led USA Network to first place in cable prime time ratings and it remained there for 14 years. In 1992, she launched the Sci-Fi Channel (now The Syfy Channel) which has become a top ten rated cable network known for innovative drama and mini-series.In 1994, she launched USA Networks International, including The Sci-Fi Channel into 60 countries worldwide.
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TRANSCRIPT:
Kay Koplovitz: I think crowdfunding is a wonderful democratization of capital. It allows many more people to come into the marketplace. Heretofore when companies had to market themselves in closed networks that were presented as accredited investors by people they knew and had to go around one on one or in groups of people to promote your company and try to raise capital. Today on the platforms for crowdfunding really opens it up to anyone that can qualify as an accredited investor to really see all kinds of deal flow. So that’s a good thing. I think what we need to look at is as we develop this marketplace, most of it is early seed stage funding that is going on. So what is the next level? Where does this play in the food chain of capital raising? And right now it is mostly at the seed stage. And I think that one of the wonderful questions we’ll explore at Exponential Finance is, what are the next stages? How do venture funders look at the crowdfunding group of people as shareholders in the company? Will crowdfunding go to the next level and raise significantly more and really challenge some of the venture firms in funding companies?
Unlikely that it would be at the 25, 50 and 100 million dollar levels but it certainly could be at the five million dollar level where a lot of early stage venture firms are today. I think that angel investing clubs which are very popular now around the country — and I know they’re those that are investing in women. We have, you know, Bell Capital and Golden Seeds and 37 Angels and they’re all over the country. But, how do they feel? I think there’s a little feel of threatening their marketplace by crowdfunding and so I think there are a lot of questions about how companies present themselves. But I do think bottom line it is a democratization of capital and it’ll work its way out in the marketplace and it’ll be a mature way of raising fund as we go forward. So I think it’s a very exciting time in the marketplace and this, I think, is going to loosen up some of the capital that is really in the hands of individuals around the country who haven’t had the opportunity to really see a good deal flow and they are going to be able to access it now if they want to be active on any of these platforms raising funding.
Directed/Produced by Jonathan Fowler, Elizabeth Rodd, and Dillon Fitton
Kay Koplovitz, founder of the USA Networks, talks about the potential that crowdfunding has to give opportunities to more investors.
@dperry19661
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
high tech panhandling………..bum by any other name is still a loser
@BilalJMuhammad
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
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@mouthpiece200
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Crowd funding can wreck the economy if it gets too big. Capital should go to the expert who can use the money as efficiently as possible, not to whoever can sweet talk a mass of laymen who know nothing about the subject. Masses of money will be pissed away through emotional words, while worthy (yet boring) projects will have to do without funding. One would think a Big Thinker would already have thought this through.
@aurelianaxinte4341
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
nu
@God_is_Justice
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
crowd funding is excellent idea for hookers….
@johannpresentsthecatrinabl1274
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Only the rich get crowdfunded. Idiot crowds.
@johnnyxp64
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Yeap she has no idea about starcitizen that allready hit 49million and is goig to be 50.000.000 next month!
@Larbydarg
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Here's why I don't bother clicking on most Big Think videos: it's because when they show up in my stream, instead of getting a brief summary of what the video is about, all I ever get is "Don't miss new Big Think videos! Subscribe by clicking here" for every single video.
I think most people using YouTube understand about subscribing to channels for which they enjoy the content. Please provide proper summaries, BT; the useless subscription instructions just makes me want to un-subscribe.
@TheChrispylad
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
we need more people to help in crowd funding go to Indiegogo.com, help is needed in the community section.
@poolboyinla
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
I just started doing crowdfunding.
@MKR178
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
"Democratisation of capital"
"Marketplace"
"Deal-flow" (?)
"Early seed-stage funding" (?)
"Food chain of capital-raising"
"Venture firms"
"A little feel"
"Loosen up some of the capital"
@TempestTossedWaters
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
You know nothing Kay Kopolowitz, Star Citizen has already crowdfunded 45 million dollars.
@gststg64849
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
A guy made 50000 for doing himself a potato salad which makes all this video invalid and also once you realize that the people who gave him money vote, you understand that "democratization" of anything isn't good.
@Neueregel
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Ain't gonna work. People hate to people for things
@Urhoboman5
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Crowd funding could be awesome.
Unfortunately too many good ideas don't get supported.
And too many scams go on and fool many gullible people.
Interesting how some of the most talented and intelligent people are honest but can't market their idea.
And people who aren't talented but are sociopaths, dishonest and are very good at marketing get millions of dollars for shitty ideas.
SMH!
@JangleStudios
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Star citizen is almost at the 50 million dollar level that she was talking about
@191125
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Kay Koplovitz is an icon and hugely influential in the media. It would be amazing if Big Think could get her to do a series of videos on entrepreneurial strategies for women or even an educational segment on the current state of technology in communication.
@DoesRocksFloat
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 am
Shout out to Roosterteeth's Lazer Team crowdfunding campaign:
#1 crowdfunded movie on IGG
#3 overall crowdfunded movie
37,000+ Backers
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