Makuake is a diverse and popular Japanese crowdfunding platform. The term "Makuake," which means "the beginning," captures the essence and mission of the company, which is to help projects at their initial stages. The company was founded in May 2013 by Ryotaro Nakayama. It began as a a subsidiary company of CyberAgent Group, a major media firm in Japan, and is now its own spin-off company. Although crowdfunding is a fairly new concept in Asia, Makuake has spearheaded many influential projects and ventures. 

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Makuake boasts 500,000 users and backers and has launched over 3,000 successful campaigns. In 2017 alone, they helped bring 1,000 projects to life. Their campaigns range from fashion items, IoT, anime content, celebrity projects, sporting and amusement events, and even food. Imported products also have a heavy presence on Makuake. Some of their most funded projects include Mago Channel, Aichi, Roast Horse, Kono Sekai No Katasumi Ni, the Up Up Girls, and Ab Aeterno. Contrary to other platforms, Makuake has an option for creators to gain funds even if their goals are not met.