Start the third chapter of your life after retirement Wadiz

재고없는 제품 창업으로 주목받았던 크라우드펀딩의 대표주자 와디즈가 창업 10년을 넘기면서 누적 거래액 1조원을 돌파했다. 단순 펀딩을 넘어 제품 유통과 직접투자까지 진행하며 스타트업 생태계의 선순환을 주도하고 있는 와디즈의 행보를 조망하며 국내 크라우드펀딩 산업이 일궈온 성과와 의미, 향후 성장 가능성까지 짚어본다. <편집자 주>

Wadiz, a pioneer in the domestic crowdfunding market, is gaining attention as a platform that offers new entrepreneurial opportunities to active seniors contemplating their third act in life after retirement. Under the motto “A world where anyone can take on a challenge,” Wadizprovides a gateway for anyone to embark on new ventures, and is widely regarded as the ideal platform for launching a third act in life—provided one possesses the necessary expertise and know-how.

According Wadiz Wadiz on the 1st, there has been a growing number of cases where seniors preparing for the third chapter of their lives are sharing their expertise or launching their own products in the “Classes” and “Consulting” categories on Wadiz, generating tens of millions of won in revenue. Wadizis establishing itself as a platform for the so-called “Third Age” era.

Earning tens of millions of won by sharing expertise… Start your third act of life Wadiz

In fact, Koo Ja-yong, author of *What to Sell?*, raised over 250 million won through a crowdfunding campaign that included a book on global brand sourcing, video lectures, one-on-one personalized email coaching, a comprehensive list of overseas wholesalers, and a comprehensive list of suppliers.

Image of the Wadiz 'Consulting' Class

A former beauty industry researcher has raised 240 million won in funding for a cosmetics line based on a fermentation concept. The brand promoted itself as a project created by a gray-haired researcher to commemorate her retirement, and the campaign concluded successfully as people who resonated with her development philosophy continued to contribute.

Under the motto "A world where anyone can take on a challenge," Wadizprovides a platform for everyone—from young entrepreneurs to active seniors contemplating life after retirement—to embark on new ventures. Users can share ideas on a wide range of topics, from specialized fields such as monetization, foreign languages, recipes, job hunting, and dating to everyday tips and tricks.

A know-how-related project launched Wadizraised a maximum of 650 million won, and the number of e-book projects related to side hustles and multiple jobs increased by 520% compared to the previous year. The average funding amount per supporter for e-books reached 140,000 won. Wadizis also hosting a separate “Know-How Special Exhibition” and recruiting makers to participate. Simply participating in the exhibition offers various benefits, including search visibility, exposure on the main and funding banners, and placement on the exhibition tab.

Wadizstated, Wadiza place where anyone—from individuals to small and large brands—can take on a challenge regardless of scale, and the same applies to sharing know-how.” They added, “In particular, Wadiz customers make an effort to understand a project’s value even if the funding story is long. “The response to know-how funding has been positive because many people evaluate projects based on their own criteria, rather than simply backing them because the maker is famous or because others say it’s good.”

“We do more than just provide opportunities—we help you become a funding expert…Wadiz Funding Planner’”

It’s not just about providing opportunities. We also run educational programs designed to share funding know-how to help entrepreneurs succeed in their fundraising efforts. A prime example is theWadiz,” an educational program tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs who have plenty of ideas but lack the know-how.

Launched in August of this year, the “2023 Crowdfunding Expert Training Program” is a startup ecosystem development initiative designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs, existing startups, and small business owners with the skills to provide funding consulting and effectively assist with actual funding campaigns. With a diverse group of participants ranging from students and office workers to self-employed individuals and retirees, approximately 80 participants completed the program—the first cohort in the Seoul and Gyeonggi regions and the second in the southeastern region of Busan.

2023 Crowdfunding Professional Training Program

Upon completing this course, you will be eligible to list your "Deal (Project)" Wadizand receive incentives based on commission rates and funding amounts when launching a maker funding project. All categories are open, including “Tech/Home Appliances,” “Fashion,” “Beauty,” “Food,” “Culture/Artists,” “Games/Hobbies,” and “Donations/Campaigns.” Among the first cohort of Funding Planners, there are already cases where individuals have personally launched three food projects, each raising over 10 million won.

A Wadiz representative stated, “The goal is to foster crowdfunding experts who can recommend makers and help projects succeed, thereby revitalizing the startup ecosystem and creating a virtuous cycle,” adding, “We also expect this initiative to help alleviate the concentration of venture startups in the Seoul metropolitan area by cultivating regional experts dedicated to supporting startups.”

(Original text: [ Wadiz: The #1 Startup Hub] "Start the third chapter of your life after retirement Wadiz… Anyone can take the plunge with our expertise and know-how")