It's also a statement that's qualified in an absurd way: "would-be businesses".
Even then, there are at least a few very successful videogame projects that fit the bill, Al Lowe's Leisure Suit Larry and Jane Jensen's Pinkerton Road being the most prominent.
I think it's worth looking at Kickstarter for different industries in very very different ways. For hardware manufacturing (which seems to be the only thing discussed on HN), it's a huge risk. For just about everything else, it's well-established and fairly predictable.
Even then, there are at least a few very successful videogame projects that fit the bill, Al Lowe's Leisure Suit Larry and Jane Jensen's Pinkerton Road being the most prominent.
I think it's worth looking at Kickstarter for different industries in very very different ways. For hardware manufacturing (which seems to be the only thing discussed on HN), it's a huge risk. For just about everything else, it's well-established and fairly predictable.