The Shopify Fund is designed to boost the Shopify platform ecosystem, used by 50,000+ online shops.
We’ll be giving away cash to developers, designers and entrepreneurs that want to build apps and other useful applications that enrich the Shopify platform.
How does it work? It's easy.
If you have an idea for an app or utility, tell us about it. We’ll evaluate it, and if we decide to support your project, we’ll provide an advance in the neighborhood of $2,000 - $10,000 on future sales in the App Store. It’s like the advances that authors get on sales of their books. And just like those advances, it lets you focus on your Shopify project for a few weeks without having to worry about how you’re going to pay the rent, mortgage and the usual cost of living.
If you don’t have an idea for an app or utility but have the programming skill to write one, tell us about yourself. We have a wish list of apps that we’d like to see written, and if we think you have the skills, we’ll assign you the task of writing it, as well as give you the same kind of advance that we’re giving to developers with app ideas.
Still on the fence? If you:
- Have a great idea for a Shopify app or utility and would like to be able to spend a few weeks developing it full-time
- Don’t have an idea for a Shopify app or utility but would like to be able to work full-time on one from our App Wish List
- Want to work on a feature or tool that will help our merchants grow their online businesses
Then the Shopify Fund might be for you! It’s our program to give you enough money to work on a Shopify project full-time.
The ideal Fund submission
The three key things we're looking for in a submission are:
- Well defined app features
- Wireframes for all major app screens
- A description about the talented developer that's going to put it all together
Your App
The easiest way to describe your app is to write a list of all the things merchants and customers can do with it. For example:
- "The app automatically tweets whenever a product goes on sale"
- "Customers can click on links in the tweets to be taken directly to the product page"
You
The ideal developer for the Fund is someone who:
- Can work independently and manage their time well with minimal supervision
- Can stick to a schedule
- Has worked with RESTful APIs before
- Loves Shopify
- Loves making money
This isn’t a job interview, so we don’t need to see your resume. Instead tell us if you have previous experience with the Shopify API, and show off your previous work. Link to apps (Shopify or otherwise) and websites you’ve worked on, your Github account, your Stack Overflow profile, anything that screams ‘This person is a talented developer!’.
What happens if I'm accepted to the Fund?
Successful applicants will receive a set amount of funding split into two equal payments unless otherwise agreed on.
The first payment will be made halfway through the development schedule upon provision of a progress report and testable prototype. The second payment will be made upon publication in the app store.
Requirements
As mentioned above, developers must keep Shopify up-to-date with their progress. At the halfway point in the development process, the following should be provided:
- A breakdown of the completed features as well as those that remain to be done
- Access to a working prototype showcasing the currently completed features.
Once the app is completed, it should be submitted to the Shopify App Store for final review. Completed applications are expected to do the following:
- Use the Shopify Billing API
- Adhere to the App Store listing guidelines
- Have a professional look and feel
Once the app is published in the App Store it remains the property of the developer who assumes responsibility for supporting, maintaining, and updating the application. Through the billing process, Shopify will run a 50/50 revshare until the advance is paid back. Once that happens, payments will revert to the standard 80/20 model.
Timeline
Unless otherwise agreed upon, the development timeline for applications funded by the Shopify Fund is 20 business days (4 weeks). It is expected that development will be conducted full-time during this period. Milestones are as follows:
- Before Development Begins: Features and wireframes are agreed on with Shopify
- End of Week 2: Update on progress, access to working prototype given to Shopify
- End of Week 4: App is submitted to the Shopify App Store for review
What Makes a Great App?
A great app extends Shopify's existing functionality and adds some feature or features that do at least one of the following:
- Makes shopowners' work easier, by automating or simplifying some task that they perform often or is very complex
- Helps shopowners make more sales, either by helping them get more customers or get more sales from each customer
- Makes customers' lives easier, by simplifying the shopping experience, helping them find what they want or catering to their needs (which in turn is an extension of "helps shopowners make more sales").
Ideally, an app should be as simple to use as Shopify, and it should present a great-looking user interface. We're sticklers for design, and we'd like Shopify apps to look as good as Shopify.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the Shopify Fund, please feel free to ask us at fund@shopify.com