Staples Wants You to Crowdfund Your Way Onto Its Shelves Staples and crowdfunding site Fundable have teamed up to launch a contest for entrepreneurs.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

For many product makers, getting onto the shelves of a big-box store is a pipe dream. But a contest launched today by office-supply store Staples and crowdfunding platform Fundable is making it possible for one lucky entrepreneur to do just that.

The winner of the "Crowd2Shelf Contest" will get to pitch his or her product to the Staples merchandising team for the chance to have it sold both in the Staples stores and online at Staples.com.

For one lucky little inventor, that's a big break.

Related: A Device to Help You Sleep Better Raises Almost $500K in Two Days on Kickstarter

To win, contestants have to prove their crowdfunding chops. A select panel will pick the top 25 contestants based on a combination of the amount of money raised through crowdfunding, the number of votes received, and the recommendation from a panel of judges.

Interested entrepreneurs need to get their application submitted by Aug. 31. The 25 finalists will be announced Oct. 5 and the winner on Dec. 10, just in time for the holiday shopping season.

In the last couple of years, the popularity of crowdfunding has surged as a way to raise startup capital. It's also become a way for businesses to market test their ideas and get feedback from potential future customers, speeding up the process of improving product design.

Related: This Hard Rock Hotel Just Raised $1.5 Million Through Crowdfunding

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Productivity

6 Habits That Help Successful People Maximize Their Time

There aren't enough hours in the day, but these tips will make them feel slightly more productive.

Starting a Business

Her Business Is Solving the $12 Billion 'Porch Pirate' Problem — Here's How a $300 Product Can Keep Your Packages Safe

Melissa Kieling and her son Brennan Naylor co-founded hyve Security to save customers headaches and retailers money.

Business News

Over 1,300 Google Employees Have Signed a New Petition Asking For Job Security

Google laid off thousands of employees in the past two years, which has left some employees feeling insecure about keeping their jobs.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.