Disclosure · Updated August 2026

How Payments Work

SponsorMyStartup never touches your money. Not once, not ever.

We are a listing and discovery tool. We do not collect, hold, escrow, process, or transfer funds. There is no SponsorMyStartup wallet, no SponsorMyStartup balance, and no SponsorMyStartup checkout. Every payment happens off our platform, between a supporter and a business.

Where the buttons go

• Buy an item: the link takes the supporter to the retailer's own product page (Amazon, Home Depot, a specialty shop, and so on). The purchase and shipping happen entirely on that retailer's site.
• Send money: the link takes the supporter to the owner's own payment page (PayPal, Venmo, Cash App, Ko-fi, and others). The money goes directly to the owner's account.

What this means for risk

Sending money directly to a business is like handing over cash — it is quick and personal, but it relies on trust. Because SponsorMyStartup is not in the middle, we cannot reverse a payment, guarantee delivery of an item, or confirm how funds are used. There is no escrow and no platform refund guarantee.

How to protect yourself

Verify the business before you give, favor buying items directly from retailers, and use payment methods that offer buyer protection when you can. Any dispute must be resolved with the retailer or payment provider that handled the transaction, since that is where the money and the order live.

Not investment

Support given through SponsorMyStartup is a gift, a purchase, or a tip. It is never an investment and grants no equity, shares, returns, or securities.