TeamSeas: Raising $30 Million for Ocean Cleanup
Discover how we built a robust platform to support the largest creator-led fundraising campaign, removing 30 million pounds of plastic and trash from our oceans, rivers, and beaches.
The Ambitious Objective
$30M
Fundraising Goal
To support the largest creator-led campaign on the internet
30M
Pounds of Trash
To be removed from oceans, rivers, and beaches
The #TeamSeas campaign set out to make a significant impact on our planet's water bodies. By leveraging the power of internet creators and their audiences, we aimed to raise $30 million to remove an equivalent amount of plastic and trash from our aquatic ecosystems. This ambitious goal required a robust, scalable platform to handle millions of donations efficiently and securely.
The #TeamSeas Campaign Background
1
#TeamTrees Success
Previous campaign by MrBeast and Mark Rober set the stage for a new environmental initiative
2
#TeamSeas Conception
YouTube creators MrBeast and Mark Rober initiate the second wave of their groundbreaking initiative
3
23-Day Challenge
A tight timeline to launch a scalable, secure platform capable of processing millions of donations
Overcoming Unprecedented Challenges
Rapid Development
Build an enterprise-grade donation platform in just 23 days, pushing the boundaries of agile development
Scalability and Performance
Handle millions of transactions with variable amounts, ensuring 100% uptime during high-profile traffic spikes
Payment Integration
Seamlessly integrate diverse payment methods including Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit cards, PayPal, and cryptocurrency
Security
Protect against potential DDoS attacks and other cyber threats to maintain platform integrity
Our Comprehensive Solution
End-to-End Technical Solutions
We provided a complete suite of technical solutions, covering every aspect of the platform from initial design to final deployment. Our approach ensured that the #TeamSeas donation platform was not only functional but also robust, scalable, and secure.
Tailored Infrastructure Design
Our team meticulously designed the infrastructure to meet the unique demands of this high-profile campaign. We leveraged cutting-edge technologies and best practices to create a system capable of handling unprecedented levels of traffic and transactions.
Key Actions for Success
Infrastructure
Built a globally distributed system using AWS services, ensuring rapid data updates and fault-tolerant operations
Payment Systems
Integrated Stripe, PayPal, and The Giving Block for seamless and secure donation processing
Security
Implemented Cloudflare for DDoS mitigation and Webpurify for content moderation
Performance
Conducted load testing to handle over 100,000 requests per second
Impressive Campaign Outcomes
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2
3
4
5
1
$30 Million Raised
Processed over $30 million in donations by January 1, 2022
2
Lightning-Fast Launch
$270,000 in donations processed in the first 13 minutes
3
Fraud Prevention
Stopped over 40 fraudulent attempts per second in early days
4
Flawless Performance
Zero downtime despite one billion hits and numerous cyberattacks
5
Comprehensive Tracking
Implemented Google Analytics tracking across all touchpoints
Impressive Key Metrics
1B+
Requests Handled
Over one billion requests processed during the campaign
100K
Requests Per Second
Processed without straining infrastructure
$260K
Raised in 7 Minutes
Demonstrating the platform's ability to handle rapid donations
Cutting-Edge Technologies Employed
Infrastructure
AWS (Lambda, DynamoDB, Cloudfront, EC2, Route53) for a scalable and robust backend
Payment Systems
Stripe, PayPal, The Giving Block to ensure secure and diverse payment options
Security
Cloudflare, Webpurify, Site 24x7 for comprehensive protection and monitoring
Frontend
HTML, CSS, JavaScript, NodeJS for a responsive and user-friendly interface
Key Lessons Learned
1
Strong Payment Partnerships
A robust relationship with payment partners like Stripe is crucial for managing high-volume campaigns effectively
2
Globally Distributed Systems
Leveraging AWS for globally distributed systems ensures optimal performance under extreme conditions
3
Proactive Security Measures
Implementing DDoS mitigation and content moderation preemptively prevents disruptions and builds trust
This case study exemplifies our expertise in Custom Software Buildouts, Tracking and Attribution Optimization, and Scalable System Design, showcasing our ability to deliver robust solutions for high-stakes, large-scale projects.