Micro_Mart_-_January_7_2016_

In a break from our regular format, we thought we’d

kick off 2016 with a look back on some of 2015’s

biggestcrowdfunding projects. How did they do? And

perhaps moreimportantly... how are they doing NOW?

1. PebbleTime
   Thesecond-mostfundedcrowdfundingeffort
   ofalltimeraninMarch 2015 withthelaunch
   ofthePebbleTimesmartwatch,whichfollowed
   uptwopreviouscrowdfundingsuccessesfrom
   thecompany. Its$500,000goalwasmet 40
   timesoverwitha finalresultof$20,338,986.
   You cannowbuya PebbleTimefor£128off
   Amazon– thoughif you’dbackedtheproject
   straightawayit would’vecostcloserto£100!


2. FlowHive
   TheFlowHivewasanIndiegogosuccessstory,
   andthe7thmost-fundedprojectofalltime.
   Thecampaign,completedinApril2015,was
   fora homebeehivekitwitha valvethatallows
   keeperstoextracthoneywithoutdisturbing
   theirbees.Themakerswere aimingfor$70,000
   andgot$12,174,187andtheirinvention
   becameglobalnews.You canbuytheframes
   foranexistinghivefor$259,comparedto$230
   whentheprojectwasrunning.


3. BauBaxTravelJacket
   Thismulti-functionaljacketincorporated
   everyfeature youcanimaginefora piece
   ofclothing,includingthingslikea built-in
   inflatableneckpillow, eyemask,gloves,
   earphoneholder, drinkspocketandwho
   knowswhatelse.Theprojectranin
   September 2015 andraisedalmost$10m.
   Theydon’t seemtohaveshippedjustyet
   despitebeingpromisedasearlyasNovember
   2015,butthisiswellwithinthenormaldelays
   forcrowdfundedproductssowewouldn’t
   worryyet.
   4. ExplodingKittens
   Thecard gamedesignedbyvariouspeople,
   includingMatthewInman(ofTheOatmeal
   webcomicfame)topped$8.5millionon
   KickstarterinFebruary, despiteaskingfor
   just$10,000.Thegamecost$20duringthe
   originalcampaignanditsmodestformat
   meansthere were noissuesbringingitto
   market.You canpicka copyupnowfor£15
   fromTheOatmeal’swebstore.Ifwe’veseen
   anytrendinprojectsoverthelastfewyears
   ofCrowdfundingCorner, it’s thattheless
   ambitioustheproject,thegreaterthechance
   it’llallrunsmoothly!
   5. ShenmueIII
   Along-awaitedreturn fora much-beloved
   gameseries,ShenmueIIIisdueforrelease
   onPCandPS4andreached$6.3mafter
   askingforjust$2m.Game-basedKickstarters
   haven’t hada hugelyillustrioushistory(the
   insanelylongdelaysonBrokenAgeand
   GODUSspringtomind)butShenmueIII’s
   developersaren’t takinganychances.The
   gameisn’t evendueuntilDecember2017,so
   wewon’t knowhowthey’re reallydoinguntil
   thistimetwoyearsfromnow!

Hopefullyyou’veenjoyedthecrowdfunding

projectswe’vehighlightedoverthepastyear,

someofwhichmadeitontothislist,someof

whichdidn’t.

Eitherway, we’re lookingforward

tofindingoutwhattheinventorsand

innovatorsoftheworldcomeupwithinthe

comingyear. Seeyounextweek,then!

Crowdfunding Corner

Best of 2015

Disclaimer:ImagesshownmaybeprototypesandMicroMartdoesnotformallyendorseorguaranteeanyoftheprojectslisted.Backthematyourownrisk!