15 most successful crowdfunding projects in Kickstarter history (16 photos)

12 November 2021 15:52

Tags: investing on the Internet, kickstarter, crowdfunding projects  

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The collective fundraising site Kickstarter is a place for those who want to realize their creative, scientific and production projects, getting as many people interested in them as possible. The crowdfunding system works like this: a description of the project is posted on the website, the deadline and the minimum amount of funds that need to be raised are indicated. And if people are interested, they become voluntary investors.

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If the project does not raise the required amount by the deadline, the money is returned to the sponsors. Here are 15 unique projects that collected much more than they claimed.

Exploding Kittens Card Game

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Exploding Kittens is a card game created by Alan Lee and launched on Kickstarter with a goal of raising $10,000 for its launch. The idea was supported by more than 200,000 people, and the total amount invested was about $9 million. The description says that this is a “cat” version of Russian roulette. You play cards until someone draws a card with an exploding kitten - and is immediately eliminated from the game. It's probably not surprising that so many people wanted to get such a game to have fun playing exploding kittens at parties and get-togethers with friends.

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United World Schools Organization

It appeared in 2008 in Cambodia, and now also operates in Myanmar and Nepal.

Goal: to provide basic education to children from remote and poor regions not covered by public education systems.

United World Schools is a UK-based charity that opens schools in the world's poorest countries, where children do not have access to even a primary education. UWS organizes schools in the most remote and inaccessible regions of each country, where the national education system has not yet reached.

Founder Chris Howarth opened UWS in 2008 after working as a volunteer teacher in Cambodia. Today, UWS schools operate in Cambodia (115 schools and 13,500 students), Myanmar (68 schools and 4,000 students) and Nepal (37 schools and 4,500 students).

In parallel with the opening of schools, the organization is actively recruiting and training teachers from the local population, which, among other things, helps maintain local culture and language. A separate task is women's education: in many villages, school founders have to convince parents to send all their children to study, and not just boys. And while education is the main goal of the UWS, they also have to deal with more utilitarian issues, including providing residents with safe drinking water and training them in basic sanitation and hygiene standards.

Board game Dark Souls

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Dark Souls is a board game based on the computer game of the same name in the action/RPG genre. The initiator of the fundraiser was Steamforged Games Ltd. and the amount needed was estimated at £50,000, but in the end £4,000,000 was raised. The game seems to have a lot of fans around the world, and they're eager to be able to jump into the thrilling four-player cardboard board action and enjoy the complex storylines that Dark Souls is so famous for.

Top 5 best ideas for an IT startup on the Internet

All successful projects began as the simplest experiments. Many of them looked crazy at first, but that didn’t stop the developers, and they still tried to bring them to life.

Opening a freelance exchange

The difficulty lies in finding permanent employers who can regularly provide orders to performers. The functionality for the exchange costs about 50,000 rubles.

The profit will be 5-10% for each order. The commission is usually charged to the performer.

Approximate income: 50,000 rubles per month. Total expenses are about 300,000 rubles. Payback period is more than six months.

Testing web resources

Costs are associated solely with the registration of activities. The idea is to test new sites and provide customers with complete information about the resource.

Profit depends on the number of orders and is about 40,000 rubles per month.

Selling trainings

If you have certain knowledge, you can share it with other people. The easiest way to organize the learning process is via the Internet. 500-1500 rubles per student

The contribution will be about 50,000 rubles . It is recommended to work with narrower topics that are not found on the Internet, for example, numismatics, photography, etc.

Online quests

The essence of man lies in the constant desire to achieve success. If real interaction with other people is impossible, then there is another way - the virtual world.

Online quests are a real opportunity to organize leisure time for millions of people.

To open a startup you will need out-of-the-box thinking and education in the field of IT technologies. The costs will be small compared to the profits awaiting developers.

Website development

Beginning entrepreneurs can promote ready-made pages or create new ones. You can work to order or sell completed projects.

First you need to complete the courses if the necessary knowledge is missing. Next comes the launch of advertising and the search for new customers. Financial investments – purchasing a domain, paying for hosting and marketing activities.

Computer game Pillars of Eternity

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Pillars of Eternity is a computer role-playing game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and released in 2015. The game takes place in a fictional universe, all the details of the plot and battles are very well worked out. Funds for the creation of the game were raised using Kickstarter: it was necessary to raise $1,100,000, but in the end they raised about 4 million. All investors who supported this endeavor with their hard-earned dollars received their own digital copy of the game.

Types of startup projects

There are several classifications of startups: by scale of implementation, by payback period and by type of sales. All options are clearly presented in the diagrams.

Difference between startups by type and sales options

Computer game Yooka-Laylee

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Yooka-Laylee is a platformer and action-adventure game for various computer platforms and game consoles. It is being developed by the Playtonic Games studio - the same people who previously worked at the Rare studio and released many beloved games (for example, Banjo-Kazooie). The game is expected to release in early 2021. And again, thanks to Kickstarter, thanks to which we managed to raise more than £2,000,000 instead of the stated 175,000 pounds. All contributors will receive a digital copy of the game and other rewards depending on the size of their contribution.

How to create your own startup

To open your own business, you first need to think carefully about the idea, which must be original. You can view options on popular startup exchanges. Next, you should develop a business plan describing the project, market entry and promotion options.

After this, the birth of the project begins, regardless of the number of developers. Even if the idea is not fully implemented, it is necessary to convey the basics to people. It is important to generate interest in a service or product, which will significantly increase the likelihood of finding an investor.

Only after the start of financing is it possible to continue - bringing the project to the world market. Success awaits only those startups who can come up with a really good idea.

3D pen 3Doodler

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The 3Doodler is a gadget that has been called the world's first 3D pen-printer and has raised an impressive amount of almost $2.5 million on Kickstarter (although the amount originally announced by project owner WobbleWorks LLC was only $30,000). What kind of device is this? In short, it looks like a glue gun, only for plastic, and with it you can create three-dimensional multi-colored models. Can be used as a toy for teenagers and adults who like to model and create something with their own hands.

Where to find investments for a startup: top 7 effective ways

#1 – Venture Investments

The best solution to startup financing issues is venture investment . But it’s not so easy to extract funds from investors. There are several ways to increase your chances of receiving money.

1. Close-knit team. Work on the project should be led by experienced financiers. Minimal investor confidence in yesterday's graduates.
2. Sales . The chances of project success increase if there is an experienced marketer on the team. Financiers do not want to consider proposals that do not have the slightest chance of success in the market.
3. No lies. When negotiating with investors, you should tell only the truth. If the lie is recognized, then the startup will be blacklisted for several years.
4. Focus on the idea . Don't tackle multiple projects at once. A startup needs to devote maximum time and effort.
5. Honesty and transparency. A product developed for the client and aimed at solving specific problems is a guarantee of interest on the part of investors without additional “chatter”.
6. Lack of experience. Having knowledge in the field of the startup being promoted increases the chances of success. A generally recognized expert will help solve the problem, who will provide a reference and confirm the demand for the project on the market.
7. Smart choice for the investor. Many startups, due to lack of experience, turn to the wrong financiers. Each investor undertakes to finance a certain stage of project development, which must be taken into account when applying.

Initially, do not take on a project that has no market prospects. We are talking about those startups that will not pay off more than 2-3 times.

No. 2 – Banks

A loan can be issued to a legal entity or an individual. To do this, the applicant must have a good credit history. You may also need collateral or a guarantee, which depends on the terms of the loan.

Many banks provide special programs aimed at supporting medium and small businesses. The risks of this method will be enormous. If the startup is only at the idea level.

No. 3 – Relatives and friends

Close people surrounding the startup probably have a certain amount in reserve. Over time, money depreciates. It's better to invest them in something more profitable. In most cases, it does not take much time to receive the required amount, since relatives and friends are always happy to help beginning businessmen. The exit chain is usually 2-3 people.

No. 4 – State funds to support start-up entrepreneurs

When contacting government agencies, you should not count on large sums. But if the startup is useful to the region, then it will be a completely different conversation.

No. 5 – “Business Angels”

People who own large capital are often interested in promising projects. They are ready to invest quite large sums.

You can find “Business Angels” on social networks.

#6 – Own blog

An ideal option for presenting your idea is a thematic website. Through the Internet you can introduce your project to an audience of millions. Surely many will agree to donate a small amount for the development of a startup.

#7 – Private foundations

There are about 10 private organizations in Russia that help budding startups not only financially, but also give practical advice. Getting investment requires less effort than with state-owned companies.

Space simulator Star Citizen

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Star Citizen is another computer game in development, this time in the space simulator genre, very powerful and never seen before. The project is being developed by Cloud Imperium Games Corporation. Funds for development were collected through a crowdfunding scheme both on the official website of the game and on Kickstarter, where they managed to collect more than 2 million instead of the stated $500,000.

Kinetic art table

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But not just games! There are also very interesting art projects on Kickstarter - for example, an art project by Bruce Shapiro called “Sisyphus, or the Kinetic Art Table”. The hero of ancient Greek mythology, Sisyphus, had to roll a heavy stone up a mountain, which rolled down every time. In Shapiro's project, Sisyphus is a kinetic sculpture consisting of sand and a ball that rolls on the sand, creating and erasing intricate patterns. The spectacle is very beautiful and bewitching. It was supposed to raise $50,000 to launch this project, but about 2 million were collected, which made it possible to quickly breathe life into Sisyphus.

Educational complex "Point of the Future"

Opened in September 2021 in Irkutsk.
Goal: to socialize orphans, to teach all students to manage their lives responsibly.

Social adaptation of orphans is a problem that has been discussed for many years. As a rule, orphans leave traditional schools without independent living skills. This is not surprising: over the years of education, children do not gain experience making their own decisions; they are required to do something completely different - to obey and follow instructions. It is this approach that the founders of the Future Point project want to change.

The uniqueness of the center is not only in its unusual infrastructure, although one complex combines a state-of-the-art school, a kindergarten, sports facilities, a Center for Social and Psychological Support, as well as a cottage community for foster families - 27 buildings in total. The main feature is in relation to students: in “Future Point” the emphasis is placed on the subjectivity of each student.

Unlike a passive “object” of learning, as in regular schools, children in ]learn to make their own decisions[/anchor] and take responsibility for them. Starting from the elementary grades, and the further - the more, students are given a choice: what subjects and extracurricular activities they will fill their individual curriculum with, what projects they will implement, how they will manage their time for self-preparation. It is important that children are not left alone with this choice. They are supported by curators and tutors: the former are a kind of managers, the latter are mentors who guide, help to live through difficult situations, analyze and comprehend experience. But this is precisely help and support; the final decisions are still up to the child.

Another difference between Point of the Future is the composition of the students. Research shows that the socialization of orphans is most successful when 15% of adopted children and 85% of children from originally intact families study together. This is exactly the proportion that is observed when recruiting students to the Future Point. To date, 19 foster families are participating in the project, each of which was provided with a house with furniture and appliances in close proximity to the educational complex.

One of the conditions for foster families to get into the Future Point is a willingness to become professional foster parents who regularly take children from orphanages. As for children from originally intact families, they get to the “Future Point” in order of priority: those who first submitted an application on the site are accepted, regardless of the child’s abilities or academic performance. Training is free.

Starting next year, priority for enrollment will be given to children from the same family - this decision was made by the founder of Points of the Future, the New Home Foundation. This is fully consistent with the values ​​of the project: family is at the center of the concept.

Floating Record Vertical Turntable

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Floating Record Vertical Turntable is a vertical record player for true fans who want to enjoy not only the music, but also the appearance of their rarities right during playback. The idea of ​​the project is contained in its name, so there is nothing more to add here. The initial goal of this project to raise $50,000 for the launch was a complete success, with more than half a million dollars raised.

Floating schools project

Appeared in 2002 in Bangladesh.

Goal: To ensure continuous education for children during floods during the rainy season, when it is impossible to reach permanent schools.

Every year during the monsoon season, Bangladesh experiences floods, preventing thousands of children, especially from poor families, from getting to school and forcing schools to close. To solve this problem, the non-profit organization Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha came up with floating schools: now, if a student cannot go to school, the school itself comes to the student.

It works like this: at first, the boat plays the role of a school bus - it goes along the route, periodically stopping to pick up the children. When everyone is assembled, the boat docks and the lesson begins. In this way, the boat works all day: training is carried out in three shifts - the latest lessons for working students take place in the evening after sunset, and electricity for this is provided by solar panels.

Each floating school is equipped with a classroom for 30 people, at least one laptop, books and gadgets. Some schools have full-fledged libraries with 1,500 or more books, several laptops with Internet access, printers and mobile phones. Education for now is only primary, up to the fifth grade.

These schools educate not only children, but also teenagers, older people and adult women: one of the main goals of the project’s creators is to combat gender discrimination and provide women with equal opportunities. In addition to floating schools for children, the creators of the program organize floating training centers for adults, where they are taught about modern methods of agriculture, climate change, government structure, human rights, and employment opportunities.

In addition, the work of floating clinics is organized according to the same principle: they moor to villages, conduct medical examinations on board, give patients the necessary medications free of charge, and organize educational events for village residents.

Card game Million Dollars, But...

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Even today, in the modern world of technology, there are still people who like to play cards while sitting at a table, and Kickstarter gives them the opportunity to bring new ideas for card games to life. The game called Million Dollars, But... develops imagination and touches on moral issues, because the main question in this game is “What would you do if you had a million dollars?” The launch of the game required $10,000, but they managed to raise as much as $1.5 million. This is such an interesting game.

China

In May 2015, the ten-year manufacturing upgrading plan “Made in China 2025” was unveiled, aiming for China to achieve the level and quality of production of sustainably industrialized countries. In general, the goal of the plan is to increase the share of Chinese manufacturers in the domestic market to 70%, as well as reduce operating costs by 50%. The plan prioritizes ten key industries, including information technology, robotics, aerospace, aviation and marine engineering, as well as high-tech ships, advanced railway equipment and new materials. In 2021, the volume of investments from government sources amounted to about $520 billion. As of 2021, 305 pilot projects are already operating, covering 92 industries. Production efficiency at these enterprises increased by an average of almost 30%.

Electric Bicycle Wheel Geo Orbital Wheel

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Technology does not stand still and manufacturing companies are always looking for ways to modernize outdated technologies. And although the bike can hardly be called outdated, some things about it can certainly be changed and improved. American startup GeoOrbital has done just that, proposing to create an electric wheel, the GeoOrbital Wheel, which will turn a regular bicycle into an electric bike (you just need to replace the front wheel with it). Such an electric bike has many advantages - especially for those who do not know how to drive or do not yet feel the need to switch to a motorcycle. And this project has already been implemented thanks to fundraising on Kickstarter: instead of the minimum stated $75,000, about 1.3 million was collected.

Cooler of the 21st century: Coolest Cooler

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Sometimes it's very interesting to see how people take an existing idea and improve on it, creating something new. This Kickstarter campaign was started by a man named Ryan Grepper. He promised to create the Coolest Cooler, a cooler for the 21st century that combines everything from an ice blender to a waterproof Bluetooth speaker. After all, there is nothing wrong with improving what already exists. The minimum amount to launch the project was $50,000, and they managed to raise almost $14 million for the coolest cooler.

Examples of the best startups in Russia and abroad

Start Up projects differ in growth rates, products and market shares. There are also a number of other distinctive indicators.

The most significant are divided into the following categories:

1. Minimum investment and quick profit (sponges in the shape of emoticons, spinners) – income up to $80 million.
2. Missions that change human lives. For example, Apple opened the era of the digital economy, Uber brought to life the idea of ​​self-driving taxis. With their innovative solutions, they changed government structures, people's employment and economic models.
3. The combination of making quick money and changing the world. The most successful example is the start-up Airbnb, a booking company. From standard hotels, clients were switched to any type of housing that can be rented via the Internet. Hostels and apartments have become the standard option for tourists and travelers. Ordinary people, not just hotel business owners, can act as landlords.

Many Russian projects are copies of foreign analogues. The most successful examples are a copy of Facebook , Yandex , etc.

It is not easy to identify successful innovations on the Russian market. A striking example is the Kapersky laboratory and the Kalashnikov assault rifle.

The most successful startups are:

• printing human body tissue on a 3D printer (Bioprinting Solutions);
• application for collecting discount cards (Cardberry) ;
• instantly search for the necessary information on the Internet (AstroDigital).

Many projects are of interest only to a narrow circle of people. The most promising system is “Forest Watch” , aimed at detecting fires in forests. This option is relevant exclusively for employees of the Ministry of Emergency Situations . For large factories, a striking example is EcoCat , a project aimed at reducing the cost of heating industrial facilities.

Relaunch of the Reading Rainbow educational program for children

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Reading Rainbow is a series of educational children's TV programs that aired in the United States from the mid-80s to the mid-2000s. Due to a lack of funding, the program was closed, but its creators did not give up and in 2012 launched the Reading Rainbow educational application for iPad and after 36 hours it rose to first place in its segment. In 2014, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to raise funding to update materials for the project and launch it free of charge in schools across the country. The goal of $1 million was reached within a day; on the second day the amount doubled. In total, about $5.5 million was collected.

Examples of practical house projects

Project No. 13-00

The design of a practical two-story house meets several of the criteria listed above. Standard and simple architectural solutions are used:

• square layout;
• gable roof;
• The external walls are made of wood with high thermal insulation parameters.

A competent layout provides, with a modest area, a sufficient number of interior spaces and the required level of housing comfort.

Project No. 13-00

Movie "Veronica Mars"

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Veronica Mars is a television series about a teenage girl who helps her detective father solve crimes. This series has its fans, so when screenwriter Rob Thomas launched a Kickstarter call to raise funds for the filming of a feature-length film about Veronica Mars, many responded. It was necessary to raise at least 2 million dollars - they raised almost 6 million. And the film was released in 2014 and received positive reviews from critics.

France

In connection with the oil crisis of 1973-1974, when oil prices rose sharply (the country purchased 80% of the oil consumed), a large-scale energy program was launched in France, including the construction of nuclear power plants and increasing energy efficiency. By this time there were six nuclear power plants in the country. In the 1970s and 1980s, under presidents Georges Pompidou, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing and François Mitterrand, 16 nuclear power plants were built. If in 1973 the stations generated 8% of all electricity, then by the end of the 1980s - already more than 74%. Currently, after the closure of several plants, there are 19 nuclear power plants (58 reactors) operating in France. They provide 75% of the country's electricity needs. In terms of the number of reactors, France ranks second in the world (after the USA).

Wireless Smart Headphones

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The Dash are “smart” wireless headphones, the fundraising campaign for the development of which was successfully completed on Kickstarter. The owner of the project is Bragi LLC. The goal is to raise $260,000. Almost $4 million raised. Still, people really hope to someday get truly comfortable headphones with high-quality sound reproduction.