Kickstarter turned seven yesterday, and it's hard to remember a world where it never existed. All sorts of innovative projects have found funding on the platform. Everything from the ARKYD Space Telescope to a Planet Money t-shirt have found the monetary fuel they needed on the crowdfunding platform. Even the Oculus Rift was initially funded by a $2.4 million Kickstarter in 2012. We thought we'd turn to the platform to see what sorts of projects New Yorkers were looking to fund and found a couple of gems. Check them out — who knows, some of them could be the next big thing.
Firefly Communicator: Listen to nature, speak firefly
421 backers have pledged $18,097 of a $10,000 goal with 15 days to go
Who doesn’t want to be able to communicate with animals? Ok, so in this case it’s really just a bug, but still pretty cool. The Firefly Communicator promises to mimic the light patterns of fireflies with a touch of a button, thus attracting them to you. I think most New Yorkers might be baffled by the idea of attracting bugs to you, but maybe I'm just jaded from too many years spent in roach-filled hovels. Pledge $30 and you can be among the first to own a firefly communication device.
DAVEK: Uniquely strong umbrellas with Loss Alert
803 backers have pledged $84,879 of a $80,000 goal with 7 days to go
In a world where everything is being connected to the internet, it was really only a matter of time until the humble umbrella joined the fray. These umbrellas claim to not only be super-strong, but they will also notify your phone if you leave it behind on a day that’s predicted to be rainy. Just what everyone needs — a needy umbrella. Pledge $49 to get a small one, $89 for a normal sized one, or $120 for one of those giant ones that everyone else on the sidewalk hates.
Geo-Motive Weight Loss and Fitness
0 backers have pledged $0 of a $50,000 goal with 32 hours to go
It's going to take a miracle to get this idea off the ground, but it's a pretty cool one. Basically, you walk, jog or bike your way around the city to a series of waypoints. As you knock them off you get badges and other rewards — and you get skinnier. It's geocaching, with the hassle of actually having to find the geocache. So, if you have $50,000 laying around...
6 backers have pledged $814 of a $6 goal with 71 hours to go
This project aims to ensure that no robots will ever be harmed for human entertainment. The World Robot Protection movement is aiming to ‘save up to 35 million robots from a lifetime of cruelty.’ PETA is SOOO last year.
Pictar: Probably the best iPhone camera-grip ever built
1,678 backers have pledged $174,325 of a $100,000 goal with 27 days to go
There are a ton of Kickstarter projects promising to turn your iPhone into a full-fledged camera, but this is definitely one of the sexier ones. You slide your iPhone into it, and it keeps that same sleek aesthetic that Apple is so well known for, while adding extra functionality. You’ll be able to attach a mini-tripod, have an ergonomic grip and a real shutter release button. All the early-pledger deals are long gone, but for $90 you can have one shipped; hopefully by this November.
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