Kickstarter-Funded Lynx 3D Camera Works as Advertised

Since a group of students from the University of Texas unveiled the Lynx A 3D camera project on Kickstarter earlier this year, it has raised far beyond the project’s $50,000 fundraising goal. And as of last week, Lynx Laboratories was getting ready to ship out the first cameras. At the DEMO Mobile SF event, Engadget had an opportunity to demo a prototype, watching firsthand as the camera scanned a person’s head in real time. Continue reading Kickstarter-Funded Lynx 3D Camera Works as Advertised

Veronica Mars Movie Funded on Kickstarter: New Model?

As of this writing, the Kickstarter campaign for the “Veronica Mars” movie is over. It broke fundraising records and took in more than $5 million in crowdfunding. Launched just one month ago by show creator Rob Thomas and actress Kristen Bell, the campaign has raised the topic of whether or not fan-funded projects could change the way films are being made, particularly for projects with rabid fan bases. Continue reading Veronica Mars Movie Funded on Kickstarter: New Model?

Veronica Mars Project Sets New Record for Crowdfunding

A crowdsourced fundraising campaign to produce a film version of the popular 2004-2007 TV detective show “Veronica Mars” has set a new record for the fastest growing Kickstarter campaign, reaching the $1 million mark in just over four hours. In fact, the entire funding goal of $2 million was achieved in less than 10 hours (at press time, the project’s Kickstarter page listed a total of $3,306,914 from 50,094 backers). Continue reading Veronica Mars Project Sets New Record for Crowdfunding

Four Web Series Whose Second Seasons Are Worth Watching

Web series have long struggled to move beyond one season, as successful Web producers either move on to higher profile jobs or run out of money and cannot afford to produce additional seasons. But this year there are four notable Web series that will make the leap to a second season, headlined by the wildly successful “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” a comedy series featuring Jerry Seinfeld. Continue reading Four Web Series Whose Second Seasons Are Worth Watching

Kickstarter Crowdfunding Leads to Oscar Nominated Films

While Kickstarter has gained much attention for its successful funding of consumer products like the Pebble Watch or the Ouya gaming system, much of its crowdfunding has gone into creation of the arts. “Kings Point,” “Buzkashi Boys” and “Inocente” have become the fourth, fifth and sixth Kickstarter-funded films to earn Academy Award nominations. Continue reading Kickstarter Crowdfunding Leads to Oscar Nominated Films

CES 2013: Kickstarter Was Seemingly Everywhere This Year

“Kickstarter has really changed the dynamics at CES,” writes The Verge. “This year, independent developers are getting as much attention as the big companies that usually dominate, and many of them built their products with crowdfunded cash.” Kickstarter gives the small company or the entrepreneur a chance to compete with well-known electronics makers and is leveling a once very one-sided playing field. Continue reading CES 2013: Kickstarter Was Seemingly Everywhere This Year

Crowdtilt CEO Predicts Top Tech Startup Trends for 2013

James Beshara, co-founder and CEO of Crowdtilt.com, anticipates five top trends for tech startups in 2013: 1) phones will become our remote controls for life; 2) crowdfunding behavior will expand; 3) we will experience a new era enabled by sensors; 4) large companies within the startup ecosystem will seek new business models; and 5) a consolidation of entrepreneurs will come together to build companies. Continue reading Crowdtilt CEO Predicts Top Tech Startup Trends for 2013

Will the Proposed American Jobs Act Have an Impact on Crowdfunding?

  • Part of President Obama’s proposed American Jobs Act includes exempting small businesses that receive startup funds through “crowdfunding” from having to pay the Securities and Exchange Commission.
  • If the newly proposed $447 billion plan was to pass through Congress, it could impact services such as Kickstarter, possibly turning the “crowdfunding” model into an “investment mechanism for a whole new generation of small business,” suggests Digital Trends.
  • The plan would allow individuals to invest in a piece of the company (instead of the current model that offers rewards such as an early-run edition of the product), but without the company having to pay SEC fees.
  • “…[G]adget-makers are already using crowdfunding platforms to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in pure donations – imagine the possibilities if these small-dollar donors became investors with a stake in the venture,” reads a post on WhiteHouse.gov.
  • Kickstarter, for example, has already helped more than 10,000 projects by raising more than $75 million in pledges. Digital Trends indicates that currently, “Out of all projects submitted to Kickstarter, 44 percent go on to meet their fundraising goals.”
  • Details of the plan can be found in a White House website post on innovation and entrepreneurship.