This month sees a number of product inventions from Columbus’ crowdfunding minds. These entrepreneurs are solving problems like low sound quality on iPads, tangled headphones, and even keeping your keys secure for visiting guests. Another company aims to further enhance the capabilities of 3D printing with a larger build area. And finally an educational app stops the nagging and helps kids make their own purchasing decisions…how many chores do they really want to do? Keep reading to learn more.
Amp for iPad Air 2™ and iPad Air™
OIO is raising funds for Amp, an iPad speaker case. Low-profile speakers are built into the case that folds over and doubles as a screen protector. A hinged stand also turns the iPad from tablet to home theater. Design, engineering and tooling are complete, pushing it further along than most Kickstarters, and a successfully funded campaign will help to finalize manufacturing tooling and order the first round of units.
Spoolee – Have Fun Managing Your Earbuds!
There’s a good chance your earbuds have ended up in a tangled mess in your purse/book bag/gym bag. Touting fast deployment, convenient storage and ultimate organization, Spoolee is designed to keep unwieldy earbuds under control. The neoprene spool is compatible with all different types of earbuds and squishes into the smallest of spaces. Funds from the campaign will help with Spoolee’s first production run.
Quest to Clean Up Financial Education App
A new app is out to teach kids the value of a dollar. Quest to Clean Up shows kids the connection between hard work and rewards. The system shows youngsters the number of task they would have to complete to earn the money for something they are after, allowing them to make the decision if it’s worth it or not. A successful campaign will go towards completing app build out on both iOS and Android.
Stingray 3D Printer – Laser Cutter – 16″ Massive Build Area
Stingray CNC is expanding their line of 3D printers with machines that have 8x8x8 and 16x16x16 inch build areas. The larger printers are three-in-one models with laser cutter/engraver and paste extrusion module. Stemming from the Columbus Idea Foundry, a successful Stingray campaign will help the company purchase a larger laser cutter/engraver to cut the bigger side panels required for the new models.
With the rise of apartment rental websites like Airbnb, coordinating the key exchange can be a challenge (or you can dig it out of a flower pot as in my experience). Lock-Bot looks to solve this problem by creating an intelligent wifi lock box for key storage. Renters are given a code that unlocks the protective cylinder, while property owners are kept in the know with text alerts. Post-campaign the Lock-Bot team will finalize product design and complete software testing.
See some great business campaigns that are missing or gearing up to launch your own? Submit your campaign for our monthly roundup at [email protected].
