Well maybe it is, maybe it ain’t, but one thing’s for sure: Resourceful Kiwi entrepreneurs are always looking for new ways to rattle the fundraising can on the global stage. And it’s crowdfunding phenomenon Kickstarter that has emerged as the platform du jour of local creators looking to finance their next big thing.
The latest Kiwi company taking its global ambitions to the people via the platform is Revbox, makers of the Revbox Erg, a stationary cycling machine that the company says could revolutionise the way the world’s cyclists train.
“The Revbox Erg is a totally unique machine that utilises air braking,” says Philipp Schacht, managing partner and developer of Revbox NZ. “It has no rotational inertia so every part of the stroke is making the athlete stronger….It can match your lifestyle and your training needs and the world needs to know about it”.
Essentially a wind-braked stationary cycle attachment for a regular bicycle, the Revbox Erg allows trained athletes to perform extremely high power outputs, while still being suitable for amateur riders looking to improve their technique when the weather outside has turned nasty.
So far so good, and combined with the obligatory smart phone app, the Revbox Erg has already generated plenty of interest here and abroad, with the 70 first generation units already sold and the second generation designs ready to be released to the global market.
And that’s where crowdfunding comes in. Looking to start full-scale production of the next generation unit, Revbox launched their Kickstarter campaign on Tuesday, hoping to hit their $50,000 target sometime in the next 45 days.
“The response so far has been great,” says John McKenzie, marketing manager for Revbox Erg. “We’ve had a lot of enquires and a lot of shares already”.
“Crowdfunding is still relatively new in New Zealand, but the great thing about Kickstarter is that it’s not just about the fundraising. It’s a sales tool as well and it’s a way of generating publicity.”
McKenzie says that the Kickstarter campaign, if successful, will help the company take the Revbox Erg, (currently being manufactured in Christchurch), to the world.
“The point of the Kickstarter campaign is basically to get cost effective production underway and set up those distribution channels,” he says. “It’s about going big. That money’s needed to take this international.”
In accordance with Kickstarter’s rules, if the project fails to raise the full $50,000 within the fundraising window, in this case 45 days, or Friday, 17th April 2015, all pledges are cancelled and the developers will receive nothing.
Pledges range from $25 – for which you’ll receive a hearty thanks and your name on the website – all the way up $8000 deluxe packages, which will get you eight Revbox Ergs, all the bells and whistles, and free shipping to your door, wherever in the world that may be.
