Big excitement in the world of crowdfunding in our region – today is the big day that the first projects from Australia and New Zealand launch on Kickstarter!
Of course, there have been Aussie and Kiwi Kickstarter projects before. Some people had partners in the US (or more recently the UK or Canada). Some people got around the requirements in less straightforward ways! But today is the day that we can see projects launched on the site without all that hassle! A reminder about the key facts on using Kickstarter:
Kickstarter is an all or nothing platform – you need to reach your target funding within the specified deadline. If you reach your goal they charge a 5 per cent success fee. Transaction fees are: 3% + $0.20 per pledge. If the pledge is under $10 they have a discounted micropledge fee of 5% + $0.05 per pledge.
You can find more online, but here is a short selection of Australian & New Zealand Kickstarter projects that have gone live today!
Trainz Simulator – a New Era: Create, Drive, Operate, Share
by N3V Games
Category: Video Games
Goal: A$165,000
The world’s favourite rail simulator is undergoing an extreme makeover – all new graphics engine, new features, new levels of realism.
As Tony Hilliam, MD of N3V Games said on the video,
“Kickstarter is the perfect marriage. It’s creative industries putting together projects and passionate fans finding the project they love and then pledging their support to that project.”
With gaming doing so well on Kickstarter, a twelve-year history with fans and a big new upgrade this one may have train-traction! (queue groan for the deliberate play on words)
You can view their Kickstarter project page here.
Sprite Lamp – Dynamic lighting for 2D art
By Finn Morgan
Category: Video Games (although it could also belong under Technology)
Goal: A$6,000 UPDATE: The target funding was reached within seven hours! Is this the first project to reach funding since the AU/NZ launch? Now we need to watch how far this one goes….
Sprite Lamp is a software tool to help game developers combine 2D art with dynamic lighting effects, through the creation of hand drawn normal maps.
Full disclosure. I’m not a gamer. I have no idea how this gets used, but anyone reading and watching the demos understands that this will knock the socks off those in the know!
You can view their Kickstarter project page here.
EMC Touch – Bed time stories without barriers.
By EMC App Systems
Category: Technology
Goal: A$10,000
Real-time communication with your child from anywhere. Share the experience of a touch screen device together.
This one warms my heart as it was developed by a father using his skills in order to develop a way to read stories with his young child who lives a l-o-n-g way away. 750 kms to be exact. With the ability to see where each is touching the ‘page’ (quaint word I find when we’re talking a digital book!) Greg now wants to develop the potential for this much further – to colour in pictures or drawing for instance. For any parent forced to be a distance from their young child I can see this would be a great way of connecting.
You can view the project page here.
The Only Genuine Liege Wafels in New Zealand
By Rick Unuia
Category: Food
Goal: NZ$8,000
Who doesn’t like Waffles? And let’s face it, Belgian waffles are the yummiest and scrumiest – and I want one right NOW!
This Kickstarter is to fund a mobile waffle van so they can bring yum to the people of New Zealand wherever they go. What’s not to love?
You can view their Kickstarter project here.
You may also be interested in reading:
- Indiegogo has an Australian representative
- Hello Indiegogo and Kickstarter: the explosion of crowdfunding
Australian Phil Bosua of LIFX is interviewed in Crowdfund it! Find out how he used Kickstarter to launch Scanbox and LIFX. To read more details about crowdfunding including an extensive ‘How-to’ section, purchase a printed copy of Crowdfund it! directly from the publisher. You can also purchase an ebook from the publisher Editia or through ReadCloud bookseller partners, Amazon, Kobo, iBookstore, Booku, and Tomely.Author: Anna Maguire, November 2013