Crowdfunding
The best crowdfunding campaigns to check out in July 2021
Coffee grinders, exercise machines, and a lot more.
Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.
Crowdfunding is a really cool way for innovative products to see the light of day, without the restrictions placed on in-house development at large companies. It’s also a great place to check out video games from small studios, movies, and even campaigns for social good.
With all of those campaigns competing for your attention, it can be tricky to find ones based on your interests. Let KnowTechie do all the hard work for you with our picks of the crop for March.
Check out these 15 awesome crowdfunding campaigns this month
So… with how many crowdfunding campaigns there are out there, how do you choose what to back? Well, I use a combination of checking out their campaign page, looking to see if any of the comments on their prior campaigns show dissatisfied backers, and also companies I’ve already had successful pledge fulfillment from.
I also tend to stick to gadget areas that I know a bit about, like photography, cooking, maker tools, and writing implements. That way, I can judge if the campaign’s aspirations are within reach or not, which adds to my decisions. I’m also picking campaigns with some time left to run, as it’s no fun finding out about cool campaigns after they’ve finished.
So, with all of that out of the way, here are some of the crowdfunding campaigns I’ve found worthy of attention in July.
VieZone
We could all use a bit more focus these days, as Monday seems to never end. Vie Zone wants to help, with brainwave- and heart-rate- sensing headphones that can hack your ‘flow state’ with its AI-powered music player. That music combines binaural beats and neurofeedback to coax you into the most focused version of yourself and then keep you there.
The headphones also monitor for burnout, suggesting breaks when your fatigue levels are increasing. Oh, and they’re pretty capable Bluetooth earbuds as well, with a 10-hour battery life and compatibility with Apple Music and Google Play Music.
GAMMA graphene infused jackets
With the summer’s heat just starting, nobody wants to think about keeping warm in the colder months, but that’s exactly when you should think about it before everyone rushes to the store.
Gamma’s graphite-infused jacket is built for all-year wearing anyway, with heat releasing graphene when it’s warm and built-in heating elements when the chill takes over. It’s water and wind-resistant, anti-odor and -microbial, lightweight, and more. Gamma might just become your favorite outerwear.
BrewVide – sous vide for brewing
Homebrewing is a complicated affair, with all kinds of equipment usually needed. BrewVide wants to simplify things into one device that you dunk into your brew vat to keep everything at the optimal temperature for your beverage of choice. It’s also got an integral pump that can stir, whirlpool, and also transfer your finished wort to the fermentor.
Oh, and you can use it as sous vide for huge chunks of meat, so you’ve got every aspect of your next bbq covered.
CrowdCruiser ebike
Want an eBike but don’t like the stocky, utilitarian styling of most models? CrownCruiser wants to have a word, with its badass styling. Inside that monocoque carbon fiber frame is some serious grunt, with a 31mph top speed and a 100-mile range. RockShox girder-style front forks smooth out all the bumps on your journey, and those fat tires will turn heads, if the frame doesn’t.
Nyuair – personal hand dryer
Love being able to air-dry your hands when you’re out of the house? How about bringing that experience in-house with the Nyuair. It’s a tiny air dryer for your hands, so you can ditch those towels for good.
It’s got UV self-cleaning, and an easy-to-clean filter to keep bacteria at bay, and the 40c temperature will gently warm your hands while they’re dried off. Nice.
PlatoGame Headset
Want to actually get better at video games? You could just practice, but that’s sometimes not enough on its own. PlatoGame could help, with tried-and-tested tDCS neurostimulation tech to make your scores skyrocket.
Getting older doesn’t have to mean your reaction speeds drop to the point where you’re wrecked by any teenager you come across in multiplayer; you can do something about it. No, seriously. PlatoGame was tested in the largest tDCS study ever, and high scores increased up to 40%, reaction times dropped by up to 60ms, and accuracy increased by up to 20%. That’s impressive, so I guess the only question is: will it work for you?
Atowak Ettore – Supercar-inspired automatic watches
We love watches and supercars here at KnowTechie, so the thought of combining the two has us a little hot in the loins. There’s the Ettore Drift with its super-complicated four-arm wandering hour complication, powered by a modified Miyota 9015 automatic mechanism, Swiss Super-LumiNova glow coating, and curves that wouldn’t be out of place on the tightest of race track hairpins.
If that’s not to your liking, the Ettore Lite has more of a retro feel, with a redesigned Miyota 8215 automatic movement, a center dial that keeps track of the minutes, and an outer hour track that sweeps from midnight to noon. Either watch you choose, you’ll end up with a top-quality Italian leather strap and a unique watch that’s guaranteed to turn heads.
KEY Coffee Grinder by Weber Workshops
Coffee is serious business, and it all starts with the grind. It needs to be uniform and done with a conical burr grinder, so it doesn’t damage the bean on the way through. If you really care about your coffee, you want one of Weber’s new grinders.
Yes, they’re expensive, but think about how much you spend on coffeehouse coffee annually, then think about how much better your countertop would look with this majestic machine on it.
RE:GEN
Exercise equipment has been a hot property since the pandemic started, but what if you could harness your exercising to run your devices?
The RE:GEN workout bike charges up a hefty removable battery so you can run your laptops, your smartphones, or other devices without needing mains electricity. Think of it as kind-of-free power, so you don’t have to tap into non-renewable energy. Oh, and it’ll get you buff too.
Barner | Valley do-it-all everyday backpack
Okay, all the neat tech in the world is useless if you don’t have anywhere to stash it. The Valley backpack aims to be your “do-it-all” backpack, with stash cubes to compartmentalize your life.
There’s the camera cube that looks like it can carry a few lenses and your camera body. The foodie cube fits two bento-style boxes, cutlery, drinks, and more. And the travel cube, which is perfect for packing a weekend’s worth of clothes and has a wet/dry storage section for dirty clothing. That’s not all though, as the backpack has easy access for every section, a removable tablet/laptop sleeve that can fit a 16-inch laptop, and multiple ways to sling, carry, or stow.
Lumina NRG
Tried everything, but your stubborn fat areas won’t go away? Maybe you can literally iron it off, with the Fat Iron from Lumina. It’s got a clinically proven trio of fat-busting technologies, from RF to EMS to photon light therapy, that can remove fat, tighten your skin, and clear up stretch marks in just 15 minutes a day. Never go to the salon ever again!
ArcX smart ring
What’s the worst thing to deal with when you go for a jog? No, it’s not the sweat, although okay, maybe it is. It’s having to fiddle with your touchscreen device with sweaty hands. Take control back with this smart ring controller that lets you deal with your music player, incoming calls, and even send SOS calls if you’re in need. Nifty.
LensHD – automatic lens cleaner
If you’re a glasses wearer, you know you can never quite get all the smudges off, and you’re just as likely to put new ones on the second you finish. How about taking your fingers out of the equation, with this automatic cleaning station that uses microfibre-wrapped sponges to gently rub off all the crud. They even spin off-axis to reach all the corners, just like your fingers do. Nifty.
Bosma EX – the ultimate outdoor security camera
Want an outdoor security camera that comes with advanced features, while still being stylish? You might want to check out the Bosma Ex range, with its IF Design-winning exterior hiding a host of advanced auto-tracking capabilities.
Our pick of the two is the Ex Pro, which has motors for pan and tilt, so it can track intruders as they cross your yard, or even your local delivery person so you know exactly when you’ve got a package. Both cameras have a 3 MP sensor that works at night and a 2K resolution, color night vision, and a spotlight, with AI to only notify you if it detects a person instead of the usual cars, pets, or falling leaves. Nice.
AR Micro-blocks
Want to turn your smartphone into a science tool your kids will love? AR Micro Blocks comes with multiple magnification lenses for a macro look at everyday things, a slide and liquid sample holder just like a big microscope, an illuminator, and a smartphone app with games, experiments and AR slides to make the learning experience more interactive.
Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.
Editors’ Recommendations:
- This egg-looking thing is a drone, webcam, and handheld camera all in one
- Nothing’s first set of earbuds are called Ear(1) and feature active noise canceling for $99
- Stubble Buddy is a marriage-saving vacuum that sucks up all your beard trimmings
- Lenovo is working on some new Android tablets that can also be used as second monitors
Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.
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