I’ve written a fair bit about iOS device functional cases as a replacement for many purpose built devices, as well as Kickstarter as a tool for customer development. I’m also a big promoter of Chicago based entrepreneurs through my work with the Chicago Lean Startup Circle and the Lean Startup Machine.
So when a project comes along that combines all three of these, it put’s a big smile on my face. TikTok and LunaTik are armband cases for the iPod Nano that turn the Nano into a geek-chic wristwatch. It’s the brainchild of Scott Wilson, the founder of Chicago-based product and design studio MINIMAL, who put it on Kickstarter with a goal of raising $15,000. It’s now raised over $446,000, with seventeen days of fundraising left to go.
Functional Cases
Functional cases often have additional sensors, chips, readers, motors, etc. Two recent examples include the Sprint ZTE Peel, and the Magelan Tough Case. In the TikTok case the functional part is very basic – it’s just an armband that you can clip an iPod Nano into. But with it’s elegant design and the benefits of the iPod Nano as a multifunction device, it’s a compelling substitute for a wristwatch.
Kickstarter for Customer Development
One of the challenges with doing customer development for physical products compared to software is the cost of manufacturing and distribution. Thanks to the continued evolution of 3D printers, DIY manufacturing platforms and open source electronic prototyping platforms, the cost of prototyping physical devices has gone down tremendously. But getting truly functional prototypes in the hands of customers is still a challenge, and understanding whether you have product-market fit mostly still requires a fairly big financial risk on manufacturing and customer acquisition costs.
This is where Kickstarter comes in. It’s a great marketplace for connecting potential new products with earlyvangelists. The risks for earlyvangelists are pretty low, thanks to the minimum project fundraising thresholds, and the rewards are potentially high: The feeling of getting in on something early and being a part of making something new that earlyvangelists thrive on is really reinforced by the platform. And for the new product developers, customer development and fundraising can go hand-in hand.
Financially committed earlyvangelists on the basis of a good story, photoshop files and maybe a video of a prototype? That’s the kind of customer validation and Minimal Viable Product that’s a lean startup dream scenario, even better than the Dropbox MVP.
It’s another example of the cool things going on in Chicago. This is a great place to be an entrepreneur, and not just for the winter surfing.
