Update (1/11/17): Rocketbook's new Kickstarter has now reached over $1.1 million, with three days left to go.
If you're looking for a local expert on how to run a successful crowdfunding campaign, you should seek out Joe Lemay, CEO and co-founder of Rocketbook, the Techstars Boston alum that's been cranking out reusable, cloud-connected notebooks.
In 2015, Rocketbook launched its first product, called Rocketbook Wave, with a successful campaign on Indiegogo. The main appeal was that you could seamlessly upload your handwritten notes to cloud services like Dropbox with a complimentary app and then erase the notebook's contents by putting it into a microwave (if you use Pilot's heat-sensitive Frixion pens).
Now, after having a successful second campaign for the Wave last year, Rocketbook is crushing the goal for its third crowdfunding campaign, which is supporting its new Rocketbook Everlast product. With 11 days to go on Tuesday, the campaign has raised more than $762,000, which is nearly 30 times over its original goal.
While Everlast still lets you upload your notes to the cloud like the Wave, the major difference is that it lets you erase its contents with the wipe of a wet paper towel. This is possible thanks to the same Pilot Frixion pens and Rocketbook's use of a synthetic polyester blend for the pages. And it means you won't be able to use a microwave anymore, but you're probably more likely to have a moist towelette at your desk than an 800-watt microwave oven anyways.
Rocketbook has had a few minor missteps, mainly with launching new crowdfunding campaigns while leaving orders from previous campaigns not completely fulfilled (Lemay told us on Tuesday that all orders for the first two campaigns have been fulfilled). But as its new Kickstarter campaign illustrates, there's still plenty of goodwill and excitement for the idea of a reimagined notebook. Even large organizations are using Rocketbook, Lemay said, including Pepsi, NASA and HubSpot.
