While some startups bootstrap or raise venture capital until (hopefully) they’re profitable, others raise capital via crowdfunding campaigns on sites like Kickstarter.
This year’s top Chicago Kickstarter projects ranged from useful cookware to internet-connected devices. As 2018 comes to an end, here are the local Kickstarter campaigns that raised the most money this year:
Kelvin Home Coffee Roaster - $422,928
The device allows coffee lovers to roast fresh beans, try new flavors, skip the pricey coffee shops and reduce waste. The internet-connected coffee maker will also feature a mobile app and subscription service that lets users select beans from abroad and recommend new roasts.
Solidteknics iron skillet - $311,383
The American-made iron skillet boasts the indestructibility of a cast-iron skillet without the weight. At a thickness of ⅛-inch, it weighs half as much as a typical cast-iron skillet.
Arrim ONE: World's First Professional AR Measuring Device - $273,639
Want to create your own augmented reality experience? Arrim ONE is the $79 smartphone adapter that measures the dimensions of spaces you’re capturing.
Crypt - $219,177
Andrew Nerger and Jeffrey Chin, creators of Road to Infamy and Cosmocracy, designed this one- to four-player game that tasks players with finding and claiming hidden treasures within grave sites.
The Apothecary 2: Intimate Handcrafted Playing Cards -$184,339
Alexander Chin returned this year with a second set of Apothecary playing cards featuring elaborately-designed, color-changing playing cards.
DUO Glass - $184,104
The DUO Glass was designed to handle pretty much any alcoholic beverage. Funded in early 2018, the hand-blown glass weighs 5.6 ounces, doesn’t need a coaster and simplifies cocktail mix measurements.
Block Club Chicago -$183,720
Following the shutdown of DNAinfo Chicago and its sister sites, Block Club Chicago emerged earlier this year to replace the fallen neighborhood news organization. The news site now has reporters covering various neighborhood beats across the city.
Good Dog, Bad Zombie: A Cooperative Board Game - $175,080
In this board game, you and your fellow players are actually dogs seeking refuge in Central Park from a city full of zombies. While barking at zombies and sniffing out living humans, your goal is to find frightened humans from danger using tools like scent tokens and energy cards.
Kozmophone - $155,767
Vinyl enthusiasts will love this modern twist on the classic phonograph. Its features include a 360-degree turning speaker, a wireless mobile phone charger and a portable Bluetooth feature. Who says records are dead?
SOLIDteknics nöni - $146,977
Another Kickstarter from SOLIDteknics brought users the nöni, a one-piece, stainless steel pan. Its creators say the 8-inch, American-made pan is indestructible.
