{"id":41943,"date":"2023-10-20T15:17:35","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/startupsmart.test\/2023\/10\/20\/yes-we-scan-kickstarter-fans-almost-over-eager-for-eora-3d-startupsmart\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T15:17:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:17:35","slug":"yes-we-scan-kickstarter-fans-almost-over-eager-for-eora-3d-startupsmart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.startupsmart.com.au\/uncategorized\/yes-we-scan-kickstarter-fans-almost-over-eager-for-eora-3d-startupsmart\/","title":{"rendered":"Yes we scan: Kickstarter fans almost over eager for Eora 3D – StartupSmart"},"content":{"rendered":"
When the Eora 3D Kickstarter campaign launch was nine minutes late, the team were immediately contacted by at least 25 loyal fans worried about the brief delay.<\/p>\n
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It was then that co-founder Rich Boers knew it was going to be a success.<\/p>\n
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Demand for the Sydney-based startup\u2019s smartphone-powered 3D scanner crowdfunding campaign was immediate. It reached half of its $80,000 goal in just ten minutes, and hit the target after only three hours.<\/p>\n
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Sydney-based Eora 3D reached 300% of its goal in two days, and is now sitting at well above $300,000 from over 1000 backers, with more than three weeks left.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s a testament to the demand and excitement the cheap and simple 3D scanner has ignited in the 3D printing community worldwide, and the buzz it is beginning to generate in the media.<\/p>\n
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Operated through a free smartphone app, the scanner can capture an everyday object or surface, from an R2D2 figurine to a coffee cup, and turn it into a high quality 3D model to be printed, and it\u2019s just like taking a video on your iPhone.<\/p>\n
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Boers, along with co-founders Rahul Koduri and Asfand Khan, came up with the idea after being slugged with a $20,000 bill for a 3D scan. They thought there must be a cheaper solution, and found it in something that we\u2019ve all got in our pockets.<\/p>\n
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Crowdfunding validation<\/b><\/p>\n
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Despite the original $80,000 goal, Boers said the team always had ambitious hopes for the crowdfunding campaign.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHad we just got to $80,000 we wouldn\u2019t have deemed it as a success,\u201d he says. \u201cWe were hoping from the beginning to get well over 1000 backers,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
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The only downside of a significantly oversubscribed crowdfunding campaign is the pressure it places on manufacturing and distribution, but Boers says the Eora 3D is more than prepared for this increased interest.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe don\u2019t see any issues with going over the goal,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe know we can manufacture them and fulfil the orders, and we\u2019ve been changing the company to take it to a much stronger position.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe want to just keep the momentum and do everything we can to provide the product.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The campaign includes a range of different price tiers for the scanner, with the early bird special of $199 already selling out. There\u2019s also a $229 early adopter special, and a $319 Kickstarter special. It\u2019s vastly cheaper to the alternatives, Boers says, with a scanner that provides the same level of accuracy costing up to $15,000.<\/p>\n
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The dedicated community of 3D printing buffs was what convinced the team to turn to Kickstarter rather than seek a traditional investment round, Boers says.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe reason we went to Kickstarter initially was because the people who understand the need for a 3D scanner and the people who are going to be early adopters are those who already own a 3D printer,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
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\u201cKickstarter has a very, very active community in the 3D printing space and has had a lot of very successful 3D printing campaigns. It was a natural fit to start the business.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Transparency the key to Kickstarter success<\/b><\/p>\n
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The secret to a successful Kickstarter campaign is to be completely transparent about the product and its testing, Boers says.<\/p>\n
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The Eora 3D campaign page includes a whole range of videos and evidence of the product, including design verification, functional testing, performance testing and signal quality testing.<\/p>\n
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It was taking the time to ensure these tests were up to scratch that helped the startup surpass its crowdfunding expectations, he says.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe could have launched it three months ago but I don\u2019t think we would\u2019ve been successful like we are now,\u201d Boers says.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to launch prematurely \u2013 we\u2019ve been working on it for a little over a year and showing it publicly for eight months.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Spreading the word globally<\/b><\/p>\n
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